Container combos: so two seasons ago?


Could be, but I still like mixing plants in containers. I am very tempted and intrigued by the idea of having a group of containers, each planted with a single plant. The pots would interact with each other, rather than the interaction taking place within each pot.

But I never do it. In fact, this season I was supposed to experiment with monochromatic containers and I forgot about that, too. I may have one white one.

In any case, here are my two favorite combos at the moment. Perhaps just two plants within a container are all that’s needed, as long as the contrast is dramatic enough. At top you see a rather homey duo: diascia and lobelia. Yeah, pink and blue—how corny can you get. But the diascia is really a deep rose and the lobelia is as blue as a plant gets, so it works for me. (The camera has washed them out a bit.)


Then, above—though it’s early days for this basket—you have the classic (and classy) match of sweet potato vine with purple wave petunia. This petunia really does look too blue—sorry, my camera, the light, something.

I have a bunch of other containers that largely depend on tallish plants like elephant ear and canna, with other plants clustering about. Sadly, some plants have already failed, and the major elements have yet to show their stuff. In a week or so, I’ll have something worth posting about. Or not.

Comments

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said…
Your containers look great!! I love potato vine. I planted three different colors in a pot this year. Its doing o.k. so far.
Anonymous said…
Put a white flower in the top one and you would have a lovely container garden for that 4th of July party!! Thanks for the idea. I wrote the names of the plants down for my next trip to the garden store. I have always been a container gardener. Nothing I ever planted in the ground took off...until this year. My first venture into planting a garden in the ground. It took a lot of studying and planning for my little garden but it turned out great.
Carol Michel said…
Do the classics ever really go out of style? Really? Where, for crying out loud, is the requisiste geranium? I always have just one geranium in a container, with a spike, for old time's sake!

Carol, May Dreams Gardens
Anonymous said…
Your containers are beautiful! I especially like the Petunia & potato vine together!
Anonymous said…
I love the tips on here but most of all I like all the great photographs!!
Great blog. ORCHIDS from the states of Sikkim & other Northeastern States of India(my country) are fascinating vis a vis variety. Do you grow orchids too ?

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Mixing brings out the best colors. So bright so pretty...
I like the containers you have shown us here. I planted a couple of monochrome planters this season.They are doing fine but I can't decide if I like them or not.
I ususally like a little more of a kaliediscope look.
EAL said…
Oh no, Carol, not spikes. Anything but spikes. Geraniums I have, but they're small yet. Every notice how they take a while to get going?
Denise said…
the photos of your containers are great, I think the colors get distorted in a photo because of the light. But even with the colors not being exactly what you are seeing in the garden, the combinations and the intensity you see here on the page are beautiful.
Susie said…
I think your containers look great! Here in MS that beautiful lobelia just croaks in our heat. And the diascia quits blooming. I love that bright lime green with those dark purple petunias.
paisley penguin said…
I absolutely LOVE sweet potato vine and have tried to grow it with little success for a couple summers. Any advise?
How lovely your garden looks, dear, but are you really advocating alcoholism? Oh my goodness, is that how you get your petunias so blue, hint, hint?

Yours in the Love of Christ,
Mrs. Walter J. Katsellas, Jr
Sugar Jones said…
Oh Petunias!!! They look beautiful!

My sweet Petunias are withering away. We are experiencing a lot of heat in San Diegoright now. I'm constantly moving them into shade and keeping them hydrated. Alas, they have given up. They look so sad next to my orange parisian daisies. That's the sad thing about container combos... if one of them decides they don't want to try anymore, the gardener is left picking up the petals.

Oh wait... that's me and my husband.

Great photos!
Dana said…
I came from Blogs of Note. I am a former residdent of Youngstown NY, but now live in Palm beach FL. I so miss northern gardening. Here it's so ummmmm...I dunno Over the Top tropical. Everything all show and no go, everything manicured...I miss Spring flowers and Fall flowers and Gosh do I miss the spirit of daffodils and crocus (crocii?) sticking their heads up defying the snow...I am so not a lush and languid type of gardner...thanks for your photos today, they made me smile, a bittersweet smile, but a smile nonetheless...Dana
Everymatter said…
very nice combination
Anonymous said…
Nice blog, really nice blog. when you interact with nature, there is a peace of mind you get ! its nice to share the pictures of those beautiful flowers with us. when i want to design my home and garden, I'll give u a call...
Anonymous said…
Containers are so much fun to put together and even then best planning can sometimes yield a surprise or two can't it? Mine are not yet filled out yet. I like that color combo of diascia and lobelia and what is better than purple and stong yellow?
Anonymous said…
Great post. Just found you
Stella's World said…
You have inspired me! I haven't realy gardened in a while for various reasons but when I did, my husband said that if my plants could come running when I went out to the yard, they wold have!
Anonymous said…
Love the flower pic!
Unknown said…
wonderful blog! I love to garden too...
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Rhonda said…
What a great combination. My great-uncle did this kind of thing when I was a little girl. Thank you for jogging my memory.
I love Diascia, so I always like to see it & the Lobelia is such a good companion for it. It sounds like you need to get some more containers so you can try that single plant per pot thing.
Dilip Mutum said…
Really nice blog. Got here through "blogs of note".
Idamaria said…
I was thrilled to find your blog...I love flower gardening as well and haven't had much luck finding blogs that interest me. I will visit often and will check out the garden rant as well. I have posted some of my fav perennials and will be posting some of my annuals too. I just plopped a very large basket of Coral trailing verbena, victoria salvia(my favorite)and some redish orangy small petunia looking(through away the card)trailers with tiny yellow violas. Please stop and visit me at www.idamaria-appletree.blogspot.com
I like your blog so much maam. I saw that in your profile, you are also a magazine editor. Like, wow!!!!
I actually dream of being like you maam. I hope I could create a blog as interesting as this. Well my blogs are nothing but a collection of teenage thoughts, of teen angst and confusion. my blog posts are nothing but an online evidence of a teen's disorganized thoughts... Whew!!

I've got nothing much to say about plants and gardening though. I'm not into it so much. i left that business to my father. Well, good luck on your blogs and your work maam. thanks. I just happen to be browsing throuugh blogs. Thanks.
Kate Lord Brown said…
Hi! Great blog - made me feel quite homesick (my mother has green thumbs and always does the most amazing hanging baskets). Talking of doing containers all in one colour have you heard of Sissinghurst Garden in Sussex UK? Vita Sackville West created beautiful gardens all in one colour - white garden esp lovely. If you are ever over here, a visit is recommended! best wishes Kate
Corny works beautifully, I like the pink / blue combo. I would love to see what you could do with monochromatic themes. Right now I only use containers when I want height and for plants that I have to bring in for the winter. I can't get my camera to cooperate with colors either and I'm relieved that it isn't just me.
EAL said…
Paisley, sweet potato vine should be easy. I would give it partial shade and plenty of water.

Kate, I die to visit Sissinghurst. I toured some Southwestern gardens in England but didn't get there. I will! And soon.
kate smudges said…
Your containers are looking good! I like planting up containers in a totally random way. I never know until I'm actually planting what I'll put in them. Some years that spells major disaster, but other times, happy surprises.
Anonymous said…
I love the pictures of your flowers especially the first one.

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