There Is Ugly Too

As I was redecorating a room in my home a friend told me "you can't ignore the elephant in the room".  The "elephant" was drapery that I didn't want to remove because of the cost - but it was UGLY - and trying to decorate around it was not working. 

And so, while I  tell you about the pretty pots around town I have to admit there are a few just plain ugly ones that could never recover from the heat of last fall and then had to endure the long, cold temperatures that sapped their meager strength. 

But this has been a great learning experience.  This is where garden diaries are a great help.  Write down the winners AND the losers - and the reasons for the success and failures.  The "why" of both is important to the success of your garden.

Every time I plant something in this container it struggles.  Why?  Too much shade!  Just maybe, I tell myself, these plants will work this time.  Violas need sun.  Snaps need sun.  And the hour or two the container gets in the morning just isn't enough.  There is an autumn fern in the middle but even it isn't happy.  Time to address the elephant in the room.

Wish I could just take out everything in this container, leaving it bare until the spring changeover, but that can't happen.  Unfortunately, folks seem to think a container with no plants is a giant ashtray or trash container.  So until the April changeover this will have to do and just maybe the violas will rally to the challenge and fill out more.  They are Sorbet Lemon Chiffon, one of the tougher ones I use, so stay tuned to see if they do meet the challenge.

Lesson to be learned!  Know the elephant in your garden. 

More Cool Stuff

Was out grooming the containers today.  Well, actually I was whacking back those wonderful 'Red Giant' mustards and cutting out the seed heads on the kales.  This warm weather is great for us humans but the cool weather plants think it is time to go to seed and take a long needed rest.  No can do, guys.  I need you to look good for another couple weeks.  While I was out there I took photos of a couple knock-out containers.  Take a look at the 'Starbor' kale in the big containers on Second and Washington.  

The center plant is Juniper 'Gold Cone' and the viola is Sorbet 'Sunny Royale'.  This is a 360 container so the plant run all the way around.  

If you look very closely you can see a pansy trying its hardest to show its face.  Delta 'Premium Pure Yellow' is a good grower but it can't compete with the aggressive kale and the hard working viola.

There are four black urns inside the Town Park.  They aren't very big and I had hoped the plants that were in them would make it through the winter.  While the asparagus ferns in other containers did well, these did not.  But some of the other plants did good and some did great.  Check out the pansy that is in two of them.

This pansy is aptly called Panola 'Fire'.  The colors range from a brilliant orange to a deep burnt orange.  They nicely filled the urns and covered the space where the ferns didn't do as well.

The other two urns did not get any color this time but the Euphorbia 'Ascot Rainbow' made up for that loss.  The flower heads are awesome.  Not sure how long they will last but I am hoping for a couple more weeks.

I know that I brag on my favorite viola all the time, and here I go again.  But take a look at Sorbet 'Lemon Chiffon' in this container.  

The snapdragons are trying their best to keep ahead of the violas and the poor autumn fern is going to have to wait until I change out the plants before it will get the sun light it needs.  Ah, but I'm not complaining....I love that viola.  

One last goodie to share with you.  I think I have mentioned the variegated erysimum before.  Well, here it is in bloom.  The foliage is interesting enough in the containers but that sweet little bloom is like icing on the cake.

There is is poking its head out among the viola Sorbet 'Delft Blue'.  Erysimum is a much under used plant.  Ask for it as your independent nursery now so they have it for you in the fall. 

If you are local to Madison, Georgia, be sure to walk around town and check out some of these neat plants.  They are at their peak.  Warm weather is here so they won't be as happy as they were in the cool weather of fall and winter.  

Parade of Pansies -- and Violas

I really should have titled this "Parade of Violas" because there are way more violas than pansies -- but "Parade of Pansies" had such a nice ring to it.  So anyway.....let's take a look at some of them.  And I say "some" because there are so many different varieties that you would get bored reading about them in one sitting.  So, I'm going to spread them out over the next few blogs.  Hopefully, you will find a few that you like for next year, because there isn't much left out there to buy now except for the same ole same ole.  As I go through the season I'll let you know which ones did the best so keep checking in.  But I'm going to start with the all time winner and one that I use over and over -- Sorbet Lemon Chiffon Viola.

This dainty looking little flower makes such an impact because it creates an 8"x8" mound covered in blooms -- all season -- and it doesn't get poutty with freezing temperatures and handles the heat just as well, so you will be able to enjoy them for a long time.  I plant them shoulder to shoulder in the containers for a quick impact and they have never complained.

A new favorite for this year -- and I may like it more for its name than anything -- is Penny Marlies viola.  The subtle purple and gold colors are so rich looking; and this viola always looks as though it isn't in a hurry -- just gonna hang out here and grow pretty.

Like all violas, Marlies will stay compact and handle the cold well -- and oh yeah -- just be pretty.

Let's jump over to a couple pansies for contrast.  The reds don't usually draw me to their table but I do like Panola Fire. It had a 'sassy" look that I thought would go well with some fine leafed companions.  

It has been doing well in the containers and not "melting" like some of the other pansies have done on these cold days.  The red/yellow combination is just bright enough to catch your eye -- not getting lost in green foliage.

In contract to the sassy look of Panola Fire is a really sweet pink pansy called Nature Frosty Rose.  

I do love this one but I have to admit it doesn't like partial shade and is stretching a bit; but it seems to be working well with the companion plants to give the whole container an "airy" look.  

You are probably asking why I put pansies in partial shade.  Not much choice with containers in the town:  tall trees, tall buildings, short days -- but I wanted to add some color so we are taking what we get.

Need to make a point about the names of these pansies and violas.  Sorbet, Penny, Panola, and Nature are all a series of plants from a grower; so there will be lots of others with that as their first name.  If you find you like that series, check the website for more and you will find lots of different colors.  

So, that's probably enough for today.  Many more to talk about so check in again real soon.  Well, not too soon -- I'm headed to a trade show and a conference this week to find more great plants for the summer containers.  Be back "sorta soon".