Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Contemplating Containers of Summer '08

Last winter I posted about the containers I'd put together in June of 2007 and with spring fast approaching at long last, I'm happily anticipating this year's containers. Browsing through last summer's photos gives me a good idea of what worked well together, and which plants held their blooms throughout the summer and into fall.

I always seem to lean toward the pinks and purples, and that pink Diascia (right front) is one of my favorite container plants.


I loved this combination of Plum Madness Petunias and a calibrachoa that was almost the same shade. It spilled nicely over the side and continued the color. There's also an ivy geranium (barely visible in this photo) and a variegated Vinca in there. This photo was taken late in the day, unfortunately creating a shadowy foreground. (Click photos to enlarge for more detail)


Here you can see the true color of the Petunias.


There's the Ivy Geranium (Marimba).
I added a euphorbia to the mix for a contrasting deeper shade....

It starts out green and then changes to burgundy. There was no label so I don't know the name.


I love to use geraniums and Petunias in containers. They need deadheading but can't be beat for long bloom time and gorgeous colors.


Dusty miller (right) adds a touch of silvery foliage and blends well with pinks and purples. Posted by Picasa

Here's Amethyst Ivy Geranium with blue Lobelia. The Iresine in this container looks orangy red in the afternoon light...


....but it's actually a more pinkish red. It makes a lovely filler.


Osteospermums are bright and pretty in spring and early summer. Their blooms tend to peter out during the hottest weeks of summer, but come back nicely for a good late summer and fall show.


Diamond Frost Euporbia adds a whimsical touch of tiny white flowers. It's overwintering very nicely in the house and cuttings are easy to start. Posted by Picasa

The Osteos close when the sun isn't shining.

Nemesia is great in containers with its pretty little flowers. I like this rasberry one mixed with the lilac Osteos. Do you see the deeper purple 'Spoon' Osteo in there?

Here's a closer view, taken when it was blooming more profusely. You can see why they call it Osteo 'Spoon'. Posted by Picasa

Here's Willow sitting by one of my absolute favorites...the blue and white container.


I tried Scaevola (Fan Flower) for the first time and loved it for long blooming time and very easy care. The white flower is a delightfully sweet scented Nemesia. There's also a Spike and 2 Bacopas...one blue and one white.

The Ivy Geranium is Taj Mahal, a deep red. It didn't bloom until September which was disappointing. It was one I wintered over bare root and potted up in the spring. Only a few I tried that with did well, so I left them in pots this winter and they're looking very healthy.

The Bacopa still looked great in the fall so I brought it in to try overwintering. It did well for a while under lights, but sadly, it appears to be dead now. Posted by Picasa

This pretty pink Bacopa was in another container.

Here's another favorite....Sweet potatoe Vine, Taj Mahal Ivy Geranium, deep red Diascia and a spike.

I love these colors together.

Here's a coral Diascia, Abutilon Gold Dust (the variegated leaf, not yet blooming), Coleus, variegated Vinca and a Purple Knight Alternanthera just showing a little on the right.

The Diascia is also called Twinspur. It needs to be cut back a little now and then to keep it blooming nicely. I'm not always good at doing that. Posted by Picasa

The Abutilon is flowering it's head off in the house at the moment. It overwinters very well as a house plant. Posted by Picasa

Still another favorite! I love this 'Copper Purple' Osteo. The yellow flower is Bidens (Beggarticks...isn't that a cute name?), the burgundy on the left is Alternanthera. There's also Coleus and a rasberry Nemesia.

This combination lasted well into the fall, with the Osteo coming back into bloom in September and the Bidens blooming continually all summer. The Nemesia benefits from being nipped back a few times.

I loved this Coleus with the Alternanthera. Pinch back the Coleus to keep it compact. Posted by Picasa

Here's the 'Copper Purple' Osteo up close. Isn't it gorgeous?

I had a lot of favorites last year. Here's another. This one has Vancouver Centennial Geranium, Calibrachoa 'Colorburst Terracotta', and a burgundy Sweet Potato Vine (I think it's called 'Blackie').

I repeated this combination from the year before, and will do it again this year.

The Geranium is overwintering wonderfully well for the third winter. Posted by Picasa

I had this lilac calibrachoa in a basket. They bloom continuously with no deadheading - a great plant!

That's just one Cali in this windowbox and it spread beautifully. Also in the box were 'Apple Blossom' Petunias that I had cut back at the time this photo was taken. There's Alyssum tucked in there too. The Bidens in the container is still going strong!

The 'Apple Blossoms' put on a wonderful late fall show. Oh yes, there's a 'Lambada' Ivy Geranium in there too, and some variegated Vinca.

I like to add English Ivy to containers too. It looks pretty with these red Ivy Geraniums, Dusty Miller and purple Nemesia. Posted by Picasa

Here's dear Hubby relaxing on a warm afternoon. I can't wait to see containers on the patio again!

We had a wonderfull taste of spring this past weekend and I actually got some cleaning up done in the garden. It felt so good to breathe the warm air and get a little exercise. Saturday and Sunday night we had heavy rains and today was wet and dreary, but the snow is almost gone and spring is in the air! Posted by Picasa

36 comments:

CP Su said...[Reply]

Your garden is sooooooooooo colorful and love it.

Sunita Mohan said...[Reply]

Kerri, what an absolute feast of colours and blooms! I feel as I've fallen into a Renaissance painting!And I cant even choose just one favourite but I have to admit those Spoon Osteos are the quirkiest flower I've seen for a long time :D

Cat with a Garden said...[Reply]

Wonderful containers! Very inspiring, thank you for sharing!!!

Midlife Mom said...[Reply]

I've had such fun this morning catching up on your latest posts. The flowers are just gorgeous and makes me yearn to start digging in the dirt. Guess that will be some time as we still have lots and lots of snow. Rain forecasted for tomorrow so maybe we will get rid of some of it.

Your cats are just so pretty and well cared for! I just have one barn kitty, Barnie, and this is a first. He is a feral cat so I can't get anywhere near him yet. Did trap him and took him to the vet to be fixed and have all his shots. He wasn't very happy with me! I take his food down each day but he still won't come eat it till I have left.

Took another look at your bird post. You certainly have a nice variety of them! The cardinals are just spectacular aren't they?! I espcially love juncos, to me they look like they have been dipped in flour on their bellies. I had a bird I had never seen before the other day. Must be some kind of woodpecker as it had a totally reddish head with a narrow white stipe down the back with white dots on either side of it. Small like a downy. Ever seen anything like that? I can't find my bird book so don't have a clue what it is. Hasn't been back. :o(

Thanks for stopping by, I always enjoy hearing from you!

Lisa at Greenbow said...[Reply]

Oh Kerri, this is such a timely post for me. Just yesterday I sat in the back garden thinking about what to do with my pots this summer. What to plant in them, where to place them etc. Your pots always look so lush and beautiful. I can hardly wait to get them planted.

Cathy S. said...[Reply]

I love container gardens with beautiful flowers, such nice colors!
I tend to do more container gardens then gardening itself because I am running out of room...;)
I really like the Ivy Geranium and
African Daisies!

Tabor said...[Reply]

Your containers are so amazing. I'll bet you have folks stopping by to buy them thinking you run an ornamental landscaping store!

Anonymous said...[Reply]

I love all your containers especially the one with the burgundy potato vine. Would you mind sharing the "recipe" for it?
Louise

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...[Reply]

I just love seeing all that color! Great plant combinations!

Anonymous said...[Reply]

Oh my goodness Kerri, your containers are fabulous! You must spend a fortune at the nurseries in spring. I particularly love the spoon Osteo, now I'll have to find some for myself. Gorgeous!

Shady Gardener said...[Reply]

Kerri, Aren't we all so ready for Spring? Your flowers are beautiful. I love the Osteo Spoons! :-)

Anonymous said...[Reply]

Those containers really inspire the creative juices! I must look back to see what I have grown in the past couple of years. I tend to favor reds and oranges but maybe this year pink and purple will rule as yours look so nice.

Annie in Austin said...[Reply]

You've figured out how to grow such beautiful, colorful, lush, fresh looking containers each year, Kerri - it's a pleasure to browse your photos as you plan for this year's combinations. The spoon osteo caught my eye and so did the blue scaevola. Hope you can find more lilac calibrachoa - and hope I can find one, too - what a beauty!

You don't leave much room on the patio for DH, do you? If he were wearing a Hawaiian shirt instead of denims he'd be so well camouflaged we could hardly see him!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Roses and Lilacs said...[Reply]

Those are absolutely beautiful. Those are my favorite petunias!

I always favor the pink, purple and silver combos too. It's hard to find blues that last all summer.
Marnie

sweetbay said...[Reply]

Kerri,
Your containers are beautiful! Wow. Such variety and richness of color. I love pink and purple together too.

I am not familiar with Diascia,Osteos, Bacopa and Nemesia. I need to look those up. Probably buy them too. lol

Petunis Plum Madness is incredible. I love the color and the name. The Diamond Frost Euphorbia looks wonderful too.

Thanks for sharing these beautiful pictures!

Victoria Williams said...[Reply]

I love your containers. I use a lot of the same colors and plants in mine. We keep lots of containers in the front of our house due to our excessive amount of cement and every year I think I'm going to go with a two or three color scheme for those pots, but I never do. There are too many colors I like to try to limit myself. Some year, maybe. I really think it would look nice.

Cindy Garber Iverson said...[Reply]

I really love your color groupings... so artfully done! You've given me some ideas for my own containers that I need to start thinking about.

Cindy

Linda said...[Reply]

They are all exquisite. I think I love the littlest flowers the best. There is just something so sweet about the tiny little blooms.
What a wonderful gift you have!

Anonymous said...[Reply]

oh my Kerri ~ so MANY beauties. I am doing the same thing right now ~ trying to plan my containers for this year. It really is worth taking the time to do, isn't it? One year I just bought whatever I wanted and my arrangements didn't work out so well. I have never thought to plant diascia in containers. I have it in the garden but it obviously does just as well in pots judging by your photos. Love the red especially. Thanks for sharing your beautiful container combos. We can all learn from them.

Chandramouli S said...[Reply]

Whoa, Kerri! I don't know where to start. Do I talk about petunias or osteos or Nemesias? You have an exquisite taste - especially with colors. I love to feel the petunia petals - their texture is very unique and your photos tingle the tips of my fingers. The Osteos looks so.... I'm sorry, my vocabulary fails me and the Nemesia! This is the first time I'm seeing one and wow! is that a beauty!
Oh, I can't stop scrolling up and down... Off scrolling....

Sigrun said...[Reply]

What a colour, Kerri. Pink and purple, my colours. The others are altough beautiful!
A lot to bring over the winter, Kerri?

I found seedlings of my euphorbias . Come and see my seedlings of the hostas!

Sigrun

Kathy said...[Reply]

You have quite a few more containers than I do, but I'm glad to hear mud season has started at your place as well. Let it thaw, let it thaw, let it thaw!

joey said...[Reply]

OK, you're hired, Kerri :) Love your fine eye for container plantings (great photos)! Osteos tug at my heart yet do not do well in my pots ... my fault since I'm gone so much running back & forth to the lake, so have never done them justice. Now bacopa as a spiller seems to hang on, waiting patiently for my return :) As much as I love creating container gardens, I really should tag myself 'a murderer', forgetting a major part of the summer no one is home to, as I do, tenderly care :(

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...[Reply]

Dear Kerri, I do not know anybody with such a huge variety of wonderful container plants. They all are sought out so beautifully to mix with each other and bring out their best. They all look so healthy and fresh. I am declaring you as the queen of the container plants! Now as spring is approaching I can imagin your green thumbs twitching and your artistic eye ready for the next plantings. I hope you do not have to wait to long. T.

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...[Reply]

There is just no word to perfectly describe the beauty of your assortment of container flowers and it's just what I needed to see today. I was feeling a bit flower deprived.

You really captured the purple Osteo 'Spoon" in the close up view. I really love it and I wonder if it will grow here.

xoxo

Pam said...[Reply]

How beautiful. You must have a lot of watering to do in your hot summers! I can't really grow coleus outside - it doesn't die (or at least not in the summer) but it looks miserable - not warm enough. It doesn't like getting chilled when it rains and blown about in the wind.

And I find that petunias get aphids. So annoying.

But anyway - beautiful pictures, and so cheering to think that summer's on its way.

Barbara said...[Reply]

You've got the absolute talent for colour and flower combinations in all your pots and containers, dear Kerri! My compliments! That's real summer you showed us! Summer flowers in all their rich varieties. Beautiful! But I also admire the work you do...watering (and deadheading) them all! I never saw osteos (the sort spoon is extraordinary) and I also like very much the lilac calibrachoa (an unknown plant for me). You're right, Spring is slowly arriving...what a joy!
Have a lovely weekend!
Barbara

Alice said...[Reply]

I really like the reclining plant in the last photo. Do you have to prune that one too, to keep it happy and healthy???

I'm also trying to work out which book these photos came from.....or was it a nursery display....just kidding! You know I'm green (and coloured) with envy, Kerri. Your container gardens are an absolute joy to those of us who can, and do, kill anything in a pot.

However, your photos are always an incentive to try just one more time. Thank you so much for sharing these absolute beauties with us.

Anonymous said...[Reply]

Kerri oh it's a great joy to look at your flowers ....marvellous !!!!
at the end of winter it seems to be heaven ,spring is coming slowly... thank you

*Ulrike* said...[Reply]

Wow! Those are some gorgeous pictures! I always love geraniums and petunias together. They last for such a long time. I'm looking forward to coming back to your blog!

em said...[Reply]

hi kerri,

beautiful containers! where did you find the spoon osteo? i may have to get some of that this year.

i saw on Bliss that you are having rain. unfortunately, we are having a dry time of it. i am watering the new potager today.

Anonymous said...[Reply]

Your containers are just beautiful, Kerri! I absolutely love the Alternanthera, Dusty Miller, Sweet Potato Vine, and the 'Spoon' Osteo... can you tell I'm a bit obsessed with the color purple?? Thank you for sharing the beautiful photos!!

Anonymous said...[Reply]

what a lovely fllowers !

Loved your containers, each one is a masterpiece, Thanks for sharing

Unknown said...[Reply]

Kerri, you know I DROOL over your containers... so it's a treat to see so many of them in one post! I have never seen a nemesia in that luscious raspberry shade you have with the light purple osteo's--lovely. And the "hot" combinations (like the ones with the 'Vancouver Centennial'--I assume--geranium) are something I would love to be able to do at my place. Thank you for sharing some inspiration!

Xenomore said...[Reply]

Hello from Sweden! Your containers are really beautiful and well put-together. I was actually wondering if I may have your permission to use them as example-photos for my customers this summer?
I run a small gardencenter in northern Sweden, and I have very little good photos for my customers to take inspiration from. Yours are really great though, but I don't want to "steal" them without asking ;)
//Kerstin

Kerri said...[Reply]

Hello Kerstin,
I hope you'll see this answer to your comment. Your link doesn't lead anywhere, so I don't have a way to get in touch with you. My e-mail can be found in my profile. Please send me an e-mail so that I can reply to your question.