Hi! I would like to start planning what plants I should include in planters and hanging baskets for our veranda. It faces northeast. The left side of the veranda (as you are on the street facing it) gets some sun until about 10 am. The right side is in total shade because of a large sugar maple tree.
I have four 12" hanging baskets, 4 large window box style planters, and then 4 deep 14" pots. Any suggestions?
My preference would be to have flowers - but interesting foliage would also be great.
cheers,
Seandor
Hanging baskets
For the past two years I have had a planter (one of those with holes in the sides as well as the top) filled with double petunias hanging under the overhang of our porch. It gets very little direct sun but the flowers do fine except when a strong rainstorm messes them up. I tried Lobelia one year, but didn't pick the right variety--it didn't trail much.
For your shady side you might try wax begonias. My wife raises some as indoor plants, so they ought to do ok in an outdoor planter.
I used white wax begonias last year as edging around a curved garden. It was excellent! Like a flowering box hedge. We are definitely doing that again this year. Can they go in baskets?
Seandor
There are loads of cascading tuberous begonias that's do really well too. Their flowers are much bigger than those of wax begonias and come in a wide variety of colors. White Flower Farm usually sends me superior tubers. My favorite is a cutie called, B. sutherlandii.
Thank you. I will check them out. :-)
I love impatiens for bold bright color in the shade - they form a large mound, but do not trail. By summer's end mine usually completely engulf the pot, though. - Dax
These aren't in a hanging basket, but they give an idea of how large they can get -
What a terrific idea! Thanks!
I have hanging baskets on the north side under the the roof line, mine are 14". I've tried boston fern, but the seem not last long enough. I've tried spanish ivy with spikes that worked ok, but just did do it for me. This year I want to try red hanging begonia with caladiums.
That sounds lovely too :-)
Here's a nice hanging basket. It's the Caladium Florida Sweetheart
Bill
i have pretty much the same light and i use impatients,sweet potatoe vine, angel wing begonias, coleus, caladiums.and begonias. i also start rooting cuttings( about now) from my inddoor houseplants, mostly two varieties of ivy to use as trailers. i also bring my indoor plants outside. they love it! i have had the most luck with sweet potatoe vines, impatients, hanging begonias and coleus always does great. you can winter over the tubers from the sweet potatoe vines inside to save money and the coleus is easy to propagate,,, you just break off a piece and stick it in the dirt. for some reason i have lived most of my life in homes with shade. i have enough sun to grow my veggies in back but most of my yard is shade. i did find a beautiful hanging begonia with long trailing , double white flowers at a grower in wisconsin last year. it was so beautiful and looked great all summer.i dont know what it was called, it was missing a tag. it doesnt look like my angel wing. i brought it inside and promptly killed it and i have no idea what i did wrong! best of luck to you!
Hi Kathy1955
These are great ideas! I have germinated some coleus and ordered some impatient seeds last Sunday (I am hoping they come today). I like the idea of trailing ivy - I have some in the house and I will take cuttings this week.
Thanks for your feedback :-)
Seandor