My Master Gardener Mama is back to share some great tips for planting your own flower pots to make stunning arrangements.
Now that most greenhouses are in full swing, it is a perfect time to get going on your containers. Containers are are a fun and easy way to add color and interest to almost any area. They can spice up or fill in an existing garden, soften harsh lines of a deck or patio, and change the mood of your outdoor living spaces. Achieving a good look for your containers can seem a bit daunting, There are so many colors and textures to consider. One thing that I have found to be helpful when deciding on what to plant is to follow this little rhyme: something thrilling, something filling, and something spilling.
Thrilling
The ‘something thrilling’ is what draws your eye to the container–usually something that adds height. There are all sorts of plants that are great for drawing your eye upward: dracaena family (spikes, red cordyline), rushes, sedge, fountain grass, a single coleus, millet, king or baby tut grass, etc. You can also use an interesting piece of weathered wood or a plant poke–the sky is the limit.
Filling
The ‘something filling is what gives body to the container. It fills in the empty spaces with color and texture. Begonias and impatiens are great plants that don’t require full sun. For sunny areas try petunias, marigolds, gerber daisies, mini-dalias, geraniums, and so forth. Alyssum, lobelia, and euphorbia at a touch of daintiness with their tiny flowers.
Spilling
And lastly, the ‘something spilling’. Trailing plants tone down harsh lines and give your containers a softer, flowing look. Sweet potato vine, vinca, creeping jenny, licorace vine, ivys, asparagus fern, are all great choices. Verbena, bacopa, and million bells combine flowers with a trailing habit.
You can choose to go with a one-color scheme or combine colors and textures to achieve a particular look. Notice the planter on the left–the red sweet potato vine echoes the red hue in the millet stem and veins.
The green color of the planter on the right is mirrored in the green of the coleous in the middle of the container. The yellow middle of the pink begonia flower reflects the brightness of the yellow tuberous begonia blooms. Once the spillers get going, the harshness of the rim of the pot will disappear.
Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when choosing containers. In a couple of weeks these buckets will be over-flowing with color, texture, and form.
An empty container is like a blank canvas. All you need to do is start painting!
This post is linked to Little House in the Suburbs.
1:17 pm on June 21st, 2012
Love the rhyme! It’s perfect.
Beautiful containers.