Perennials in containers…

This is not a novel idea for many of you, but it’s a fairly new concept for me.  It happened almost by accident last year when I bought a lot of perennials, and because I wasn’t ready to plant them in the landscape, I added them to my containers.  In the fall, I transplanted them into the new perennial beds, and happily, this spring, they are poking out their heads…I’m assuming they survived the winter.

Because perennials tend to be bigger than annuals, they fill out containers nicely from the beginning of the season. And perennials are less vulnerable than tender annuals that may be nipped by frost, which is still possible here in May.  Also, annuals often burn themselves out by the middle of September.

 

I wish my containers looked like these ones and the one above I found on Pinterest. Having an evergreen as an anchor plant really amplifies the wow factor.

 

 

I’ve started working on the containers in the back garden (full sun). The colour scheme will be lavender, white, and green, and the plants will be both perennials (mostly) and annuals. I’ve layered from the tallest in the back to trailers in the front using white clematis, lavender Storm Cloud Perennial Vivace,  David white phlox, white campanula, and periwinkle vinca,  (all perennials) with white geraniums, blue bacopa, white alyssum, and spider plants (started from cuttings) annuals.  Come October all the perennials will be moved out into the perennials beds.

Like many of you, I have many hours of gardening ahead of me in the next month.  I’m finding that just tidying up the garden after winter and dealing with the damage my garden succumbed to because of the harsh winter conditions is a full-time job!   I’m signing off for the summer and will look forward to continuing our weekly conversations in September.

 

 

Enjoy the summer.   Hopefully it’s not all work…that there is plenty of time for play.    xox Judy❤️

PS  This gives you an idea of what the boxwood nightmare looks like. My son helped me on Mother’s Day by digging out the dead boxwood in one quadrant in the back garden and replacing the MANY Green Velvet boxwood. It’s backbreaking work, and there are so many more to go…