Spring Container Design

Colorful bulbs sing out the season

Japanese umbrella pine’s glossy, whorled leaves complement the variegated gray-green and white of ‘Silver Swan’ euphorbia and Feather Falls™ sedge. The curling foliage of the sedge hugs the top of the container and echoes the bold horizontal lines running across the pot, which is softened by a mounding rock cress. Sapphire blue flowers of ‘Grace Ward’ lithodora add a pop of spring color, and they contrast with ‘Fireball’ geum and the airy blooms of Forever® Red heuchera. To signal that spring is here, a daffodil and tulip stand tall in the center of the display.

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Summer Container Update

With warm weather comes bold primary colors

A little editing is all this container needs to swing into summer with fresh blooms. By now, Feather Falls™ sedge is cascading over the side of the container, complemented by a long silver dichondra. Vibrantly colored flowers from annuals such as Angelface® Super Blue summer snapdragon and Sunbini® creeping zinnia contrast with the bold foliage of Magilla® purple perilla.

+ Added:

5. Angelface® Super Blue summer snapdragon (Angelonia angustifolia ‘ANSUBLU021’, Zones 10–11)

6. Magilla® purple perilla** (Perilla frutescens* ‘Balmagpurp’, annual)

7. Sunbini® creeping zinnia (Sanvitalia procumbens ‘DSANTLAG’, annual)

8. ‘Silver Falls’ dichondra (Dichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’, Zones 10–11)

Fall

Cool purples make an understated but elegant display

By gently removing most of the annuals and adding several perennials that are peaking with flowers or sporting true fall color, this container extends into cool weather. The tall, burgundy fall foliage of ‘Storm Cloud’ bluestar hides gaps in the base of the Japanese umbrella pine. Its colors blend with the pink single-cupped flowers of ‘September Charm’ Japanese anemone. The elegant, orchid-like lavender blooms and dainty foliage of ‘Tojen’ toad lily cascade over a deeply colored Forever® Purple heuchera.

+ Added:

4. ‘Storm Cloud’ bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana ‘Storm Cloud’, Zones 4–9)

5. ‘September Charm’ Japanese anemone (Anemone × hybrida ‘September Charm’, Zones 4–8)

6. ‘Tojen’ toad lily (Tricyrtis ‘Tojen’, Zones 5–9)

7. Forever® Purple heuchera (Heuchera ‘TNHEUFP’, Zones 4–9)

Winter

White and green are all the sparkle you need

This design captures the feeling of a snow-covered woodland walk. The white and green of ‘Silver Swan’ euphorbia and Feather Falls® sedge are echoed by new introductions. Bright paper birch logs and white snow­berries were added along with pine cones for strong vertical elements, and the blue-green cascading branches of eastern white pine and blue spruce soften the container’s edge.

+ Added:

4. Paper birch logs (Betula papyrifera, Zones 2–7)

5. Snowberry branches (Symphoricarpos albus, Zones 3–7)

6. Blue spruce branches (Picea pungens, Zones 2–8)

7. Boxwood branches (Buxus sempervirens, Zones 5–8)

8. Eastern white pine branches (Pinus strobus, Zones 3–8)

9. Pine cones

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*Invasive Alert:

Purple perilla (Perilla frutescens)

This plant is considered invasive in TN, VA, and WV.

Please visit invasiveplantatlas.org for more information.