Select Seeds Newsletter April 2008
Not all of us are blessed with the time, means, or conditions required for a full-fledged flower garden. That doesn't mean, however, that you have to relinquish the joys and benefits of green growing things if you find yourself in such a situation. Even if you live in an apartment, or an arid climate, or have clay soil that's about as tillable as concrete, don't despair: you can always turn to container gardening.
In this issue, we'll offer some tips on how to get a container garden started, and how to maintain it once it's in place. Our featured products are all multi-species collections that grow wonderfully in containers, either separately or in combination. So why not take a look around, and start putting together some ideas for your own garden?
Regards,
Container Collection: Classic Colors
This magnificent collection brings together some of our most striking foliage plants with the delicate pink blossoms of a classic heirloom fuchsia, 'Red Spider'. The green-edged, butter-cream leaves of Coleus 'Cameroon' contrast sharply with the dusky maroon and red of its cousin, Coleus 'Two Tone', though the violet-pink underside of the former's leaves help tie together the ensemble. It's all set off by the chartreuse foliage of the Sweet Potato 'Margarita', which wonderfully compliments the other colors.
All four of these selections can be grown very effectively in containers, either separately or together. They thrive in full sun to partial shade environments with moist, well-drained soil, so keep those containers well-watered.
Container Collection: Delicate Hues
Three of the four plants in this exquisite selection offer foliage and blooms in delicate pinks; the exception is the Creeping Gloxinia 'Joan Lorraine', an annual flowering vine that produces violet bell-shaped blossoms from early summer until the first hard freeze of the year. When allowed to trail, 'Joan Lorraine' provides a lovely contrast to the other members of its collection. The foliage of the quaint antique Coleus 'Beauty of Lyon' combines a coral pastel with bronze and deep green with great effect, while the simple coral-colored blossoms of the Diascia 'Flying Colors Coral', with their dark-pink centers, add to the overall charm. The prolific Dahlia 'Robin Hood', with its ball-shaped, peach-colored flowers that are liberally brushed with pink, completes the theme.
Each member of the Delicate Hues Collection requires a rich, moist, well-drained soil mixture. While most do well in partial shade to full sun environments, full sun only is recommended for 'Robin Hood'.
Container Collection: Quicksilver and Amethyst
Silvers, purples, or both are represented in all four plants of this charming container collection, hence the name. The tubular lilac-colored blossoms and glossy green foliage of the tall Penstemon 'Sour Grapes' offers an appealing compliment to the Burmese native called Persian Shield, a foliage plant of a similar height with stunning leaves colored a combination of violet and iridescent silver over deep green. The silvery Groundsel ties in well with this combination, while the Coleus 'Kingwood Torch' offers a sharp contrast that takes the purple theme in the other direction, with its magenta and burgundy foliage.
Fertile, well-drained soils are a must for all the plants in this collection. 'Sour Grapes' should be planted in the center of the container, since it's the tallest. All four varieties prefer full sun, though 'Kingwood Torch' and Persian Shield will also do well in partially-shaded areas.
An Introduction to Container Gardening
Container gardening offers a fresh, imaginative way of creating and decorating both indoor and outdoor spaces, so that you can enjoy your own personal flower patch no matter where you live. All it takes is a little space, and you're in business. With containers, no place is too limited for a lovely garden.
Advantages of Container Gardening
Container gardening offers diverse advantages, not the least of which is the fact that you can practice it anywhere. Plus, you have maximum control over the soil in any particular container, since it's isolated from the garden and from your other containers. Among other things, this means you can prevent and control pests and diseases more readily than with standard gardening.
In addition, container gardening lets you tailor planting mixes and fertilizers to the needs of specific plant species. It's also a simple matter to control the frequency of watering -- though it's important to realize that plants in containers need to be watered more frequently than those planted in the ground, since there's less water to wick up from the surroundings.
Beginning gardeners often have better luck with easy-to-maintain container gardens than with more labor-intensive full-scale gardens. It's a great way to get the knack of growing your favorite flowers.
Where to Put Your Container Garden
One of the best things about a container garden is that you can put your plants just about anywhere: on your patio, hanging from your balcony rail, or even on an inside windowsill. Your garden doesn't even have to be concentrated in one place: you can put elements of it wherever there's room, or wherever you feel something is needed to brighten up the place.
Some people have even created viable container gardens -- some of them farm-sized -- on old asphalt parking lots and concrete foundations. So there's no reason you can't enjoy one on your balcony or patio, as long as you make sure your plants get the right amount of sun, fertilizer, and water.
Design Tips
Designing your container garden can be an enjoyable exercise, particularly in terms of which containers to use, what plants to try, and where to put everything. One thing to remember as you design your tiny ecosystem is that you'll enjoy greater success if you choose plants that play well together, especially if you intend to grow them in the same container. Also, pay specific attention to the needs of particular plants; a water lily, for example, doesn't belong in a hanging basket, and a standard sunflower or sweet pea just won't work on your windowsill.
Remember, too, that you have greater control of your growing environment with a container garden. You can put a container almost anywhere, to catch a favorable sunbeam or a cool swath of shade, or to take the best advantage of a sudden cloudburst on a summer afternoon. You can also use container-bound plants to add color, character, and fragrance to your surroundings, and it's a simple matter to reorganize them when the mood strikes.
Types of Containers to Use
One of the benefits of container gardening is that your choice of containers is essentially unlimited. You can use just about anything that can hold soil and drain freely, so your creativity is unbounded. Planter boxes, terracotta or ceramic pots, wooden barrels, and hanging baskets are popular options. Then too, in recent years, a few companies have started marketing specialized planting containers, complete with water reservoirs and fertilizer strips, that make container gardening a snap -- even if you have limited time to devote to it.
The Best Types of Plants for Container Gardening
While not every plant is suitable for container gardening, a surprisingly large number do very well in containers of all types, given regular care and sufficient sunlight. Among our favorite antique flowers for container gardening are the fuchsias, including 'Claire de Lune', 'Hidcote Beauty', and 'Mrs. J.D. Fredericks'. Most coleuses also do quite well. For a bright splash of color, try the exquisite purple-and-white geranium known as 'Gardener's Joy'. Lantanas, with their clusters of tiny blooms, also make for excellent container flowers; we're especially fond of the 'Lavender Trailing' and 'Bandana Rose' varieties.
An excellent container species for hot, humid regions is the lovely Angelonia 'Blue', a native of South America. If you're looking for a good all-around flowering plant that handles both heat and cold well, try Diascia 'Flying Colors Coral'. It thrives in almost any climate, blooming continuously from spring through fall.
Fragrant species that work well in containers include the classic geranium 'Skeleton Rose', with its sharp lemony-rose scent, and the 'Rainmaster' variety of petunia, which survives rain showers with ease (unlike most of its brethren). For a particularly rare and lovely fragrant flower that will add character to your spring garden, try the clove-scented pink 'Clove Beatrix'.
These are just a few of the many species of plants that you can grow in container gardens -- there are literally hundreds of others you can try, many of which we have in stock in either plant or seed form. Mix those with the design tips and container types we've mentioned here, add your own unique twists, and you have the opportunity to create a container garden as unique as you are.
top of page
View the Newsletter Archive
