Calibrachoa (million bells), angelonia, dahlia, zinnia, geranium, petunia, coleus, and salvia greeted me each morning as I stepped inside the greenhouses I worked in throughout college. The smell as I entered my summer work space was intoxicating. I remember thinking how lucky I was to spend my summer days amongst the flowers with happy people. Yes, I swear that people who garden are some of the happiest people around. Anyway, it was during the summers at the greenhouse that I learned all about flowers, and the art of planting and designing mixed flower pots. Along with learning the names of annuals very quickly (the greenhouse I worked at specializes in annuals), I remember studying the mixed baskets that hung from the rafters, and the mixed pots that adorned each corner. You see, prior to working in the greenhouse, I was accustomed to seeing the traditional geranium pots with a spike plant coming out of the top. My parents had them at one time, my grandparents had them, and so did many other people around the neighborhood I lived in. Now, don’t get me wrong, geranium pots are beautiful! They add a pop of color to any sunny space they are put in, and those geranium flower heads are huge! But, as I studied the mixed pots in the greenhouses, I was captivated. Color combinations, textures, flower shape, and plant-height kept me studying, kept me interested, and ultimately inspired me. Today, one of my favorite jobs as a gardener is designing and planting mixed flower pots. I put together nine simple tips to utilize when designing a mixed flower pot. You can do it! Here they are: Light – Before picking out plants for your pot, make sure you know the amount of light your plants will be getting. This will tell you whether or not you need shade, part-shade/sun, or sun-tolerant plants. The mixed pot below was designed for shade as the flowers received only an hour or so of sunlight per day. Harmony and Contrast – Harmony is the likeness between plants; whereas contrast is the difference between plants. Characteristics include plant shape, height, texture, and color. In planting, harmony and contrast really do complement each other. For example, a harmony in flower color is more interesting if it links to contrasting texture. A deep red geranium flower will bring out the red color in coleus leaves, but the flower and leaf texture are completely different. Or, pairing the dainty Diamond Frost flower with a large, bold dahlia flower brings interest and sweetness to a pot. Balance – Bilateral symmetry in planting is where the arrangement of planting in one area is mirrored in another area creating balance. This does not necessarily mean that the exact plants must be planted on each side of a planter (although this will work), you can also achieve balance by using similar colors, similar textures, or similar heights on each side. Symmetry does not have to be side-to-side, it can also be achieved with height too. For instance, the tall, large dahlia flower will most-likely be the highest flower in the pot, and a balance of color can be achieved by placing red calibrachoa at the foot of the dahlia. This would be a high-low symmetry. Height – Choose plants that will give you interest at different heights. Using plants of all different heights (trailing, medium-sized, and tall) will provide interest at many different levels and give your planting depth. One of my favorite hacks when planting mixed pots is to use tropical plants. I have used jasmine plants in my mixed pots for many years now. I love the height of the jasmine plant, the dainty white flowers, and the beautiful, sweet aroma of the jasmine flower. Jasmine can also be over-wintered in the basement so I use it year after year. Saving money is always nice! Depth and Viewing Angles – Think about where your pot will be placed. If it will be on the porch up against the house, you may want to put the taller plants at the back of the pot. This will give you the entire front of the pot to fill in with medium and low plants providing a lot of depth and interest to the pot. However, if the pot is situated in the middle of a garden and can be seen from all angles, you probably want to put your taller plants in the middle and plant all the way around the taller plants for interest at every angle. Color – Choosing colors for a mixed pot can be the most enjoyable and daunting task all at the same time. Color combinations, house color, pot surroundings, and color preferences should all be considered when designing a pot. For instance, one of my favorite color combinations is coral and purple. However, no matter how nice the combination looked when I put the flowers together at the greenhouse, the coral would be lost against the orange bricks on my house. Also, when deciding on colors, keep the color wheel in mind. Complementary colors work very nice together in pots. Violet or blue flowers look beautiful with yellow flowers, and red flowers look great against green foliage. Arrange Before Planting – Fill the pot 2/3 of the way full with soil. Arrange the plants in their own pots before doing the final planting. This way you can see how the pot will look before planting to make sure the plant mixture looks right (you can also arrange plants on the cart in the greenhouse before buying to make sure you are buying the right flowers). Fill the pot! – One of the best things about container planting is that you can fill up the pot for instant fullness and beauty. Don’t plant a few small plants knowing that they will grow larger over the summer. Fill the pot with interest and color right away. If by chance a plant grows a little too large over the summer, trim it back! Sweet potato vine, for example,
Design
Mulch or Rock in Landscaping: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Application Tips
Ten yards of mulch, done! I should have bought 15 yards to finish off my gardens nicely, so I will make note of that so I order the right amount next time. One of the first questions many people have when completing a new garden or landscape project is “Should I use mulch or rock?” Well, here are my two cents: Homeowners use mulch or rock to keep weeds down, keep moisture in the ground, and/or provide a certain look to landscaping. Some people love the look of rock, some may prefer the more natural look of mulch, and some go without either. If you have a garden in which you like to move things around, plant annuals, frequently add new plants, or like a more natural look, use mulch. On the contrary, if you have an area that will not be disturbed for years (ex. a walking path, or an area with shrubs), if you want something that lasts a little longer, or you like the look of stone, you may be safe using rock. Here are the pros and cons of using mulch and rock along with application tips for both: Mulch Pros: Keeps soil moist. Insulates well! Helps to keep plant roots and soil cool during warm periods, and helps keep the soil warm during cool periods. Breaks down over time and enriches the soil by adding nutrients from the decaying wood. Prevents weeds from growing. Mulch is easily moved and replaced when a plant needs to be planted. No barrier is needed before laying down mulch Relatively lightweight, so most homeowners can apply mulch on their own. Inexpensive – Costs two to three times less than rock. Has a natural appearance. Mulch Cons: Due to the lightweight-nature of mulch, heavy rains or strong winds can misplace mulch. Due to the natural decomposition of wood, mulch needs to be replaced or refreshed every other year. Mulch Tips: Remove weeds before applying mulch. Use 3-5″ of mulch to keep the weeds down and to keep the water in the soil. Lay down 3-4″ of smaller-sized mulch, and 5″of larger-sized mulch to prevent weed growth and retain water. Plant and transplant before new mulch is added. Remove mulch before planting, and reapply mulch after planting. Apply mulch in the early spring. Mulching while plants are small makes spreading the mulch much easier with very little chance of ruining emerging plants. Rock Pros: Rock comes in many different colors, textures, and shapes. Rock is durable and rarely has to be replaced. Helps to keep moisture in the soil. Rock Cons: Very heavy and can be very difficult and expensive to install. Costs two to three times more than mulch. Needs a barrier, such as landscape fabric, between the soil and rock. Can heat up the ground causing plant or root damage. Debris can build up in-between rocks causing weeds to grow. Rocks with dirt in them need to be lifted and cleaned to prevent weeds to grow. The barrier under the rock does not allow natural decomposition of materials in to the soil. Very hard to remove once installed. Rock Tips: Remove weed from soil before barrier and rock are applied. Add 2-4″ of rock (smaller rock being on the 2″ range and larger rock being up at the 4″ range) on top of barrier. Blow debris off of rock whenever needed so it doesn’t have time to decompose. Have shrubs or trees planted before laying barrier and rock down. Do not plant after rock is down. Use around shrubs and trees only. Rock can heat smaller or fragile plants too much, causing damage to plant and/or roots.