Just moved from my home in Miami (lived there 50 years!)to a Fort Pierce Mother-in-law apartment in my son's home. It faces West, no shade and the "front yard" is the driveway. I want to start a container garden around the front and need some suggestions about plants that will take full sun and the heat in summer. My previous home had many trees and I LOVED my Impatience and ferns. There is shade on the North side where I can have my favorites. Any suggestions will be very helpful since I am new to container gardening. Patricia
Just starting!
Patischell, I have a couple of plants that can really take the heat without suffering:
1.Moss Rose (portulaca http://plantsdatabase.com/go/241/) is a great plant that does really well in hot dry weather and is easily grown in containers.
2.Asparagus Fern also does well in containers and you don't have to worry about it becoming invasive when it's grown in pots.http://plantsdatabase.com/go/1850/
There are also lots of choices, provided that you will water your containers regularly. Also, adding a moisture crystal to your soil mixture can greatly improve the ability of your pots to hold moisture. Also, the use of bigger pots and heavy ceramic pots can improve your plant selection. Nat
In container gardens the bigger the pot the better. And this is even truer on concrete in the sun! But being in Florida you should be able to grow many wonderful tropicals in pots so that that concrete is replaced with lush greenery in no time at all. Even small trees can thrive in large pots and they will then give you shade for smaller pots below so that you will be amazed at how many things you can grow. So start with large pots and trees for instant greenery to soften that view and make you feel more at home!
Thank you so much Nat and Zanymuse!!! I am familiar with both Portulaca and Asparagus Fern. My Grandmother always had Portulaca and I grew an Asparagus Fern in a pot one time. I am amazed at the idea that I can grow trees in pots! This is the perfect answer to my concrete "front yard" We have a large tree nursery in Palm Beach County (not too far) and I'm sure I can get some ideas thre. At my age I need to get something well on it's way to being grown so I can enjoy them immediately. (LOL)
Thanks again,
Patricia
With a few potted trees and some colorful flowerpots you will turn thar concrete driveway into a lush garden patio in no time at all! I look forward to hearing how you progress. And if you can post pictures along the way it would be great to see your new garden come to life.
Zany, I'm not much better at picture taking than I am at gardening, but I will do my best and would love to share.
Patricia