Monday, December 28, 2015

Creating a Winter Container Garden





You may think that winter is a time to put away your containers and forget about gardening.  That's not true.  Even though the weather might be cold outside, you can still create some eye-catching container gardens.

First, start with a container that won't crack in the cold weather.  Fiberglass, metal, concrete, or even hollow logs work well.  Don't use ceramics, terracota, or thin plastic. (The containers in the picture would not work for really cold temperatures, but in Georgia, where I live, they're fine.)

Choose plants and flowers that work well in colder weather.  Some ideas for flowers include winter pansies, violas, hellebores, and my favorites, cabbage and flowering kale.  The neat thing about the cabbage and kale is that the color intesifies, the colder it gets.  If you look at the purple cabbage above, you see what I mean.

For greenery, use annual grasses, new zealand flax, variegated yucca, dwarf deciduous hollies, and trailing ivy. You can also use evergreens.  Then, for a pretty effect, decorate with pinecones.

Water your container garden only when the soil is dry. 



I'd like to wish all of you a very Happy New Year!

12 comments:

  1. I had to bring all my summer plants into the garage. (And nearly lost 4 of them because I forgot them when it dropped below freezing.) It would be nice to have something growing now in their place.

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    1. Glad you were able to save your plants. It's nice to have green growing even in the winter months. You'll have to try these.

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  2. Potted plants can be a true delight!

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  3. really pretty. You make it sound so easy. Hmmm. Happy New Year to you too

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    1. It's not hard. It's nice to have potted plants even when it's cold and dreary outside.

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  4. Hi Sherry - the weather can be fickle at times - so frost free is essential in some places. Those pots look wonderful .. so clever and colourful for this time of year - cheers and Happy New Year to you and your family - Hilary

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  5. Oooh these are cool ideas. Most of our plants and flowers died after the first freeze and now our yard is boring!

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    1. These plants can make it interesting even in the winter.

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  6. Hi Sherry,

    Nothing like a bit of container imagination to get those splashes of colour during the bleak winter months. I have used all sort of things as containers, with amazing impact.

    A peaceful, potting New Year to you and your loved ones, Sherry.

    Gary

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    1. Thank you, Gary. I wish you a Happy New Year and a wonderful 2016 as well!

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