Writers' Community!
Home Page Two Columnists Q&A Submit an Article FAQs Contact Author Login
Article Submission
We Need YOUR Articles!
We'll Promote Them for FREE!

Author Login

New Authors
Register Here


Now Serving 7,756 Authors
70,404 Quality Articles
& 3,614 Current Users Online!
Featured Authors
Fran Larson (2,271)
Joel Hendon (16,285)
Shari Vaudo (418)
David Tanguay (9,577)
Michael Ramzy (633)
Missing Link (766)
E. Raymond Rock (3,068)
Gregory Lewis (1,603)
Nancy Daniels (1,550)
Mark Parsec (15,056)
Sandra E. Graham (7,883)
David Pekrul (3,696)
Ira Coffin (6,669)
Julian Price (3,951)

View All Featured Authors
Most Recent
Aphanostephus Plant - A Lazy Daisy for a Leisurely Garden

Korean Black Pine - The Horticulture Pine

Skyrocket Juniper - The Landscape Pine

Leyland Cypress - A Favorite Garden Plant

Nellie R. Stevens Holly - The Tolerant and Aesthetic Landscape Tree

Herb Garden Information For You

How to Make Potpourri with Roses from Your Own Garden

Wetland Supplies - What to Expect

Wetland Plants

Native Plants for Your Home Garden

Home » Categories » Home Life » Gardening » Special Plants for Large Containers » Reprint Rights » Printer Friendly

Marion Stewart

Special Plants for Large Containers

Rated 3 out of 5
Rated an Average of 5.0 by 5 Readers ?
Rate It  /  View Comments  /  View All Articles submitted by Marion Stewart
Submitted Thursday, July 02, 2009
Marion Stewart (299)
Marion Stewart

Garden Planter Store
Log in to become a member of Marion Stewart's Fan Club!


Containers are so versatile often we design with a combination of plants, however, to add special interest for an overall display, consider including some large plants or special plants and grow them in a single pot or garden planter.

Create a distinct break between your patio or terrace and turn this into an outdoor room. This can be accomplished by incorporating large garden containers filled with just a single spectacular plant and then infilling with border plantings. More than just providing a view, the design is provided from the inside out.

A number of shrub-sized plants, including most perennials, are effective when displayed along or surrounded by mixed containers. This is especially true when trying to eliminate the expansiveness of a fence mix those specimen large planters with your garden border to create interest instead of boredom along the fence line.

Like all good container plants, the best choices feature those plants that have long blooming periods or foliage that remains attractive throughout the summer. Here are some good ideas. Consider Angel's trumpets (Brugmansia spp.) and Lantana (Lantana camara), just to name a couple. One of the best uses for ornamental grasses is the large special container planting, purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum "Rubrum") with its wonderful burgundy leaves and even consider using pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana), Another great plants are the dwarf grasses such as "Pumila". These grasses are considered annuals in a lot of growing regions and can be taken indoors over the Winter.

Your large container pots also look great planted with a single, good sized clump of low growing plants. Consider variegated society garlic (Tulbaghis violacea "Variegata" and variegated leaved geraniums (Pelargonium spp.). Both are very effective displayed in a single garden planter or container. Sedge grass is also one of those easy plants to have in your containers and can be combined with trailers to give a more finished look. Although the low growing plants are not as spectacular, they do offer a contrast and are nice accents when included with your large container planters.

For shady conditions, there are a number of plants that look wonderful. Consider caladiums (Caladium spp.) or begonias, both tuberous and Sutherland begonias are great options. Other shade plants of course include the Coleus they now have cultivars that are suitable for sun conditions too. Plectranthus is a great plant and excellent for partial shade.

Theme areas can be created using your specimen plants and other annuals. Group one of your shrub-like specimen planters with a large group of pots containing annuals or perennials for an interesting look. Ground cover plants are certainly effective when used around plants such as angel's trumpet as the leaves fall off the base as they grow. Don't forget to add a low growing layer of trailing plants to add a splash of color into the container. Superbells (Calibrachoa) go so well and one of our favorites, of course bacopas (Bacopa spp.) and licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare) are lovely too.

One of the most stunning combinations is using the braided hibiscus as the specimen plants and surrounding them with trailing variegated ivy and pink geraniums for that extra splash of color to soften the arrangement and balance the arrangement.




The author of this article has chosen to make this article available with free reprint rights.
Click here to copy this article.

Reprint Rights

Log in to become a member of Marion Stewart's Fan Club!

Comments on this article:


» left by Wes Hamilton (129)
Wes Hamilton
(103 days 19 hours ago.)

Reader Rating: 5 out of 5
Nice Write!

Respond to this comment

» left by jena (432)
jena
(103 days 19 hours ago.)

Reader Rating: 5 out of 5
Thanks for sharing. I am anxious to share your thoughts with my friends who are all gardeners. This article was very informative.

Respond to this comment

» left by Marion Stewart (336)
Marion Stewart
(103 days 13 hours ago.)

Glad you enjoyed it and that the info was useful -

Respond to this comment

» left by Lorrie Davids (7,793)
Lorrie Davids
(103 days 11 hours ago.)

Reader Rating: 5 out of 5
Thanks for the ideas, Marion. I have a few plants in big pots inclucing jasmine. I had it in the ground in full sun, but here in the south, it was too hot, so now it is in a pot in a place that is a little more protected.

Respond to this comment

» left by Laura Trahan (39,136)
Laura Trahan
(103 days 10 hours ago.)

Reader Rating: 5 out of 5
Great advice Marion! Thank you for sharing your expertise. I am sure many will benefit from this article!

Respond to this comment

» left by Marion Stewart (336)
Marion Stewart
(103 days 10 hours ago.)

That is the great thing about pots, you can move them where you want them - using insulated pots helps too, keeps the soil cool.
Respond to this comment

» left by Swapna Nanda (427)
Swapna Nanda
(98 days 14 hours ago.)

Reader Rating: 5 out of 5
Thank you for this interesting and informative article. Your knowledge is admirable. God Bless and keep writting.

Respond to this comment

Was this article helpful to you? Leave a Public Comment or Question:

This Article has been viewed 187 times.
Article added to SearchWarp.com on 7/2/2009 12:48:35 PM.
View other articles written by Marion Stewart (299)
Marion Stewart


If you found this article interesting, you may want to check out:

Disclaimer:  All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional or organization.


Today's Most Popular
How to Care and Prune Crape Myrtle

Tips For Successful Backyard Grape Growing

Here is Why You Should Use Gypsum in Gardening

Jacaranda – A Great Landscape Tree For A Mediterranean And Warm Climate Garden

Making a Natural Weed Killer

How to Grow Carambola or Star Fruit Trees

Cattails - How To Plant And Use Them In The Waterscape

How To Grow Nuts©

The Cleveland Pear Tree

How to Grow Chili Peppers in Your Garden

Viewed from Cache. Load Time: 0.047.

Home  |  Page Two  |  FAQ's  |  Contact  |  Terms of Service  |  Article Submission Guidelines  |  Questions & Answers  |  Privacy  |  Mission / About
Copyright © 1999-2009 SearchWarp.com, All Rights Reserved - SearchWarp.com is an IcoLogic, Inc. Company