Project: Planters

Getting everything done this month has been a project in between rain, but I have managed to plant most of the potager and put together some planters.

Every year I tell myself I'm going to cut back on containers, especially since I now have more garden. My goal is to incorporate perennials into my containers, or create containers that I can over winter. I haven't quite mastered container perennials yet. Last year I used lamium maculatum 'Orchid Frost' in my containers and planted it in the garden come fall. It survived the winter, in fact, it's blooming now. I should try herbs but I didn't think of that until after I snapped out of the annual flower spell. Herbs would do well out front in the full sun. Seas of flowers in all shapes and forms woo me and so, I have containers of annuals like these baskets on the columns leading to our front porch. Planted here are: geranium 'Indian Dunes,' coleus 'Dark Star,' Superbells 'Tequila Sunrise,' bacopa 'Gulliver Blue Sensation,' and verbena 'Obsession Apricot.'

I did manage to overwinter these begonias and a couple other plants that, and I apologize, I do not know the name of. I just moved this from inside to outside. How great! This is a fairly shaded area on our front porch so I am not worried about transitioning the plants to the outside light.

These rosemary pots also spend the winter indoors.

This cedar window box is filled with what I hope, are mostly nectar producing plants: verbena 'Obsession Apricot,' verbena 'Lanai Peach,' Superbena 'Large Lilac Blue' (a verbena hybrid), alyssum 'Alice,' lobelia 'Riviera Sky Blue,' and a geranium 'Americana Salmon.' I try to match or compliment the colors of my garden. I love how the Superbena floats above the Mt. Bluet, centaura.

This year, because we plan to construct a screened-in porch out back, I have moved some planters into my garden beds and I like this so much that I will be doing this every year from now on. I overwinter these fuschias in my cellar. It takes them a little time to come back so I have placed an annual beside them that really caught my eye but I cannot find the tag to share the name with you! I also placed a begonia 'Gryphon' in this pot which I will overwinter. I love how moss is beginning to grow on this pot.

This woodland basket contains white impatients, lobelia 'Riviera Sky Blue,' and violas 'Penny Orchid Frost' which should overwinter and perhaps even make more.

These metal baskets are waiting in the shed to be potted and will be placed in my woodland edge border. I have shpagnum moss soaking to make them plantable. I will be making these a permanent feature in this bed and will try to make these perennial in the future.

The shed window box is also newly planted with verbena 'Obsession Apricot,' verbena 'Lanai Peach,' Superbena 'Large Lilac Blue' (a verbena hybrid), alyssum 'Alice,' lobelia 'Riviera Sky Blue,' and gazania 'KissMix.'

Truthfully, "project planters" will be ongoing. I love sage and seem to lose it every year even though I grew it successfully in Maine – go figure. So, I foresee an herb planter once I become a little more organized with sage as its centerpiece that I will attempt to overwinter. And I have a big full sun pot that I overwinter every year in the cellar that will be getting a complete makeover including a new pot. And ... well, I'm going to stop myself. How about you? Do you plant containers each summer? What are your favorites?

Order Up!

What am I doing today? NOT working, NOT cleaning, NOT laundry, NOT painting the walls ... I am going to catch up! I have so many posts on my list and here it is March already. I also have more orders to place for plants and seeds!

I have already placed two orders. From Nature Hills I ordered my rhubarb (Canada Red) - yeah!, everbearing strawberries and long awaited Serviceberry, Amelanchier Laevis - another check off my "list!" The Serviceberry is an excellent northeastern native choice. It is an understory large shrub or small tree that has spring blooms, fall color and berries that are a favorite of the birds. It is hardy to Z4. I will be placing this tree in my new "woodland edge" section of my garden. I will be working on this section over the entire summer into fall.

Serviceberry, Amelanchier Laevis
 Photo taken from Nature Hills Nursery website.

From Johnny's seeds well, I ordered seeds! And quite a few. For some of my newer flower beds and near the potager, I ordered a variety of sunflowers. Sunflowers are easy to grow and they make a big, bold statement as well as providing a good screen. The birds and bees love 'em, too. I make sure to choose varieties that DO have pollen. I chose Ring of Fire, Valentine, and Velvet Queen. I still have some Mammoth seeds leftover from last year.

Mammoth Sunflower

Also for decorative, edible edging in the potager, I ordered some nasturtium, kaleidoscope mix. I also have some nasturtium seeds saved from last year as well as a TON of marigold seeds.

 Nasturtium

For the real tasty stuff I ordered scarlet runner bean - also a favorite of humming birds. I plan to put together an arbor for that to climb on. April will be a month of making garden support structures! I also ordered royal burgundy bush beans - they are purple but turn green when you cook them, how fun! - northern pickling mini cucumbers, bright lights swiss chard, a couple lettuce/greens mixes, cilantro, and some dill and fennel. The fennel I ordered is not a bulbing type and I do not plan to harvest it. I ordered it as a host plant for butterflies - dill and parsley are also favorite host plants. I plan to work the fennel, some of the dill and some parsley into the flower border along the potager. The border now is mostly all lilies with a backdrop of wild grape and I will be reworking it.

The flower border a couple of years ago. This will be reworked - 

slightly wider with three distinct sections.

Lastly, I ordered some verbena seed, Verbena Bonariensis. I have read repeatedly that this is a favorite of butterflies and that it reseeds itself. I will be working this into the border along the "nice driveway."

I plan to place at least three more orders. From one of my native plant sources, Prairie Moon, I will be ordering some common witch hazel and a swamp rose (bare root). Both of these are natives. The common witch hazel will go in my very new "woodland" garden section (surrounding future patio). The swamp rose will be incorporated into the border along the potager in the above picture. There is a section that tends to be very wet in the spring. The swamp rose will provide winter hips for fruit eating birds.

From Mountain Rose Herbs, I will be ordering some seeds: calendula (thanks to my blogging friends!) for edging in the potager, borage for the flower border, and california poppies for along the driveway.

From Bluestone Perennials I will be ordering some plants for the border along the driveway which I plan to expand. I am planning big and bold! One choice is indian grass, an American native grass that grows to 6' tall and is hardy to Z4. This will be a nice screen as well as provide cover for butterflies and birds, and winter interest. I will also order goldenrod. Contrary to popular belief, goldenrod does not cause hay fever - that would be ragweed. It is a favorite among all sorts of insects and offers a great fall show. Also on my list is giant cone flower, Rudbeckia Maxima. This will grow 5- 7' tall! Another great screen and appealing to butterflies. The leaves are blue in color and also attractive.

Whew, I will be busy as a bee! Time to order up!