I’m fortunate to be taking part in P. Allen Smith‘s Garden2Blog2014 event when 25 gardening bloggers will visit his farm to celebrate plants, gardening, and how the growing life enriches us all. I can’t wait! Some of the sponsors of this event, including Jobe’s Organics, decided to extend the fun and ask bloggers to use their Premium Potting Mix and fertilizer to create a container using the plants of our choice. I purchased some of my favorite flowering annuals, and used the occasion to explain how I design and choose plants to create a mixed container. Here’s how it went:
Designing A Flowering Container – #G2B14
As I explain in the video, when I put plants together I look for colors and textures that repeat each other and contrast with each other…so compliments and contrasts. In this container I repeated the colors of white, yellow and lavender/blue. The contrasting elements were the colors of the foliage and the different sizes and textures of the leaves and flowers.
I decided to shake things up in this pot by using some curvy, funky branches I pruned off of shrubs and trees this spring. Three of these wavy sticks make a rustic obelisk that not only adds an instant, upright element when the plants are small, but also provides a support for the black eyed Susan vine. Plant list below.
I also was given the opportunity to try a Flexzilla Garden Hose, which I immediately hooked up to the side faucet and put to work. I have a feeling that this hose is a new BFF. It is light weight and easy to coil. You’ll see in the video that I’m already putting it to good use!
Legacy HFZG550YW Flexzilla 5/8 X 50 Zilla Green Garden Hose with 3/4 GHT Ends
My #G2B14 Container Challenge Pot includes:
Frosty Knight Lobularia
Calibrachoa Lemon Slice
Scaevola Blue Wonder
Strobilanthes dyerianus (Persian shield)
Duranta ‘Gold Edge’
Thunbergia alata (black eyed Susan vine)
I’ll post follow-up pictures of this container as the season progresses, as well as updates from Allen’s garden in Little Rock when I’m there.
