Winter Containers Are Planted

It has been a long time since I posted and with good reason.  I have been super busy designing, sourcing, and installing the little lovelies.  But the collection of plants are now gracing the many containers throughout Madison.  At this writing we still have no rain, which always makes plants so much happier.  But I can say that I'm pretty sure all the plants are just happy to be out of their tight little size 4" pots and into the wide open spaces of the 24" containers.

So what went into these containers this year.  As always with winter plants, the selection is limited to the hardy guys -- violas/pansies, parsley, kales, snaps, -- and a few more specialities that can handle surprise temperatures in the low teens.  One that I love to use is Red Giant Mustard.  It has such great color, texture and size, but it absolutely melts with the lows.  Not a pretty sight -- nor a pleasant smell when they wilt and rot.

I stayed with violas and in particular the Sorbet and Penny series.  Check out a couple here:

Sorbet Lavender Pink has soft colors that blend well with white snaps, blue kale or gray Dusty Miller

Sorbet Delft Blue is very tidy looking.  It married well with white snaps and Euphorbia 'Glacier Blue'.

I was bold this year and put in several camellias - "Yuletide".  In one gallon pots they are the perfect size -- not taking up too much space in either the roots or their foliage.  The ones selected were loaded with buds and are going into full bloom right now.  Would have liked them to strut their stuff during the Christmas Tour of Homes but, Oh Well.  The plan is to enjoy them for this year and move them on out to a garden setting when they outgrow the space.  Pictures on the next blog!  Gotta hurry though before the blooms fall off.

Also did more autumn ferns.  They are absolutely tried and true friends...loving either shade or sun.  The one gallon plants are ideal for the containers, only growing up to be "big boys" in two seasons and ready to be transferred into the garden.  A real win-win situation.

Be back soon with more pictures and updates on the containers.