Hi everyone,
This past year I became adventurous and planted all kinds of crazy stuff together in my pots and containers. Some of them were from recipes I had found on the internet, other ones I just winged it...so, some came out great and others, not so much, lol. If I remember correctly I had 51 containers I planted in all.
I'm looking for book suggestions that will give me good ideas for plant combos for containers. I already have down (most of) the basics of care, etc. I can't believe it's so hard to pick a book! I've looked at the Book Worm and I've looked on Amazon and I'm still stumped.
I want something that actually gives ideas of what to put in the pot together...recipes. Actual pics of the recipes instead of just drawings would be great too.
Any ideas?
Thanks!
Heather
Book Suggestions Please
I went to this used book site and came up with this one: http://www.alibris.com/search/search.cfm?qwork=8726197&wtopic=container%20gardening&matches=24&qsort=r&cm_re=works*listing*title
I'd still rather look in a library or book store first to be sure it's what you want in a book.
In addition to P. Allen Smith's book, I have inspiration in the following:
Contain Yourself by Kerstin P. Ouellette (Ball Publishing, 2003,ISBN 1-883052-33-5).
Lots of "recipes" including types of appropriate pots/containers. The only thing I mind is that the illustrations are very small.
Gardens To Go by Sydney Eddison (Bulfinch Press, 2005, ISBN0-8212-5715-3)
No recipes per se but beautiful pictures of striking color combinations. Photos are large enough that you can discern the plants used without much difficulty. She also gives ideas for grouping pots of individual plants for impact, coordinating pots and hardscape, furniture - in other words "pulling it all together".
Container Gardening by Paul Williams (DK Publishing, 2004, ISBN 0-7566-03722)
Besides the basics, this book has some of the most elegant and unusual plant combinations I have everseen as well as providing the recipes and site requirements for each design. Each portrayal coordinates the background, the pot and as well as the plants.
Also each summer "Fine Gardening" magazine has an issue devoted to container gardening. They are available at bookstore magazine racks.
I got a nice little *free* booklet from Proven Winners earlier this year. It had some neat combinations and you can't beat the price. LOL
I'll try and find the website for you.
........here 'tiz: http://www.provenwinners.com/winnerscircle/
This message was edited Oct 26, 2007 4:10 PM
Here's a great site. It isn't just for people who live in Texas. Better than the books. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/floriculture/container-garden/web_gallery/index2.html
Thanks so much for the recommendations!
Proven Winners site is where I got a lot of ideas and recipes for my containers this year. Sometimes it's just hard to know exactly what can be substituted for what though. I'd like to start as much from seed as possible and some of the things they use in their recipes aren't available in seeds.
Is P. Allen Smith's book complicated? Someone once gave me his "instructions" for garden design and it just completely confused me. There were so many steps to follow that by #7 I was overwhelmed.
"Contain Yourself" and the one by Paul Williams were two of the ones I was considering. I'm leaning towards "Contain Yourself"...any other cons about the book other than small illustrations?
Thanks again so much, I really appreciate the help!
Heather
Thanks for that site, we cross-posted. Those are the type of thing I'm looking for. I'll bookmark that site!
There's also the "Thriller Filler Spiller" article created by Fine Gardening:
http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/design/articles/thrillers-fillers-spillers.aspx
Pirl, thank you so very much! I haven't read through that article yet, but it's one of the first things I'm planning on doing as soon as my eyes get some rest and start functioning properly again! There have been so many container recipes I've seen with the Thriller-Spiller-Filler, but I never knew where it came from. I just always figured it was some cute saying some smart gardener (like you!) came up with and it stuck. Well, you learn something new everyday, it's true.
I did use the Thriller-Spiller-Filler guideline for doing my pots that I didn't have recipes for last year. Not all of them were duds, so those rules do work. Some of are just a bit slower when it comes to matching sun, water and soil requirements for our pots (but I won't mention MY name).
I'm looking forward to reading that article over coffee in the morning! Thanks! :)
You're quite welcome. I was introduced to the theory by the dahlia man, Steve Nowartoski, who's also at DG. I found the Castor Bean Plant can be used very nicely for height. I was told it was a mistake and would get to be 12' tall but it stayed around 3' so I was pleased. Its time is past in this photo.
Beautiful combo Pirl.
I was at a gardening symposium once where the speaker used the terms Spikey, Floppy and Fluffy for containers.
The spiky was so overused with the geraniums! Some people still do it and call is classic. To each his/her own.
I think the names they come up with are funny. I am of the old "you want a focal point and complimentary surroundings" school.
Ooopse! I looked at this thread, then got busy and forgot about posting. Just goes to show how with it I am. I'm glad someone else posted here.
I love the colors you used in that container also Pirl. I just can't seem to pull it all together myself (is that any surprise?). Your colors there play off of each other so well...the burgundy, the bright/light green and the salmony/peach/pink. Once I start to get my light and water requirements down I start to get frustrated with what should go with what.
I did have some nice containers this year, but I don't have pics. One I really liked was a trug with a pink dahlia, double pink petunias, coleus, sweet potato vine and some floss flower. Another had the same double pink petunias, a different coleus, floss flower, nemesia, and lobelia and baby's breath. It took a bit of pinching to keep it looking nice, but it was well worth it.
I just need some kind of guide that's going to help me know what plants have the same requirements and would look nice together. I've always done pastel pinks, lavenders and blues in my garden until this last year. I let DH help me pick my flowers this year and I ended up with bright colors....oranges, bright purple, lemon yellow, etc. I didn't know how I would like it, but I got more compliments than ever! So, I've learned that trying something new can sometimes be your best bet. I know how to do a lot of the same old things I've been doing for years, but that's boring now. Now I want to try new stuff and bright colors...I just don't want to waste my time, money and an entire year on ugly containers!
I really appreciate everyone's input and help here. I'm thinking of going with the book 'Contain Yourself' unless someone has a better suggestion or would recommend I get a different book.
Thanks again,
Heather
I made the mistake of going just by color when I used a silver helichrysum, a silver with dark violet begonia and a dark violet petunia. Someone told me the helichrysum would take over: it did! Now I have to dig out the begonia to try to save it while the petunia died a quick death.
We all live and learn. I went by color when I should have been thinking of growth rate, moisture needs and how rampant the helichrysum would grow.
See, that's the stuff that happens to me, Pirl! Still, that's a beautiful plant.
Beautiful, yes, but out of control. I might try cutting it back and bringing it inside but the porch is so crowded as it is.