Then and Now

Here is a container that I have been working on this spring/summer. It is a wooden box set on a corner sidewalk. Then.....

And now....

And the containers on the hand rail...

And the same today....

Very nice!! Out of curiosity, how is the wooden box on the corner sidewalk kept watered and what are its dimensions?

Very, very nice!!! How big is the box?

The box is 3' X 5' and I have an emitter system that waters it. In the first photo at the bottom right corner you can see the .70 poly tubing come up out of the tarmac of the driveway and enters the box. I cut thru the driveway, put the poly tube inside a PVC pipe, buried it in the trench and recovered the cut. Put down fresh tarmac them I tamped it down so people could drive thru without breaking the system. The potted flowers on the rail also have emitters, the spike type, for water. I only go by there once a week to deadhead. I used a half a cup of time released fertilizer in each 10" clay pot (6 month). I choose the plants by the ability to get big in containers and tolerance to wind, bugs etc.

Here's the box from the other side...

Here is a close up of one of the clay pots....

Hey Dale!

Did you do that for the City or is it close to your home? It's a great idea and I bet a lot of people enjoy it.

Molly

I am self employed. I added the box and pots at cost for this resturant/take out food business for advertising purposes. It is a very nice neighborhood with lots of traffic. It hasn't worked out very well, yet. A lot of people stop in and ask who the gardener is, but, few call. I still enjoy the look and challenge of keeping it going. It is a pleasure for me when I drive by too.

I think you should submit it to the local paper, with photos and address of location! Publicity for both you & the restaurant would help to get the attention of other potential customers. :0)

Everything is just soo gorgeous!!!

I know you and everyone passing by must enjoy it immensely.

How do you connect the pots to the handrail?

Dee

The handrail had pot holders on it already. I just added some bolts and washers to hold them down so the local vandals wouldn't be able to lift the pots out and take them home to Mom for Mother's day. It is a fun, if low paying job. I enjoy the challenge of trying to grow big plants in a small pot in a parking lot.

Here is something that is a little easier....

just great looking planters.

That's awesome. I sat here with mouth agape for a good 5 minutes, clicking back and forth on pictures. Wild. It never would have occurred to me to plant a 3x5' box and stick it in the middle of a sidewalk. I'm just dumbstruck. That's awesome. Way to think outside of the "box" :)

Jacci

Here's one from my competition a small, very professional garden center. This is an old gas station pump island that was framed up in wood and planted.

same bed, another angle.

Very, Very Beautiful pics!!!!

What is the tall bright red flowers in two of the pics?

Marilyn

The pink and red are both coreopsis verticillata hybirds (I hope0 ;-]

This message was edited Jun 16, 2006 6:55 PM

Dale, your work is spectacular!. I'm really surprised that no one has called you. Do you have a sign with your name and phone number in that box?

Dale,

The tall red flower I'm refering to is the one next to the purple flower. I first noticed it in pic 6 where you said:

"Here is a close up of one of the clay pots...."

And, then I noticed the same tall red flower in pic 9, where you said:

"Here's one from my competition a small, very professional garden center. This is an old gas station pump island that was framed up in wood and planted."

It is a beautiful red flower, what is it?

Marilyn

Dale, I too am awestruck - and agree that you should have some sort of sign in the container. I'm sure it could be done tastefully so as not to detract from the incredible plants.

Good luck with your business - you certainly deserve some success. Your "competition" does nice work as well, but I definitely prefer the big one you did, and the pots on the handrail.

Carole

Thanks for the compliments. I do enjoy my job.

MarylynBeth, that is a red pentas. That small pot has gold lantana, red portulaca, heliotrope. In some of the others I put a yellow gaillardia, and wow did they get big, too big. I have to keep cutting them back so they won't take over. Gaillardia is one plant that is best used alone in a small container. I have some in my bed here at home and it is causing the same problems, growing over its neighbors.

I like to collect groundcovers too....

Wow, they look so lush and full! What do you feed them?

Really beautifully done! I would have thought the surrounding sidewalk would produce too much heat and that's one heck of a lot of display from a box that size!

Dale_ you got the touch! I'd like to know how you change them up as the heat continues...keep us posted with more pics!