Plants and Ideas for Spring Containers
Plants and Ideas for Spring Containers C o n t a i n e r s are becoming more common as g r e e n are an ideal “ s p r ing
starts ”
in
accent.
Hardy
local sempervivum can be wintered
way to get a nurseries.
over in a container in protected
jump on spring gardening and
area and brought out as early as
feed that late winter need for Good
annuals
outdoor flowers. Since the soil in containers
include
for the
spring late
winter,
provided
the
usual container itself is winter-proof.
a container warms up faster than suspects: pansies, violas and the garden it is usually ready to ornamental kale. You can’ t go Container garden designs are no be planted sooner. Portability wrong with the tried-and-true.
longer limited to annual flowers.
allows
Perennials
you
to
pull
smaller
and
biennials
as
container gardens into a garage Flowers that are often used in container subjects are one of the or
garden
shed
during
an cottage gardens are also great newest trends in gardening. One
occasional late cold snap if need cool-season container subjects. of the most versatile perennials to be, and their relatively smaller Try
calendula,
size makes it easy to cover them. fox glov e,
cornflower, look for this year is Heuchera,
lark s pur,
s weet commonly known as coral bells.
alyssum, stocks, and any of the Many
named
varieties
boast
Choose good, cold-hardy plants many dianthus cultivars. Snap- showy flowers and others are and
extra
protection
is
not dragons, sweet peas and forget- grown exclusively for their striking
generally required. The most cold me-nots are charming containers and varied foliage colors. resistant plants are the plants plants, too. that naturally emerge from the
Combine some of that colorful
ground
April.
foliage with bright spring flowers.
Daffodils, tulips and hyacinths are
Heuchera 'Lime Rickey' is striking
always reliable. Bulbs can be
with Heuchera 'Licorice', 'Creme
forced at home in the refrigerator,
brulee' or 'Plum Pudding.' Add a
timed to plant when you want to
little lavender or purple stock and
biggest show, but that requires
a
planning months ahead. It can
euphorbia
also take up valuable real estate
Purple cordyline or black pussy
in
March
and
spill
of
around
in the fridge. Bulbs already in bud Think outside the box within your willow twigs or bloom are readily available at containers
this
year.
‘ S i lver
Fog ’
the
make a
edge. perfect
Plant spiked accent in the center.
local nurseries. Growers continue lettuces with red leaves where to offer the new and unusual in you
might
otherwise
use
a For a more subtle monochrome
an effort to capture gardeners flowering kale. Swiss chard is design, combine silver ribbon interest and imagination earlier in another colorful choice with red grass with white primroses, white the season, so keep an eye out and yellow stems and ‘ B aby pansies
and
white
English
for exciting new options. Grape Butterhead ’ lettuce makes an daisies. Add a few corkscrew hyacinths and other minor bulbs exceptional small, round, bright willow twigs for accent.
Plant alyssum, violas and stock Colorful twigs give a nice vertical Choosing early spring bloomers around a taller Osteospermum. effect and may even develop that also boast a little heat The
color
scheme
in
this roots in the potting soil. Redtwig tolerance will give your container
combination of plants can be dogwood, Japanese kerria and garden
longer
staying
power
monochromatic or a mix, as each black pussy willow stems add a when early summer temps start comes in white as well as similar terrific splash of color. Corkscrew to rise, but when the heat turns shades of pinks and purples.
willow adds a whimsical vertical on full blast, just be bold and pull element with its twisty stems. If the spring containers apart. Be
For perennial pink flowers, look you discover rooted twigs when sure and plant into the garden for Bergenia, Lenten rose, and you disassemble the container any perennials you used, and Pulmonaria varieties. Good blue garden, pot them up and grow then
redesign
your
container
perennial flowers are Pulmonaria, them on in a protected location gardens using plants that thrive in forget-me-nots and Columbines. for later placement in the shrub the summer heat. Nice whites are Tiarella and border. candytuft. Primroses and English daisies can ’ t be beat for spring A
nice
sunny
combination
color and come in various shades features the bright reds and of red, yellow, white and pink. yellows
of
primroses.
Fill
a
Once finished in the container container with primroses in every garden,
plant
them
into
a shade, or combine pink, yellow
permanent spot in the perennial and cream primroses with purple border.
stock and sweet alyssum.
starts ”
in
accent.
Hardy
local sempervivum can be wintered
way to get a nurseries.
over in a container in protected
jump on spring gardening and
area and brought out as early as
feed that late winter need for Good
annuals
outdoor flowers. Since the soil in containers
include
for the
spring late
winter,
provided
the
usual container itself is winter-proof.
a container warms up faster than suspects: pansies, violas and the garden it is usually ready to ornamental kale. You can’ t go Container garden designs are no be planted sooner. Portability wrong with the tried-and-true.
longer limited to annual flowers.
allows
Perennials
you
to
pull
smaller
and
biennials
as
container gardens into a garage Flowers that are often used in container subjects are one of the or
garden
shed
during
an cottage gardens are also great newest trends in gardening. One
occasional late cold snap if need cool-season container subjects. of the most versatile perennials to be, and their relatively smaller Try
calendula,
size makes it easy to cover them. fox glov e,
cornflower, look for this year is Heuchera,
lark s pur,
s weet commonly known as coral bells.
alyssum, stocks, and any of the Many
named
varieties
boast
Choose good, cold-hardy plants many dianthus cultivars. Snap- showy flowers and others are and
extra
protection
is
not dragons, sweet peas and forget- grown exclusively for their striking
generally required. The most cold me-nots are charming containers and varied foliage colors. resistant plants are the plants plants, too. that naturally emerge from the
Combine some of that colorful
ground
April.
foliage with bright spring flowers.
Daffodils, tulips and hyacinths are
Heuchera 'Lime Rickey' is striking
always reliable. Bulbs can be
with Heuchera 'Licorice', 'Creme
forced at home in the refrigerator,
brulee' or 'Plum Pudding.' Add a
timed to plant when you want to
little lavender or purple stock and
biggest show, but that requires
a
planning months ahead. It can
euphorbia
also take up valuable real estate
Purple cordyline or black pussy
in
March
and
spill
of
around
in the fridge. Bulbs already in bud Think outside the box within your willow twigs or bloom are readily available at containers
this
year.
‘ S i lver
Fog ’
the
make a
edge. perfect
Plant spiked accent in the center.
local nurseries. Growers continue lettuces with red leaves where to offer the new and unusual in you
might
otherwise
use
a For a more subtle monochrome
an effort to capture gardeners flowering kale. Swiss chard is design, combine silver ribbon interest and imagination earlier in another colorful choice with red grass with white primroses, white the season, so keep an eye out and yellow stems and ‘ B aby pansies
and
white
English
for exciting new options. Grape Butterhead ’ lettuce makes an daisies. Add a few corkscrew hyacinths and other minor bulbs exceptional small, round, bright willow twigs for accent.
Plant alyssum, violas and stock Colorful twigs give a nice vertical Choosing early spring bloomers around a taller Osteospermum. effect and may even develop that also boast a little heat The
color
scheme
in
this roots in the potting soil. Redtwig tolerance will give your container
combination of plants can be dogwood, Japanese kerria and garden
longer
staying
power
monochromatic or a mix, as each black pussy willow stems add a when early summer temps start comes in white as well as similar terrific splash of color. Corkscrew to rise, but when the heat turns shades of pinks and purples.
willow adds a whimsical vertical on full blast, just be bold and pull element with its twisty stems. If the spring containers apart. Be
For perennial pink flowers, look you discover rooted twigs when sure and plant into the garden for Bergenia, Lenten rose, and you disassemble the container any perennials you used, and Pulmonaria varieties. Good blue garden, pot them up and grow then
redesign
your
container
perennial flowers are Pulmonaria, them on in a protected location gardens using plants that thrive in forget-me-nots and Columbines. for later placement in the shrub the summer heat. Nice whites are Tiarella and border. candytuft. Primroses and English daisies can ’ t be beat for spring A
nice
sunny
combination
color and come in various shades features the bright reds and of red, yellow, white and pink. yellows
of
primroses.
Fill
a
Once finished in the container container with primroses in every garden,
plant
them
into
a shade, or combine pink, yellow
permanent spot in the perennial and cream primroses with purple border.
stock and sweet alyssum.
