Containers Are Planted!!!

It was a long winter - long, cold, and freezing - and I'm not a hundred percent certain that spring is really going to show up.  The official date has come and gone but the weather didn't act like it was spring.  The winter containers struggled to the end with just the snapdragons looking good.  Can't saw enough about the Liberty series of snaps.  To be fair though, the Dusty Millers were champs too. 

But they are gone and the spring/summer plants are in their new homes.  And I could not have done it without the great help of my grand daughter Lee and the magnificent duo of Jennifer and Cindy.  The weather gods were predicting rain for Sunday afternoon of the weekend planting.  Sunday morning is THE best time to do anything with the containers -- everyone is either at church or home thinking they should be at church - so the curbs were empty and there was easy access to all the containers.

The rain came as predicted just as the last of the containers were being filled.  But look at this dedication from Jennifer and Cindy

They had forgotten their rain jackets and had borrowed Cindy's mother's - thus the "too small" fit.  But they forged on and by the time the rains came with seriousness all the containers were done!!

The plants are not ready for their photo debut just yet, with the exception of a few that I'll share in a jiffy.  But I do have to say that the "keepers" from the fall/winter series look great.  Carex Everest and Evergold look robust while not overtaking their space.  Of course, the autumn ferns are true soldiers and now putting out new growth. 

This next photo shows the carex along with Torenia Summer Wave Gold - a trailer for part shade/shade. 

The carex, autumn fern in the middle and the torenia at the edge.

Close up of Torenia Summer Wave Gold.  Stay tuned to its future growth!!

The rain has stopped -- and the sun is out.  Should get lots of blooms - and then lots of photos. Be back soon!

Low Maintenance Four Season Container

Here is an opportunity for me to share some of that "more" I told you about.  Just had to show you this container that is in front of the Madison Cafe on Washington Street.  I put this arrangement together for Sherry Clark last year to spruce up the front of her restaurant and gift shop (btw...great food and great gifts).  I'm not sure what she is feeding those containers but they sure are happy in their environment....which is mostly shade except for some morning sun. 

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The plant on the right is one of my favorite shade plants -- which will take a lot of sun though -- Illicium 'Florida Sunshine'.  It is a bright spot in any situation.  Growing to about 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide it is a manageable size yet easily pruned to whatever you need.

 

 

Of course.....the fern in the picture is Autumn Fern....a standard for any of my containers.  It can withstand total shade and even full sun.  Tucked in amongst all that are a Carex 'Evergold' (the lighter one) and a Carex testecea.  The far left plant is a Heuchera, one of the lime colored ones, which tends to go to a bland green without enough sun...still the texture contrast is there. 

 

If you need an easy care container for a shady spot, consider any of these.