What do you plant in your containers—got pictures?

For several reasons I started to do a lot of container planting at least 5 years ago.

For one thing, our deck gets a lot of sun, so we put in 35-gallon containers for tomato plants and other small vegetables. We also had a garden with a highly invasive plant so I pulled all the lilies and put them in containers. Then it seemed that the foliage plants did so well in containers and wintered indoors, and we were well on the way. Certain zone 8 and 9 plants are started indoors. Now when a plant is not happy we try moving the container to a happier location. Plants that get sunburned go to a northern exposure with partial shade.

I like to mix different plants with similar watering needs, but sometimes I goof and one of the plants seems to take over. Creativity via necessity. What do you do?
Marcia

Hi Cathy!

I grow a lot of things in containers around my garden for a number of reasons - it gives me some spots of color on the patio, where everything else is hot, hard surface and it lets me put some 'seasonal'
things out for the summer, then bring them back in for winter.

Pic 1 - the patio with pots of hibiscus and dwarf canna growing in a Chinese bowl. (the paper lantern was part of the decor for an Asian-theme dinner party last Saturday).

Pic 2 - Sun coleus in pots lining the path to my garden.

Pic 3 - a round-leaf begonia that spent the winter in the basement under lights is enjoying the summer under a table on the patio, where it gets lots of indirect light, and I don't forget to water it.

Pic 4 - Mandevilla on a trellis in an urn beside the garden

Pic 5 - The Oleander topiary that spends the winter in front of a window in my bedroom, enjoys the full sun and heat in the center of the patio.

A Boston fern grows from an urn on the patio in full sun, while a foxtail fern spends the summer next to my shade garden.

LG, no surprise that they are all outstanding—you have good taste. That oleander is quite a handful to overwinter indoors, and I love that foxtail fern. I'm not familiar with it, but it is very, very pretty.

Foxtail ferns are close relatives to asparagus ferns. They are a little slower growing, but, in my experience, are easier to overwinter.

LG: Love your foxtail fern! I keep mine indoors in winter and in shade from May through October. Seems yours can take more sunlight so I might give it a try. Thanks for the positive thought with it.

1. An old copper box that has been in use here for plants, for 20+ years. Every winter I anguish over what colors I'll use. Sometimes it works out beautifully and other times it doesn't. This year I hit upon an accidental pairing as I was bringing plants to the garden and just set down a heuchera for a moment - you all know how that works out! Then I added some caladium meant for shade (but the colors did appear to match!) and then some petunias, etc. I'm enjoying how it looks now...despite my original plans for it.

2. Here's an original very old clam basket that I used to cover a vacancy I created by removing daffodils after they bloomed. I should get a better photo of it but it's nice and full now.

3. A little planter chair we bought on Cape Cod a few years ago. Yes, it's those petunias again and the green Sweet Potato Vine! Every time I go to the mom and pop nursery she gives me more of each because she knows I love them so I'm forced to find good spots for them!

4. My unplanned purple pot has been a joy and hasn't needed any additional watering since the irrigation system obviously gives it all it needs. There's plectranthus, heliotrope, petunias and Persian Shield growing in it.

5. Though I envisioned this yard sale torch lamp with overflowing plants, it hasn't yet happened due to the heat and the fact I didn't give it shade while we went to Maine! I did find the same petunia and replanted it last week so I still have high hopes for it and will report back when it's lush...probably just before frost!

Arlene, these area all lovely. I am impressed by both of you! Such creativity.

I have the same lamp in 5 (I think it came from Bloomingdales about 50 years ago). The only plants that have "spilled" this year are the ipomoeas, and one has really taken over. The petunias that I include are ok, but the heat is choking them. Many of the plants that do well with less water (every 2-3 days) are really requiring more attention and movement to a partially shaded location.

I can't wait to see them as they fill out.

My favorites this year!

Some of mine:

Al

You are forever and always an inspiration, Al! I love each design!

Louise, I like your designs and your containers, too. I just had to look sideways. You can open them, turn and resave to get them in upright.

Al, Arlene said it all!

Sorry! I am using my iPhone and it is wacky posting photos.

I have 2 very large clay pots in my pool area. The first 2 photos are the lime/purple/orange I did last year. This year I decided to use the space for some edibles, so I mixed in mint in the center of the one that's more shady, and pineapple sage in the more sunny one. The mint is working nicely, working it's way gently through the other flowers, but the sage took over, I keep cutting it back, and of course that encourages it MORE! I love the flavor - I've been using it in fruit salads, I especially like it with mango, but I don't think I'll grow it in a pot again.

Even when they don't do much, petunias are one of those plants that help to make container shine. Cindy, they are nice complements and nice containers as well. Great combinations!

My inground sage was overtaken by some other plants, so this is the first year containerizing it as it winters well here. This year's sage is purple sage, and it seems to be keeping its place quite well for us, but you know the heat and watering situation these past few weeks. The nasturtium in this little herb garden did not do well, the basil ok, and the dill and rosemary are fine, the sage being the least affected.
Marcia

I am growing hostas in containers now for a couple of years due to drought and horrible tree roots.

I also grow several tropicals in containers but this is one I really like which is a 3 pot planter that for the last few years have grown caladiums in. This is next to my glider and in a really shady spot. On the other side of the glider is the pot of red caladiums. I should of put something on top of the soil but thought the caladiums would lay down a bit. Next year I will add something.

Love those caladiums, Happ. I've been "messing" with caladiums for a while, and they say that if you de-eye, you will have fuller growth. I don't de-eye, but I did read that if you clip that large stems when they first appear, it will have the same effect. Now some of the containers have different sized foliage, and it's a bit confusing. The fuller growth has shorter stems.

Do you have deer going after your hosta?

The white caladiums are planted in 3 pots that are in tiers. Course the reds one are just one layer.

I have a 120# black lab so I don't have problems with deer....LOL

Beautiful containers everyone has planted. I enjoy seeing the variety of things we all grow in our containers.

How lovely, Cville. I love that little kettle spilling over. Do you over-winter the first two of them indoors?

No, all my semps stay outside over the winter. Tough little things as long as they don't get too much water.

A few more ...

Pretty pretty Cville. I didn't do hardly any coleus this year. That red one is very pretty. Yes and I love the little pot laying on its side, too cute.

Does anyone have any luck overwintering caladiums?

We've had cooler weather and rain in the last few days, so the mandevilla is looking great. It seems to do best in cooler weather, even though it is a tropical.

The firecracker begonia and bacopa are also thriving in the cooler weather.

Looking good, Leawood.

beautiful and classy.

No question about it, Leawood. You have good taste!

This summer we tried hostas, caladium and coleus, angel wing begonias and torenia and lots of begonias. Alstromeria, million bells and verbena.

This message was edited Aug 6, 2013 7:43 PM

How gorgeous! Love them all but that begonia is magnificent! Which one (or more) is it?

The planter with the coleus is gorgeous too! Kudos!

It is gorgeous. Love the color combinations!

Most diffently love those planters.

These are commerical planters that I saw but gave me some great ideas and you all might like them also. I love the color combinations.

I have two large urns anchoring the corners of my garden. This year I planted them with pink hibiscus and blue plumbago. I like the color contrast.

This message was edited Aug 10, 2013 1:54 PM

Happgarden, very nice combinations. Great for ideas.

Leawood, very pretty urns. Everything looks so healthy!

I experimented with caladiums , hostas, coleus and 4oclocks. All my coleus were from cuttings that I made last fall and my faithful hostas came back from last year . This watering can was being thrown away by one of my daughter"s friend and I added a purple sweet potato vine.

Very nice, cytf. I really like the sweet potato vine in the watering can!!

Thank you pirl

Cytf, very nice color combos. That dark coleus is a great trailer. It overwinters well also.

I like the watering can planted with the sweet potato vine. I enjoy things like that that are repurposed and reused.

Hi Cville , what is the name of that plant in the first picture? It is beautiful and your bench area seems the right place to sit and meditate on an early morning with a cup of coffee

Hi cytf. Thank you. That plant is Persian Shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus). It's such a beautiful foliage plant.

So nice, Cville, I like to repurpose as well. Unless that bench came from a bus stop, it looks like it was Heaven sent for that spot! It is so pretty. Everything looks wonderful!