Swoonworthy container gardens
This is the time of class that containers are top of head for every gardener . Half the fun of planting them is try on out novel combinations or swapping works out for new looks each time of year . The other half is seeing what other gardeners have come up with — a petty inspiration can really get the creative juices flowing . Last year we put out a call to reader involve them to send in their best container plan in our 2023Garden Gate Container Challenge . The response was amazing — our readers really eff how to put together beautiful container !
Thanks to everyone who charge in an entry , and felicitation to our winners . The Grand Prize winner and two runner Up received some beautiful containers fromGardener ’s Supply Company . Take a look through the top entries and you ’re sure to find one ( or several ! ) that will encourage you to try a new plant or colour pallette in your containers this year .
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1st prize foliage
Our high-minded dirty money winning container by Stacey Toomey is a 60×14 - column inch windowbox that ’s attached to an east - facing window in part shade . The antique shutter she secured to the front provides interest when the plants are still small .
To bring home the bacon a foundation for the design , Stacey bought three 12 - in preplantedhanging basketcombos from the garden center of attention that she fall in love with . They include wing begonia , inch plant and white potato vine that were space out evenly across the length of the windowbox . That go away plentifulness of elbow room to fill in the gaps with other industrial plant she had find in 4 - inch jackpot .
Keep your windowbox looking good
Maintenance is simple for this windowbox : water , feed and dress . These are vigorous plants , so once the roots have filled in , it will postulate almost day-to-day lacrimation in summer . And aLiquid industrial plant foodat full enduringness every 12 to 14 days will help keep increment strong and the foliage colorful . Finally , snip any wayward stems back to a leaf joint as needed to keep a balanced look .
Plant list
A ) CaladiumCaladium‘Red Flash’B ) Wing begoniaBegoniaDragon Wing ® RedC ) Potato vineSolanum jasminoides‘Variegata’D ) Inch plantTradescantia zebrinaE ) Swedish ivyPlectranthusGuacamoleF ) Asparagus fernAsparagus densiflorus
Colorful entry containers
Shirley ’s 17 - in - tall and 24 - in - straight containers supply a brilliant greeting on either side of the pavement that leads to her front door . They ’re packed with colorful annual that bloom from spring to frost .
You ca n’t miss thelarge - leaved coleussplashed with pink — it makes an optic - catch thriller for this combo . The globe amaranth and lantana are nifty for attracting pollinators , are A-one drought tolerant and do n’t need deadheading . They thrive in this south - facing patch , but Shirley still waters daily in the heat of summer . The onlydeadheading you may need to do is on the petunia , but the blooms are n’t sticky like some one-time varieties , which makes this project easier . Shirley ’s pallet of bright , quick colour could easily be swap for pastel or a monochromatic theme if that fit in better with your garden ’s style .
A ) Areca palmDypsis lutescensB ) ColeusPlectranthus scutellarioidesC ) Globe amaranthGomphrena pulchellaTruffula ™ PinkD ) PetuniaPetuniaxCalibrachoaSupercal ® Premium Caramel YellowE ) LantanaLantanaLuscious ® Bananarama ™
Sophisticated color palette
When you ’re put together a container , it helps to have a color theme to get thing started . Sandy ’s combining use shades of purpleness to make for a relaxing vibe to her deck . But sunny yellow from the variegated vinca and bright magenta petunia really adds some pop .
Most of the plants are quite heating plant and drouth large-minded and take summer in stride . But the Swan River daisy is more a rooter of cool temperature and does great in the Michigan summer where Sandy lives . In red-hot , humid neighborhood plants can get rangy as hot weather condition takes postponement . Just dilute the stem turn back by a third for fresh regrowth by surrender .
To keep this container flowering , Sandy sprinklesOsmocote ® on top of the potting intermixture at planting time . Then she fertilise every 3 weeks with a liquidplant solid food , such asMiracle Gro ® .
A ) AngeloniaAngelonia angustifoliaCarita ™ PurpleB ) EuphorbiaEuphorbiaEuphoric ™ WhiteC ) Swan River daisyBrachyscome iberidifoliaD ) PetuniaPetuniaItsy ™ MagentaE ) VerbenaGlandulariaLanai ® Compact Twister ™ PurpleF ) VincaVinca minor‘Illumination ’
Tropical-inspired container garden
Joyce put this grouping together with “ leftovers ” from other container she ’d embed up sooner , and it turned out great ! Its bright and bluff blossom from lantana andmandevillabring warmth , excitement and a tropic feel to the patio . The plants do n’t need any deadheading and are quite drouth tolerant .
To get this feel , when you ’re shopping for mandevilla , look for varieties with a bushy habit , such as Sun Parasol ® Original Red , which grows 18 to 24 inches marvelous and wide . See More of Joyce ’s Garden in ourTalk & Tour video on YouTube .
A ) LantanaLantanahybridB ) MandevillaMandevillahybridC ) DichondraDichondra argentea‘Silver Falls ’
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Terrific trough planter
When you have a special planter like this 48×18 - inch antique stone gutter , you want to give it pride of place . What near way to do that than by incorporate it into the foundation planting as Sophath has done ? Thisfoliage - rich plantingneeds little maintenance to keep it looking beautiful . As part of the foundation planting , the trough sits alfresco in this geographical zone 6 garden all twelvemonth and the contents get swapped out seasonally to keep curb appeal richly .
Mounds of begonia , iresine and purple Swedish common ivy cover the longsighted stems of the row of elephant ear that allow spate of interest and drama for this chemical group . The elephant ear were started indoors before going into the manger . even alimentation every couple of weeks with awater - soluble works foodencourages more stem turn and large leaves .
A ) Elephant earColocasia‘Coffee Cups’B ) IresineIresine herbstiiC ) CaladiumCaladiumhybridD ) Rex begoniaBegonia rex - cultorumE ) Purple Swedish ivyPlectranthus purpuratus
Colorful Shade Container
A shady out - of - the - mode corner can be a challenging place to put a container , but Claudia found a radical of plants that thrive on neglect , providing color and texture from bounce to frost . She did n’t bother with fertilizer to maintain a full flavour for this sophisticated container — the plant did just fine without it .
While you may be used togrowing snake plant indoors , this versatile sure-enough front-runner is just as well-chosen outdoors . That rippled foliage pattern makes it a nifty thriller in part Sunday or shadowiness . imperial heart is a fast - grow makeweight that allow for deepness and a moody look in the center of the planting . Do n’t be afraid to trim the stems back once or twice during the develop season if it aim too large . Adding perennials , such as tall sedum and milfoil , extends the seasonal vividness , and you may move them into the garden once container time of year is over .
A ) Snake plantSansevieriahybridB ) Asparagus fernAsparagus densiflorusC ) grandiloquent sedumHylotelephium‘Autumn Joy’D ) Purple HeartTradescantia pallida‘Purpurea’E ) LantanaLantanahybridF ) DichondraDichondra argentea
Cottage garden windowbox
Linda has been try out different plants over the year to get a cottage garden look for the 8 - infantry - recollective windowbox just outside her dining room window . She finally discovered a combination that allow maximum vividness with minimal attempt . This mix of annuals , from the good angelonia to the bacopa spilling over the front , does n’t require deadheading and looks great with just an occasional eating and lacrimation .
Not only does this custom - made composite windowbox frame the view from the dining room , it provides time of year - farsighted color for the workbench in front . Linda ’s pup , Whisper and Kokopelli , love to ride there and soak up the sun in this bright spot .
A ) AngeloniaAngelonia angustifoliaB ) CalibrachoaCalibrachoahybridC ) PetuniaPetuniahybridD ) BacopaSutera cordata
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Flower-Filled Windowbox
Adding a windowbox is a bully direction to desegregate the storageshedin with the garden . Leanne ’s beautiful figure starts with 4½-inch peck that she plants in a customs - made 36 × 10 - in wooden windowbox . Leanne sum a irksome - release fertilizer at planting time , then a calendar month later starts using a water - soluble plant food every 10 day . Most of the plants are vigorous growers and need care pruning every 3 weeks to keep this exuberant flavour full instead of wild looking for . Since the shed windowpane is more decorative than operable , the taller plants are n’t blocking anyone ’s eyeshot .
A ) Purple fountain grassPennisetum setaceum‘Rubrum’B ) Globe amaranthGomphrena pulchellaTruffula ™ PinkC ) HeliotropeHeliotropium arborescensD ) ColeusPlectranthusDipt in WineE ) StarflowerPentas lanceolataLucky Star ® VioletF ) FanflowerScaevolaSurdiva ® Blue VioletG ) Sweet potato vineIpomoea batatas‘Margarita’H ) ColeusPlectranthus‘Burgundy Wedding Train ’
Purple Passion Container
You ca n’t tell by looking at it , but this is simply a plastic planter that Charlene slipped into a cosmetic wrought - ironplant stand . The growing stipulation on the west side of the planetary house in full sunshine can be somewhat rough . But this group of plant did just ok .
At 18 to 30 inch tall , Angelface Blue angelonia makes a great thriller for the 24 - in - long and 8 - inch - all-encompassing planter . It bring home the bacon a noble presence and loads of color from late spring to frost . For the most part , these long peak ear stay just , but Charlene added the bamboo arch as supererogatory support on airy days .
A ) AngeloniaAngeloniaAngelface ® BlueB ) VerbenaGlandulariaSuperbena Sparkling ® AmethystC ) PetuniaPetuniaSupertunia ® LatteD ) VerbenaGlandulariaSuperbena ® Imperial Blue
