Container Garden University: Basic Elements
By Chris Edmunds
Container gardening works like an art form but doesn’t have to be intimidating.
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“Gardening has always been an art, essentially.“
– Robert Irwin
Container gardening works like an art form but doesn’t have to be nearly as intimidating. A good container is simply the result of a little creativity within a few guidelines. These guidelines aren't rules. Think of them as tips on how to make your creation look and perform its best. You can still do whatever you want with your container, while these tips set you up for success.
Containers are the most fun gardening because they have the best of everything. They can be beautiful but also allow you to experiment without commitment. Planting a tree or perennial has certain rewards, but containers are fun because of their fresh face each season. New trends, colors, and textures are always at your fingertips each year to play with. If you find a new variety that steals your heart, use it for inspiration to design your container. With the selection available at your local parking-lot pop-ups, you can find inspiration everywhere!
Here are some hints from the specialists at our garden center in Mission, Kansas to help you design your container:
Each plant in your container interacts with the others. Consider the growing rates of your plants and whether they are going to play nicely with each other all season. Generally, a plant with a small spread will get overtaken by a plant with a very large spread. Look at the plant tag for spacing or spread info.
Contrasting leaf colors and textures can be as much fun to play with as bloom colors. Broader leaves can be complemented with finer leaves, purple leaves look great with silver leaves.
Similarly, different bloom shapes and sizes can make your container more interesting. Verbena, Petunia, Bacopa, Calibrachoa and Bidens all work well together because of their distinctly different bloom size and shape. You can make a container that you love by working with your favorite textures, colors, shapes, and scents.
The Basics:
According to the staff at our greenhouse in Mission, Kansas, beautiful container gardens stick to some basic standard principles.
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Consider how much sun or shade your container will get each day and buy plants suited for the location you place your container.
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Choose a container of whatever shape and size works for you. To keep your sense of scale in your design, your plants should be 1.3 times the height of your container.
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Check your plant’s tags to see how big you can expect it to grow in a season. This could affect your plans for where your container goes and how big of a container is needed.
Position your centerpiece plant according to what angle the container will be viewed. If your container is to be viewed from all directions, the centerpiece is best kept in the middle. If your container is going to be against a wall, the centerpiece can go at the back. Keep in mind that the centerpiece placement and size might affect how much filler you need or want, and where it goes.
Thrillers, Fillers, and Spillers:
When it comes down to choosing plants to go together, try to mix elements of a centerpiece, fillers for volume, and trailing plants. Mixing these elements promises a vivid and interesting container. You can find tons of great options for each of these elements at any plant nursery in Mission, Kansas or wherever your nearest Kaw Valley Greenhouses location may be. They are a great scaffolding for you to make all the design choices to get the perfect container that you love.
Thrillers:
Your centerpiece plant should be a statement with a bold shape, but beyond that, the options are wide open. There are many forms and colors to choose from, from rigid vertical grasses to flowers and wild foliage. Look for a plant with an upright habit and check the tag to see how tall it gets, so you know it’s a suitable height for your container.
Your centerpiece takes the lead in your design, and the rest of your choices should complement and coordinate with it.
Some perennial grasses, like either Blue Rush (Juncus ‘Blue Arrows’) or Corkscrew Rush (Juncus ‘spiralis’), are a great option for a container “thriller.” They can be your centerpiece for a season and planted more permanently in your yard in the fall. It’s like getting two plants for the price of one!
Fillers:
These central plants add volume to your container with flowers or foliage. They typically have a mounding habit and provide both body and bulk to your design. If you love flowers, look to your filler to do the floral heavy lifting in your container.
Spillers:
Trailing plants create a beautiful cascading effect that gives a boost of perceived height to your container. Some trailing plants grow both down and up and could even be used as a “filler” as well!
If you have a very tall container (or a container you don’t love), long vines are a perfect way to mask part of it. On the other hand, if your container is shorter then the better choice may be smaller or no vines in order to maintain good proportions.
How To Do It All Yourself
A sensational planter is about finding some elements that you fall in love with, and then filling in the rest to complement it! It can be as easy as spotting a color you adore, or a plant that catches your eye. Stick with what you like and fill the rest of your container following these guidelines. These tips are an easy way to have successful and beautiful planters that you love all season. For more great container styling tips, visit us at our garden center in Mission, Kansas!
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