The art of container gardening is sometimes shrouded in clouds of mystery, myths and far too many tropicals. Instead of simply “keeping up with the Jones” and splashing as much color as possible into your containers to fully participate in the landscape wars with your neighbors this year, alternatively you could take a more intentional approach with your summer pots. Our color gurus, Sarah Cross and Jen Thiele, shared the tips and tricks of container gardening in a Q&A session debunking some myths and spreading some seeds of color team wisdom.
Jen: To assess its surroundings and create with intent,you wouldn’t want something that does not flow with the existing style.
Sarah: Don’t be a slave to trends. Be creative. Plant plants that you like and that work for the size and location of the container.
Jen: Container gardening allows you to add that pop of color, the wow, where perennials and tried and true landscape plants are not adaptable.
Sarah: Not having to be on your hands and knees or completely bent over planting, watering, weeding, and fertilizing.
Jen: The biggest misconception that I have came across is that it is easy put together a stylized container. You cannot just throw any plant into a container. You have to acknowledge what plants will work in that particular location.
Sarah: Spiller, Filler, Thriller is a myth; not all three elements are required. A container can look stunning with just one or two focal points. Another myth/trap people fall into is only using tropicals. While they are pretty and exotic, you pay a pretty penny to get that look. Instead consider mixing perennials within annuals to get a more natural look, keeping within the context of your own backyard and not some far away land. Using shrubs or trees in a pot can be a large design element without using a plant that looks like it should be in Hawaii.
Jen: This year I have been very enthusiastic about placing perennials in containers. It give such a fantastic look and they can be repurpose and placed in the landscape.
Sarah: Coleus! It is my favorite plant. Most varieties will grow in sun and shade and they grow in so many colors! Another fun thing to experiment with would be edibles! It’s a fun new take on annual containers; its just as easy to mix up an herb combo as it is to mix up annual flowers.
Sarah: I feel the most difficult containers to design are giant containers. It is very important to get the right plants for the size of the pots. The scale in larger pots in super important because if it isn’t right- nevermind how beautiful your plants are- your design looks goofy.
Jen: I really enjoy being able to get to know my clients and their personal design styles. That makes it a lot of fun and the client is always so much happier when it fits their personality.
Sarah: I am inspired by everything- being outdoors, learning about new plants, being at work, magazines, road trips, my garden at home, local nurseries, other plant nerds…
Jen: Once again, this has to do with a persons specific style. It’s very important that the containers compliment the design of the property.
Sarah: the size of the plant should look at home in their container. It should look balanced- a good rule of thumb I follow is the height of the plant should be 2/3’s the size of the container.
Jen: There are several elements to take into account when deciding on your plant materials. Elements such as wind, sun and heat are important factors. For example if the container is surrounded by brick it will dry out much faster from so much reflective heat.
Sarah: I consider how hot, dry, windy, sunny, shady, how often is the container going to be watered, does the container have drainage, my likes and dislikes, home oweners likes and dislikes when selecting plant material.
Jen: Dramatic color can go a long way. Be it vibrant color tones for summer or deep hues for fall. Catching the eye with color always gives the most impact.
Sarah: Big impact on a low budget… I think purchasing smaller plants and having patience is the way to go.
Jen: I think the biggest mistake is loosing focus of your intent. A container design can quickly start looking messy.
Sarah: One of the biggest mistakes is thinking plants in containers take care of themselves. To have a really beautiful container, it needs to be fertilized, pruned, and watered! Another one that comes to mind is pairing plants together that don’t grow in the same environment.
Still feel in the dark about brighting up your patio or porch with color? Another GREAT container gardening tip is to leave it to the professionals… The Purple Polo Color Team is ready to serve you! Call 402-457-6492 and set up a meeting with Jen or Sarah today!
Jared, Jon, Preston, Davis, Charlotte, Sarah, Jen and Marie are ready to help with all your container gardening needs!
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