Outdoor Containers- Basic Design

Good morning everyone!  We sure are getting a spot of rain this weekend, aren't we?  It's a bit gloomy for us, but just think how happy the dry landscape is right about now.  I know that my grass was feeling the strain of the heat already. Last post I shared with you all a few tips on selecting the right pots and potting mixes for your outdoors containers. Now that you've gotten started, here are a few hints on basic design principles to create a stunning impact with your pots.

For a good basic design, just remember three words- thriller, spiller and filler. Combine an upright plant, a trailer that spills down the pot's sides, and a filler to add fullness and color.

Good choices for your thriller plants include yucca, cannas, fountain grass, and the 'spikes' shown here, among others. Try ferns, hostas or heucheras for your shady container garden.

False Dracaena 'Spikes'

'Spikes'

Options for the spiller feature include creeping jenny, sweet potato vines, calibrachoa, and bacopa, to name a few.

Callie Brights Calibrachoa

Calibrachoa, available in multiple color choices, provide an abundance of brightly colored blooms all season long.  They are easy to grow and very rewarding.  Perfect for all kinds of containers, including window boxes, hanging baskets and combination planters.

Giant White (suteracordata) Bacopa

Hundreds of beautiful flowers cover the bacopa trailing plants all summer.  The Giant White variety continues to bloom even after other bacopas have stopped, making it another perfect choice for your containers.

Filler plants are available in all different color choices and foliar interest.  Look for flowers in the annuals section, any number of which will be perfect for the filler feature.

To make a real impact with your container garden, remember there is power in numbers.  Combine three, five, or even more pots in varying sizes and styles on steps, in a corner, or at an entry.  Containers that are unremarkable by themselves take on greater impact in groups.

If you're looking for a real star of the show, know that pots with single plants can be stunning accents.  Choose a larger container and a plant with striking features, and this stand-alone will take center stage.

Hope these basic design tips help you create the container garden of your dreams.  Remember that our helpful experts are on hand seven days a week to assist with all your planting needs, including tips on choosing the right plants for your containers.  I'll be back soon with hints about TLC for your newly planted pots.  See you all soon!

Summer Annuals

Hello everyone and happy Saturday!  It's another beautiful day here in the heart of Carolina, perfect for a bit of spring planting.  And as usual at this time of year, do we ever have some gorgeous plants for you.  Another shipment of summer tropicals is due to arrive at the garden center today.  The perennial area is bursting with plants, the azaleas are in full bloom, the shade area is full, and the shrubs and trees are looking better than ever.  In short, wherever your eye might happen to stray down at Garden Supply, you are sure to be struck by the beauty of the sight. If you are looking for a burst of color for your container garden or front yard, you need to come check out our annual section.  We have, literally, table after table of summer bloomers right now.    Here is just a small sampling of what we have in stock.

We currently have 6 varieties of marigolds, available in individual packs, or mix & match flats. Isn't it wonderful to have options?

Marigold choices include Durango Tangerine, Janie Bright Yellow, Durango Yellow, Taishan Yellow, Bonanza Bee, and Janie Tangerine.

And if that seems like a lot of Marigold varieties, wait until you see our Petunia selection.  We have every color of Petunia under the sun, including mixed packs, the ever popular Wave Petunias, and even hanging baskets.

Some of our Petunia choices include Dreams Mix, Dreams Red, Prism Sunshine, Dreams Sky Blue, Dreams Neon Rose, Dreams Pink, Dreams White, Dreams Burgundy Picolee, Wave Rosy Dawn, Wave Purple, Wave Red, Wave Burgundy Star, Wave White, and Wave Blue.

Wouldn't these hanging Petunia baskets look fabulous on your porch?

Or how about some pots filled with Calibrachoas?

Calibrachoa are available in multiple colors and provide an abundance of brightly colored blooms all season long.  They are easy to grow and very rewarding, perfect for all kinds of containers including window boxes, hanging baskets, and combination planters.

Another profuse bloomer is this Giant White (suteracordata) Bacopa.

Hundreds of beautiful flowers cover these trailing plants all summer, even when other varieties of Bacopa stop blooming.  They offer large unique white flowers which contrast nicely with their dark green foliage.  Another perfect choice for your container planters.

And for a bit of a vertical attraction, why not give the Black-eyed Susan Vine a try?

This 'Susie Clear Orange' vine looks fabulous trained to fences, posts, lattice work and trellises.

This truly is just a small sampling of the array of annuals we currently have down at the garden center.  Whether you're looking for a profusion of bright blooms or interesting foliar color and texture, we've got you covered.  And as always, our helpful staff of experts are on hand to answer all your gardening question.  We would love to help!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I'll see you back here soon for more snippets from the garden.