Hot Pots and Cool Containers Contest

Hot Pots and Cool Containers Contest

The winning entry, and a sampling of submissions from all over the country

by Kathy Diemer



	The winning entry in the random drawing: a Rhodochiton atrosanguineus, grown from seed.

Many of our readers accepted our invitation to send us pictures of their "Hot Pots and Cool Containers" for a chance to win a complete set of the Fine Gardening Design Guides. The winner of the random drawing was Shannon Roberts of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her hot pot contained Rhodochiton atrosanguineus, a deciduous climber native to Mexico. Shannon started this plant from seed. In addition to working on her own garden projects, Shannon works for several designers in the Philadelphia area installing and maintaining gardens. Congratulations, Shannon.

In addition to Shannon's entry, we received a number of other notable submissions. Here's a sampling from readers all over the country.

Richard Wilson, owner of Purchase Hill Farm in Southbury, Connecticut, sent us a picture of a cool container that doubles as an insect repellent. Richard claims his southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) and geraniums keep the bugs away, while the million bells, torenia (Torenia fournieri), supertunia (Petunia cv.), false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica), and licorice plants (Helichrysum petiolare) are "just beautiful."

Jann Martindale of Raleigh, North Carolina, has put unwanted construction debris to good use (below left). Because she was willing to take unused scrap from job sites, Jann says that her six culvert planters not only complement her contemporary home, but have cost her just $42. Her largest container holds a windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), the middle a Kniphofia uvaria, and the smallest has a Yucca filamentosa 'Bright Edge'.

Victoria Thompson of Seaford, Delaware, provided several pictures, but our favorite was an ornate garden cart (above right) overflowing with flowers on her garden path. Victoria's plant choices were a Helichrysum petiolare, Vinca 'Cooler Pink', Glechoma hederacea 'Variegata', and Diascia 'Little Charmer'.

Chris Ling of West Linn, Oregon, said her pot is still looking pretty good this late in the season. The climate is a bit milder in Oregon, and Chris has had some luck with potted plants actually overwintering. She simply rejuvenates the soil in the spring, cuts back the plants, and makes them prosper for another season. The plants in her container are a variegated grass (Carex cv.), spruce (Picea cv.), pansy (Viola x wittrockiana cv.), and alyssum (Alyssum maritimum cv.).

Sarah Partyka operates a garden center called The Farmer's Daughter, in Wakefield, Rhode Island. She enjoys designing container plantings using different leaf textures and sizes, while also considering the contrast of color. Sarah says, "You don't need flowers to make a great container; foliage can be just as exciting." She chose a combination of height and trailing plants in her pot (below left) by using a Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum', Plectranthus cv., Ipomoea batatas 'Blackie', Angelonia augustifolia , Iresine herbstii 'Aureoreticulata', and Strobilanthes dyerianus.

Joan Snow has been gardening in New Jersey for over 40 years, having recently moved from Saddle River to Mahwah. She and her husband have been greatly challenged to start from scratch on a 1-1/2 acre shaded lot. Joan keeps very busy with garden tours, her garden design business, and her many followup visits to her clients. Her planter (above right) contains Persian sheild (Strobilanthes dyerianus), ivy geranium (Pelargonium x peltatum cv.), pincushion flower (Scabiosa cv.), Alyssum maritimum cv., and Petunia cv.

Renee LeBon is a self-professed plant addict in The Woodlands, Texas. She is a garden designer who loves creating unique containers, and it shows. Her hot pot (below left) contains an interesting combination of Caladium 'Aaron', jasmine vine (Jasminum officinale), white impatiens (Impatiens cv.), variegated creeping fig vine (Ficus pumila 'Variegata'), water hyssop (Bacopa cv.), and assorted coleus (Solenostemon cvs.).

"Both of my parents were avid gardeners, so I guess gardening must be in my genes," says Marilyn Lepape of Gig Harbor, Washington. Marilyn and her husband, Harry, recently moved to the waterfront of Puget Sound, where they are striving to create a garden with emphasis on visual interest throughout the year. "Much of my inspiration for the design of the plantings came from past issues of Fine Gardening," she claims. Her featured pot (above right) contains Phormium tenax 'Rubrum', Pelargonium 'Occold Shield' and P. 'Vancouver Centennial', Helichrysum petiolare 'Limelight', Lobelia erinus 'Crystal Palace', and Solenostemon 'Inky Fingers'.

An exciting composition of lesser-known species

Sue Dickson of Charlottesville, Virginia, has sustained a deep commitment to horticulture for 23 years as a perennial grower, garden designer, horticultural lecturer, writer, and photographer. She is presently working on a master's of science degree in horticulture, and in her spare time enjoys hiking in the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains. Sue calls her container (above) "An Exciting Composition of Lesser Known Species." It features a fragrant Datura metel 'Cornucopaea' in the center, a small golden dahlberg daisy (Thymophylla tenuiloba), a lavender-pink swan river daisy (Brachyscome iberidifolia), star white zinnia (Zinnia angustifolia 'Star White'), fan flower (Scaevola aemula), Verbena canadensis 'Homestead Purple', and Nepeta x faassenii 'Dropmore'.

"I learned to love gardening as a young child growing up on my parent's farm in Ohio," says Carol Gross of Harvard, Illinois. "I'm 55, so that's a lot of gardening." Carol is currently tending numerous perennial beds, an organic vegetable garden, and an ongoing 1-1/2-acre native prairie restoration. She wants her gardens to provide a haven for wildlife as well as humans. Her pot was one of many used as a decoration at her daughter's wedding. It contains Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum', Argyranthemum 'Butterfly', Ipomoea batatas 'Margarita', Petunia 'Purple Wave', Petunia 'Misty Lilac Wave', and Zinnia 'Profusion White'.

Kathy Diemer is Fine Gardening's editorial secretary.

Purchase back issues