TAKE OVER MY MAKE OVER!

Hi,
I'm walking around the yard looking at containers in various stages of death, dying, and decay, and assessing what I want to keep alive for the Spring. I sat there thinking about what to put together when I repot stuff, and reflected on the HGTV show "Design Cents," I had just finished watching.

On that show, they come into your house and rearrange what's already there and turn your dump into a castle!

How about a forum like that for our gardens? We could post pics of what we already have, and the gurus could post suggestions on what to put with what, where to put it, which container, etc.

Like, I have these spikey thingies that come in the floral arrangements. I like them, cause the pros seem to always include them in their arrangements, and they add balance in the pots. Last summer, I planted pots of red flash caladiums and put those pots in the flowerbox with the long, spikey green thingies inbetween. It really looked great! That's what I'm talking about.

So, I'm looking at all these huge planters and all these many little pots of various stuff, thinking how I should combine them into some striking arrangements for the Spring/Summer. I'd like to take some pics of stuff I'd like to keep for next Spring and wouldn't mind the gurus offering suggestions on what I can combine together.

How about it? Here's a pic of what the window box looked like last summer.

Thanks in advance!

Linda

You could try the container gardening forum (if it's strictly containers you're dealing with), or else the Garden Design forum is a great place to go for various design suggestions.

Thanks Crane!

Around here it always looks so messy because it is cluttered; maybe a few large pots well planted is better. Also it is hard to keep the little guys watered with our wind drying them out.

My goal for next year is to simplify with some well placed larger pots.

Has anyone here ever contacted "Design Cents" to come out?

Twin,
Great minds DO think alike! That's exactly my plan -- consolidate all those little pots into some huge container plantings. Less small pots and a few, wonderful large pots.

Twin,
What're you putting in your large arrangements? Let me know. I've been looking through the photo contest pics for some ideas. They have great stuff right under our noses!

My favorite one this year:

I always go out and buy a tree form tropical hibiscus which I put in a big pot by the door; this year I underplanted it with a couple of vines and some "Samantha" lantana (variegated leaves). It was so much prettier with the underplanting.

Here in Iowa, that was very unusual; not unusual for my Southern Cal house. Think your area dictates what would look spectacular.
But for me, underplanting made a difference.

Plus it was a large enough pot that it didn't need so much watering; however, those large pots are expensive.

Throwing in some hydro gel stuff can be a real helper too!

I did a Fairy Garden this year; I like it a lot.

I do use the gel in my pots but am very bad about watering; if I concentrate it down to just a few strategic pots that will help.

Frankly, with my life, if my pots depended on me, they would all be dead! In the past I would set the pots in a place where my sprinkler could get them. I know that is cheating but watching plants suffer and die from neglect is well... painful!

This is one I can't give up; I overwinter it every year.

Not a very good pic but this is the planter I like a lot this year; it filled out better than this picture shows.

Your Fairie Garden is delightful!! I LOVE IT!

Thank-you

The tree hibiscus pic was right after I planted everything up. At the end of summer the vines were trailing to the patio and it was very pretty-just can't find the final pic to show you.