The WOW Factor: Container Gardening at it's Best

by Karen Chapman CPH   |   Le jardinet   |   www.lejardinetdesigns.com

Are you tired of using the usual combination of a spiky Dracaena for height, geraniums in the middle and ivy to spill over the sides? Do you see plants in the nursery which look interesting but because you don’t know how they will look by August you are wary of trying them?

Here are a few easy tips to transform your container gardens from ordinary to extraordinary.

The container. If the container itself is boring you’re off to a tough start! That cheap flesh pink plastic pot from the box store will always detract from the design no matter how fabulous the plants. Work with containers which look fabulous even when they’re empty. Consider them as art for the patio.

Potting soil. Even the humble petunia will look better grown in a quality potting mix. We want the plants to thrive not just survive! I like to mix a lightweight potting soil such as the Molbaks Professional Mix with about 20% Gardner & Bloome Blue Ribbon Potting Soil. That combination provides excellent drainage yet a nutrient rich environment for trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals.

Fertilizer. Don’t overlook this step! For summer I prefer a slow release granular fertilizer such as Osmocote (just one treatment in May is enough to last all summer), or a liquid feed every two weeks with Miracle Gro for those of you who can remember when you last fed your plants! For fall and winter designs, a bulb fertilizer will promote the necessary root development.

Plant selection. Container gardening magazines and books can be wonderful sources of inspiration and help you step out of the design rut.

Helpful tips on the use of color, texture and form in container garden designs can be read in my article ‘Pots with Pizzazz’.

The WOW factor comes from the combinations rather than the individual plants. Every plant is selected for a specific attribute and because it connects in some way to its neighbors. Here are some simple combinations to try.

Summer stars
1.  Orange or coral toned tropical Hibiscus with Million Bells ‘Apricot Punch’. the Million Bells are a miniature version of the Hibiscus flowers both in color and shape.(sun)

2.  Colocasia ‘Diamond head with Begonia ‘Bonfire’. I did this in an old fire pit – STUNNING! (morning sun - see picture on left)

3.  Caladium ‘White Christmas’ with Mocha White tuberous Begonia, white Bacopa and ‘Sweet Caroline’ sweet potato vine. A white and chocolate medley. (shade)

4.  The fiery colors Crotons repeated by rich orange tuberous begonias and accented with chartreuse sweet potato vine (morning sun)

5.  Ninebark ‘Coppertina’ with Geranium ‘Crystal Palace’, lotus vine and million bells ‘Apricot Punch’. Combined in a rich copper colored container and backlit by the sun, the Ninebark positively glows. (sun)

6.  ‘Katsura’ Japanese maple with Abelia ‘Kaleidoscope’, ‘Jack Spratt’ Phormium and ‘Chocolate’ geranium. The photo says it all. (sun - see picture to left)

7.  Fatsia japonica, Japanese Forest Grass, Heuchera ‘Obsidian’, yellow and green variegated Hosta and chartreuse sweet potato vine. A garden in miniature with emphasis on contrasting leaf shapes. (shade)

Fall and Winter
1.  Golden Hinoki, chartreuse Heuchera and Euphorbia (Spurge) ‘Blackbird’

2.  Arakawa Japanese maple, chartreuse Heuchera, Red Elizabeth Rhododendron……..and bright red chair! (Picture to left)

3.  Leucothoe ‘Rainbow’ sets the color palette with Heuchera ‘Peach Flambé’, black mondo grass, black Ajuga and chartreuse Selaginella repeating the individual variegation shades.

Beyond Petunias….

Whilst there is nothing ‘wrong’ with using Petunias (assuming you don’t mind the dead heading, sticky aphids and the soggy mess after it rains) there are so many new plants to try. Look for interesting foliage to accent your flower color such as Alternanthera ‘Red leaf’ with its rich purple narrow leaves, fuchsia ‘Autumnale’ with gorgeous leaves in fall colors, feathery lotus vine, the Wandering Jew relative ‘Purple Queen’ and variegated plectranthus. Take a second look at your indoor plants for fresh summer candidates such as caladiums, bromeliads, tender succulents and kalanchoe.

Looking for a different selection of flowering plants? Some of the best may not actually be in bloom when you start to plant in May so you’ll have to go on a treasure hunt! Look for the shade loving Torenia. My favorite is the ‘Midnight blue’ which looks amazing with the deep orange Begonia ‘Bonfire’. Scaevola is transformed over the summer from a small 4” plant to an amazing ‘scrambler’ which fills the center of containers and spills over the edges with blue, white or pink fan shaped flowers. It is usually still in full bloom in September. I’m also a fan of the Cuphea varieties such as the ‘Cigar Plant’ with tubular orange flowers and ‘Tiny Mice’ which sports a purple ‘nose’ and red ‘ears’. Both attract hummingbirds and children! Purple bell vine is another hummingbird favorite. It is often available as a 2” basket stuffer and whilst not a WOW plant on its own, when added to a combination it adds an unexpected flower shape that can be trained to climb up or trail down as needed.

So try something new, surprise yourself and you’ll take your designs from wimpy to WOW in no time.

Karen Chapman is a horticultural consultant, container garden designer and a regular seminar speaker from Duvall. Her work can be viewed on www.lejardinetdesigns.com

7/2010