Large Container Gardening in City

Downtown, asphalt, concrete, brick building facing east, no shade until around 2pm zone 5.
Would like to put a couple of very large containers out front of a 3 story brick building.
Need height.
Need something year round (would look better if I could).
Any help would be appreciated.
Hope someone has seen some nice planters or has more imagination.

Thank you

happgarden ~ a spot of color in that environment would be refreshing! I dont' know how large the pots are but you might consider a boxwood that can be kept trimmed or a fir of some sort for the heighth. If the pot is big enough, I would set this plant in its' own pot inside the larger one. That way you could change out the rest of the planter perhaps with season color. Doing so would not disturb the roots in the evergreen shrub. Edited to add, the roots would not compete with the other plants for water or fertilizer either. Just a thought.... pod

This message was edited Apr 6, 2007 8:23 PM

Juniper, columnar type, with lantana for summer color. Both can handle hot, dry city life. Don't forget to water, even in winter.

Pod (& Happ), it is a good idea to leave the large plant in its nursery container. I have done that many times also. If forces the roots of the tree to stay deep. I usually turn the tree on its side and cut off the bottom 2" of the black plastic then plant. I also set it a little deeper than the the soil in the remainder of the container, requires less staking (you should stake anyway). I set my bigger plant toward the back of the new pot to leave more room for summer color in front.

Happ, I am wondering how you handle the expansion problem? I have read that many containers burst when they freeze in winter.

When planning the planting scheme for the color you will need to go to a good local nursery. Years ago I worked up in Minneapolis in the summer in gardens, not much competition in the garden trade in Zone 4a. I used to do a lot of succession planting. I would plant tulips, pansies, columbine, nierembergia and asters (for example) and each plant would grow and flower as the season went along. I am guessing that you are in Z6, might be a bit of a challenge with a longer season. Local folks would know a lot more about this than I would.

Dale_a_Gardener ~ that is a beautiful large container planting photo! Is the large plant a boxwood?
I grew up in the north and am always astounded at the intense flower colors of the northern climate.
What suggestions would you have to prevent expansion? A liner in a pot? Even then a porous pot could expand and crack were it not sealed...

You also mentioned cutting the bottom from a black plastic pot ~ what a good idea. What do you find works best for cutting the black plastic? I have one I need to do that with.... I have a blue juniper in a pot inside a larger pot. I underplant the larger pot with seasonal color. The juniper will have to either go in ground or have the bottom of the pot opened up... (not a great photo but... )

I do not have the "pots" yet. In order not to create the national debt and still make the pot large enough to show up against this big building I was thinking of having the maintenance guys make large wooden "pots". Freezing and thawing is a big problem in Missouri (can get below 0 degrees) and I thought maybe of lining the pots with foam insulation to help keep the roots from freezing. I figured that would also help in the 100 degree weather we have from getting too hot. What do you all think?

I like the idea of the plastic pot and the bottom cut out.

Happ, using a wooden 'box' is a good idea, inexpensive and you can get creative.

You can 'line' the inside with a large black plastic container. We have them around here that are as large as 48" and I have seen even bigger ones. You would have to ask around, people in the plant trade should be able to help you find the size you need. Leaving some air space or lining with foam should help moderate temps of the root ball.

Do you have a digital photo of the site and the bldg architecture?

Podster, yep that's a boxwood.
When I cut off the bottom of a pot I lay it on its side, step gingerly on the root ball, pull the plant out part way and saw thru the plastic with a serrated knife that I buy at the Dollar Store.

Don't mean to sound disappointed but I had hoped there was some super duper easy means of cutting it. I have a bunch of 3-5 gallon plastic pots that need drainage holes. Was hoping there would be a shortcut. I was wondering how an electric knife would hope up or maybe DH's sawzall? : )

Go for the Sawzall and/or the power drill with a wood bit.

Wood bit might be big enough and a drill will make it easier ~ thanks!