Containers
5. Four-season interest. This clever combination of plants can easily transition from one season to the next without your having to fully dismantle and repot the display. At the back of the container, the toothy-leaved holly osmanthus (Osmanthus heterophyllus, zones 7 to 9) and clump of chartreuse coral bells (Heuchera sp.), now blooming pale pink, most likely remain in the container year-round to provide foliage interest. In spring, the addition of a pink bedding hydrangea and trailing white bacopa will add color throughout summer (as pictured here). Come late summer, you could swap the hydrangea and bacopa for a rudbeckia and ornamental grass, leaving the osmanthus and heuchera in place, to transition easily to fall. In winter, replace the rudbeckia and ornamental grass with heather (Erica spp.) for interest through the holidays. Water requirement: Moderate Light requirement: Full sun to partial sun
The designer relied on all foliage plants to get the look, including tropical bird’s nest fern (Asplenium sp.), silvery brunnera, black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’, zones 5 to 10), golden oxalis and evergreen maidenhair fern. The contrast of the bright silver and chartreuse stands out in the low-light setting and against the dark ceramic container.
r. A strappy-leafed New Zealand flax (Phormium sp., USDA zones 8 to 11; find your zone) adds height to this container combination. Although flax is often grown in full sun, you can get away with including one in a part-shade situation as long as the plant receives a few hours of morning or afternoon sun. Other plants in this combination include: plum-colored heuchera (Heuchera sp.), pale pink gaura (Gaura lindheimeri, Zone 5), lime-green sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas, zones 9 to 11), purple flowering angelonia (Angelonia sp.), hellebore (Helleborus sp., zones 4 to 9) and trailing ‘Silver Falls’ dichondra (Dichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’, zones 9 to 11).Water requirement: Moderate to regularLight requirement: Partial shade
Plants featured in this arrangement include white-flowering peace lily (Spathiphyllum sp.), pink impatiens and begonias and Sprenger’s asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus‘Sprengeri’, zones 9 to 11). Peace lily only thrive outdoors in very mild climates (zones 11 to 12). Chinese foxglove (Rehmannia elata, zones 7 to 10) is another tall flower that’s more cold-hardy and can grow in a shady container.
. Summer containers. For this summer container trio, designer Glenna Partridge paired Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas) with trailing golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’) and edible herbs, including mint, fennel, thyme and tarragon. The composition benefits from the lime color of golden creeping Jenny, which complements the purple lavender and brightens the arrangement overall.
Dancy’ tangerine (Citrus reticulata ‘Dancy’, zones 9 to 11) with thyme and azure-colored ground morning glory (Convolvulus mauritanicus, zones 7 to 9) to trail over the sides. Like all citrus, the tangerine tree fruits in winter, but the fruits hang on the tree for months. In a potted display, this is particularly useful for adding interest to containers when the warm-season flowers are gone. Citrus grows best in containers with frequent fertilization (at least monthly, and more if leaves show yellowing). Water requirement: Moderate Light requirement: Full sun
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