Container proud

This is the time of year when my garden containers are in their prime, so I'm going to take this opportunity to boast just a little bit.  The process of designing containers for my garden has become more and more engaging and challenging as I've developed as a gardener.  This means more time up front planning and thinking about design and carefully choosing plants I want to try together.  I don't have a huge gardening budget either so I've chosen to overwinter some of my favorite plants so i can use them again and again in containers.  

This pot is front and center at our house and is in full sun.  My plans morphed a bit when I couldn't get the plants I originally wanted, but it's grown in nicely.  I like the dark foliage of the Dahlia with the deep purple Petunias.  My only complaint is that the lime green Talinum never got very big so it's hidden in the back with the Pennisetum (which isn't blooming yet).  Otherwise, very satisfied with this one.

Coleus 'Roaring Fire', Dahlia 'Mystic Illusion', Petunia 'Sweetunia Johnny Flame', Sedum rupestre 'Angelina'

Here's the pot from the back so you can see the plants that are hiding.  

Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum', Talinum 'Limon and Sweet Potato Vine.

I love putting together container groupings and I decided to try a pink themed group on our deck this year.  These pots were the first I planted this spring so they are quite lush and full.  I love looking out our kitchen window and drinking in the beauty of the colors and textures here.

Carex elata 'Bowles Gold', Angelwing Begonia 'Dragon Wing Pink', Tuberous Begonia 'Nonstop Pink', Cordyline 'Red Star', New Guinea Impatiens 'Divine Pink' and 'Sonic Deep Purple' (in back), Brunnera 'Jack Frost', Euphorbia 'Diamond Frost', Helichrysum 'Lemon Licorice', Dichondra 'Silver Falls', Rex Begonia 'Hugh McLaughlin', Coleus 'Swinging Linda' , Fern and two unnamed Coleus.

Here are some close-ups of the flowers and foliage from these pots.

A few years ago, I won a lovely planted Hypertufa pot at a garden seminar.  I've since changed up everything in it after losing some plants over the winter.  It's so easy to maintain and it stays outside during the winter months. After the snows melt and the weather warms up, I get to see what survived.  The Picea abies 'Jeans Dilly' survived several winters- even the last one with the record low temps so it's staying put.  Notice the little seedling of Blue-eyed Grass that found it's way in- looks like a little mini-Iris to me. 

Picea abies 'Jeans DIlly', Thymus praecox 'Highland Cream', Cerastium tomentosum, Seedling of Blue-eyed Grass, unknown plant.

 Here's a  last minute pot that I put together from some inexpensive annuals purchases at Runnings, some plants from my garden and a new Heuchera I recently purchased.  The Plectranthus has stopped blooming as much as it was originally, but I still like the purple undersides of it's foliage with the Heuchera.

White New Guinea Impatiens, Heuchera 'Forever Purple', Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender', Hakonechloa and Lamium. Upper pot: Torenia 'Dutchess Deep Blue'.

Another grouping of pots came together from the annuals I had left over from my spring purchases.  The colors looked good with our potted Japanese Maple so I placed them together.

Coleus "Under the Sea Gold Anemone', Creeping Jenny, Foxtail Fern, Salvia 'Golden Delicious', unknown coleus, Geranium 'Mrs. Pollock', Acer palmatum 'Crimson Queen'

A foliage close-up.

We also have a grouping of pots on our front porch.  The Lemon Cypress in the blue pot has been kindly overwintered by my sister and brother-in-law for two years in their sunny window.  In spring, when we visit them in Pennsylvania, we carry the tree back to central New York along with our other plant purchases so I can pot it up for the summer.  Not sure what I'll do when it gets too big to haul back and forth.....the color is so bright and the foliage smells delightful when you brush against it.  It would be painful to give it up.  (In case you haven't noticed yet......I really, really like lime green).

Elijah Blue Fescue, Coleus 'ColorBlaze Keystone Kopper', Cupressus macrocarpa 'Goldcrest', Callibrachoa 'Superbells Blue'.

Some of the best pots are the simplest ones.  I like to put some plants out in the garden in pots where they settle in and add to the beauty.  This Bleeding Heart looks happyin a blue pot in my shade garden.

Dicentra 'Ivory Hearts'.

My little Sedum 'Gold Dots' just got transferred to this blue pot and seems to be happy.  It's posed here in front of some Lavender.

Just a sampling of some of my containers for you to enjoy.