What to plant?
This is a tricky question, because it depends on where you live. Plants that are successful in sunny places would not grow well in colder, darker places. The best place to find information on local plants is a nearby nursery or plant store. The sales people should tell you which plants they sell, which are ideal for shade, which are ideal for sunny places, etc. Browse around and take mental note of what is available. Form a mental picture of the colors, styles, and focus of your container.
Learn about the different types of plants that are available. Get all the information you will need:
- Is the plant…
- a perennial (does it come back to life every year?)
- an annual (does it only live one season?)
- a climber (does it grow like a vine and keep growing?)
- a tree or shrub (how tall will it get? How wide?)
- fruit-bearing?
- a vegetable or herb?
- Take note of any special needs:
- Will the plant survive in your area (check a hardiness zoning map)?
- Does the plant need to be sprayed for bugs often?
- Does the plant grow in shade, partial-shade, or full sunlight?
- How much water does the plant need?
- Does the plant attract wasps, bees, or other less-friendly critters? (You might not want bees hanging around your porch)
- Does the plant require a lot of fertilizer?
- Does the plant need special soil?
- How deep do you need to plant the root/bulb?
- How tall does the plant grow? How wide? Does it need stakes/supports?
Another great way to plan your pot, is to look at other designs. Browse through some of the websites listed in the references section and pay attention to their designs. Many gardening books will layout the container with blue prints, showing you which plants go where. You can form your own, unique container based on what you see and what you know about the plants you like.
Flower Suggestions:
These plants might not be available in all locations or countries. See local guides or nurseries for plants that grow well in your area. Containers often have a theme. Themes can include colors, plant styles, contrasting colors, etc. Below are some plant suggestions for working with colors.
- Perennials:
- Red Flowers:
- Amaryllis (Hippeastrum)
- Carnation (Dianthus)
- Dahlia (Dahlia)
- Foxglove(Digitalis)
- Gaillardia (Gaillardia)
- Peony (Paeonia)
- Phlox(Phlox)
- Ranunculus(Ranunculus)
- Rose (Rosa)
- Spider Lily (Lycoris)
- Tulip (Tulipa)
- Pink Flowers:
- Anemone (Anemone)
- Bergenia (Bergenia)
- Carnation (Dianthus)
- Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum)
- Fall Crocus (Crocus)
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