Tag Archives: container gardening

Featured, Perennials and Annuals, Summer Color

The Prettiest Grass…Melinus nerviglumis

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Ruby Grass is really truly one of the prettiest ornamental grasses ever, especially when illuminated by end of the day light. Blue-green leaves form tidy clumps and in mid-late summer, ruby pink inflorescences are formed on 18-24” stems.  It likes full sun and heat, and although somewhat drought tolerant, prefers average moisture conditions. Besides offering a casual elegance to planting  beds or containers, Ruby Grass is a stunning addition to floral arrangements both fresh and dried.

Melinus nerviglumus is native to South Africa, and is evergreen where hardy (in zones 8-10). It grows quickly to flowering stage in areas with warm summers so don’t hesitate to use it as an annul accent. Clumps can be wintered over in a cold frame or protected spot that stays above freezing.

PS  We’ve seen this listed as both Melinus and Melinis in botanical literature, & to add to the confusion it used to be called Rhynchelytrum.

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Container Ideas, Succulents

Aloe, Haworthia, Gasteria and their hybrids

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Some of our Aloe, Gasteria, and Haworthia collection. Yes, those red tags mean they are stock plants and not for sale…but we may have babies coming along!

It’s no surprise that as your plant obsession grows,  you begin to find the more exotic, curious and sometimes bizarre selections the most interesting, and perhaps most beautiful.  Aloe, Haworthia and Gasteria fit that bill us.

Miniature Aloe ‘Blizzard’…4 year old clump

A number of years ago, we visited California succulent breeder Dick Wright (now in his 90’s)  in search of his famous Echeveria hybrids. Dick’s new obsession was miniature Aloe, and he turned us onto this whole new group of succulent hybrids. He, along with other CA hybridizers such as John Bleck, Kelly Griffin and Karen Zimmerman, were hybridizing many Aloe species resulting in selections as minute as 1″ to up to 2′ in height, in a vast array of foliage colors and textures. Their small stature makes them more suitable for container culture than in the landscape, and since they do not winter over outdoors here in MA, that was just fine with us.

More Aloes…’Christmas Sleigh’, ‘Swordfish’, A. ramosissima, ‘Delta Dawn’, (Sedum clavatum interrupts the lineup ) one of the mini dark numbered selections from Dick Wright and a variegated Aloe brevifolia

Our first acquisitions were species hailing from Madagascar, Kenya  and Tanzania, as well as the more well known hybrid selections ‘Delta Dawn’, ‘Christmas Sleigh’, and ‘Firecracker’. We also brought home other forms which had not been introduced and were distinguished only by initials and numbers, like the little dark Aloe above.

Aloe “AJR” in the foreground with Aloe ‘Firecracker’ behind

Gasteraloe x ‘Midnight’, Gastworthia armstrongii x limifolia, Haworthia retusa, Gasteria bicolor v liliputana (BG), Gasteraloe ‘Green Ice’ and Haworthia concolor.

We also began paying attention to the closely related genera Haworthia and Gasteria, since they are known to be more tolerant of low indoor light conditions. There are many species and hybrids of both, and you will likely come across names like x Gasteraloe and x Gastworthia, as these genera are often crossed with each other, resulting in even more diverse selections.

Gasteraloe ‘Green Ice’, sporting darker leaf coloration, and flowers!

Blooming time for Aloe, Gasteria and Haworthia is primarily during the winter months and early spring usually with strikingly colored flowers. A number of the Aloe selections also bloom intermittently throughout the summer for us and are a hummingbird favorite.

20 year old Gasteria bicolor v. liliputana in bloom….you start with a baby, and suddenly they are all grown up.

Consider growing these easy care plants for your fall and winter plant “fix”.  They ask for so little: provide a sharply drained soil mix,  a bright south or western exposure for Aloe, an eastern or northern exposure will be fine for the Gasteria and Haworthia.  Water only as needed. The frequency will depend  on how warm and arid your home conditions are. In fact, a cooler home is perfect!

Container Ideas, Featured, Succulents

Container Report: late September 2020

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Two words sum up this summer’s weather here along the coast of southern New England: hot and dry.  Here at the end of September, our parched gardens are still waiting for the rain predictions to materialize.  Sigh.

The gardens are looking tarnished  but the container plantings held up better since their watering needs are more easily met. As in previous dry years,  our containers planted with succulents were the stars. (Check out the recent article NY Times garden writer Margaret Roach covered on succulent containers).

You may recall the June report post  which shows the “before” pictures. Now I’ll show you what some of these look like 3 months later, chewed up, cut back foliage and all.

The Drum Pot: Melianthus major grew taller and the Helichrysum ‘Limelight’  (Licorice Plant) needed to get cut back after the American Lady Butterfly caterpillars made dinner of most of its foliage…what we do for the butterflies…The Jewels of Opar didn’t show off as much as I hoped, and was cut back a few weeks ago. The Tradescantia sillamontana did fine, but this planter combo won’t be repeated.

We have a pair of these iron urns that are always planted to match. They are in dappled shade most of the day. One of the pair really was over by the end of August (the one that I photographed in June). It did get a bit more afternoon sun. Its complement held up better…. here the Helichrysum took off after an early cut back, as did the Copper Glow Oxalis. The Oxalis ‘Iron Cross’ is now fading, Begonia ‘Ebony’ bloomed well and its dark foliage added height and contrast, but the golden Moses- in-the-cradle (Tradescantea spathacea) just couldn’t hold its own, and is in hiding.

Another shady spot. Begonia thurstonii grew well, but held off putting out any flowers (not surprisingly). I used two 6″ pots in this vase, and probably should have used just one. The  mostly gold Plectranthus ‘Limelight’ is not a strong grower, and wouldn’t cascade down the pot as  hoped. The Oxalis ‘Zinfandel’ always does well and the ruby leaved Alternanthera did fine until some critter nibbled  its trailing stems.

No complaints with this shady ensemble…Phlebodium aureum is my go to bold foliage shade container plant. Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender’ is providing an end of the season supply of blossoms as is the Gold Leaved Mexican heather Cuphea hyssopifolia aurea. The golden jasmine vine’s foliage simply glows.

A pair of these hypertufa bowls, in the shade of our giant oak tree, were planted with ‘Moonglow’ Snakeplant (Sansevieria), Dichondra Silver Falls’, Pilea glauca and Liriope ‘Okimo’  (all selected for durable attractive leaves. The white flowered form of Black Eyed Susan Vine was the flower power plant, and it bloomed well until a  couple of weeks ago.  Figured a few mini pumpkins could add a little fun now.

And now, for the sun and heat loving succulents! This beautiful container, in itself, is eye candy….the foliage colors of the succulents were selected to complement it, and all did fine except for the tall Aeonium that had a mishap and lost it’s tallest stems. Blue Senecio talinoides and beige-pink Graptoveria ‘Fred Ives’ obliged by filing in much of the horizontal space.End of day light and cooler night temperatures bring out the glow of Sticks on Fire, Euphorbia turicali, with the Mangave ‘Desert Dragon’ added dark contrast. Graptosedum ‘California Sunset’ on the far left, yellow leaved Sedum mackinoi ‘Ogon’ and blue gray pink Graptosedum ‘Francesco Baldi’ filled in the foreground.  This will look good right up until the frost. (Please, frost, wait until November.)

Someone purchased the seashell planter shown in the June post, but we did another version for a client.  This image was taken at at the end of August, but the ensemble is still looking fabulous.Succulents can play with other plants that  tolerate the dry well drained soil…Here Coprosma ‘Pink Splendor’ (Mirror Plant)  works well with Sedum adolphii,  Sedum mackinoi ‘Ogon’ and Pachysedum.

Our tall cylinder pot, each year planted with a different  array of succulents, caught visitors’ eyes when they entered the parking area. Everything did extremely well with just an occasional watering, although some creature nibbled and pulled out some of the trailing Othonna capensis ‘Ruby Necklace’.  The tallish green succulent with the arching branches is the large leaved form of Elephant Plant, Portulacaria afra macrophylla. Adding an array of pumpkins helps carry this container into the fall season.

In summary, we had a hot and extremely dry summer, and one group of plants, the succulents, met this year’s challenge beautifully.  I realize this blog post reaches folks in all parts of the country, and your area may have benefited from  more summer rain. If so, what plantings were you most impressed with this year ?

Featured, Winter Preparations

Houseplants’ Summer Vacation is Almost Over

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Doesn’t it happen so suddenly? One week temperatures are in the 80’s with nights still mild, and then one morning you wake up to find that the overnight temperatures dropped below 50F.  If your tropical houseplants have spent the summer outdoors, this is your cue to start bringing them indoors.

First: Groom and Assess for Pests

Your Peperomia, Ferns and Snakeplants have probably put on nice growth over the summer, benefitting from the good air flow and more humidity. Now, as the days become both cooler and shorter,  your houseplants may begin to let go their oldest leaves. Groom and assess for pests. Pest problems that are minor outdoors become a bigger deal inside.

I find that there are often a few slugs or snails hanging out under the pots. Remove them. We began using a food grade diatomaceous earth to deter slugs on our container plants and recommend it. The teensy particles are sharp enough to inflict cuts on their bodies. It is advisable to wear a mask so as not to inhale the small particles when applying. Dust the soil and even the foliage if you notice that your leaves have been munched on. The diatomaceous earth also seems to deter other pests.

Be on the lookout for aphids on fresh new growth, whitefly on the leaf undersides and mealybugs in leaf/stem crevices. Sometimes a forceful spray with the hose can take care of things, but I recommend a follow up using a safe organic pesticide like Insecticidal Soap for aphids or a Neem Oil product  which can control not only aphids but whitefly, some mites, caterpillars and scale.  Use rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip to swab and kill mealybugs. (Inspecting regularly and catching the first signs of activity is the best defense; if you discover a plant has a bad mealy problem it is best to just ditch that plant).  Be sure to follow the instructions on the product label, and repeat at the recommended intervals as a preventative for any new hatching. Do isolate any problem plants. 

Hold back on the fertilizer

All plants will slow down in growth, so you may want to wait to repot any oversized plants until spring. Slow down on fertilizing unless you have  a plant that is a heavy fall or winter feeder.

Most succulents can take cooler nights than the tropicals, but don’t let them get bitten by a frost. For more info on succulent wintering over I’ve written  more extensively on this topic at  this blog post link.

 

Container Ideas, Fall Interest, Perennials and Annuals

Abutilon ‘Dwarf Red’

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Are you looking for something different for a fall display in your containers? Check out Abutilon ‘Dwarf Red’...it celebrates autumn with multitudes of dark orange flowers, and can, if brought indoors and kept in a sun filled space, will continue to carry on the show.

We grow a number of Abutilon selections  in containers which we bring indoors once the cold sets in, but if we were asked which  form to grow,  Abutilon ‘Dwarf Red‘ tops the list. It stays bushy and compact  ( it has A. megapotamicum in its lineage) when grown in 4-6 hours of sun and blooms continuously  with the biggest show in late summer and fall.  We have been caught off guard when a frosty night  has brought temperatures below 32F, and  found that  ‘Dwarf Red’  came through unfazed.

Some things to know about Abutilon. It is  commonly known as Flowering Maple,  and is a semi-tropical shrub with lovely pendant bell-shaped flowers that are attractive to hummingbirds. The flower display can continue year round when grown in bright light and temperatures above 45F, but in our experience,  the flower display in autumn is most generous. Often listed as winter hardy in zones 9-10, we have been hearing that hardiness in zones 7b-8 is not unheard of when plants are grown in a protected spot with good drainage.

CARE: Abutilons like to be fed regularly for good flower output  We use a fish emulsion/seaweed blend (Neptune’s Harvest 2-6-4 blend) every 2 weeks. allow the soil to become somewhat dry between waterings.   Purchase online.

Other posts discussing fall containers:

Rethinking fall containers

Plectranthus ciliatus

End of the Season Container Reports

Featured, Special Gardens

Our winter visit to the Montreal Botanical Garden

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Traveling always presents challenges…What to do when you have a 22-hour layover in Montreal? Book a hotel, get up early and take an Uber to the Montreal Botanical Garden, otherwise known as Le Jardin Botanique de Montréal…after all it is in the French-speaking province of Quebec. Yes, there was an icy layer of snow outdoors, but inside the 10 greenhouse complex, there was flora to excite even the most jaded botanist. Check out this sensational planted wall with Begonia, Pothos, Tillandsia, Prayer Plants and more.The orchid house was full of treasures. Epiphytic plants cascaded from the rafters.

Each greenhouse focuses on a specific plant group, with specimens arranged in an aesthetically pleasing manner.  Here is the view from the catwalk in the Aroid,  Cycad and Palm House.The Succulent Greenhouse … with Mexican themed architecturecloseup of the hanging Rhipsalis floccosa

More temperate plantings were found in the cooler Asian themed greenhouse.An  exquisite 45 year old Penjing specimen of Pyrancantha crenulataSweetly fragrant Wintersweet, Chimonanthus praecox, which wouldn’t be hardy outdoors in Montreal or most of Massachusetts for that matter, was in full bloom indoors in January.There are many educational exhibits that are artfully conceived. Here cut stems of Red Twig Dogwood are inserted in a wooden platform, echoing the stems outdoors in the distance. Floating from the rafters above is a montage of recycled trash…yes…what we fill our landfills with.Another view of the recycled assemblage.Chris and I didn’t have time to walk the grounds, even though the winter landscape beckoned. The staff we spoke with were extremely knowledgable and quite proud of their garden, as well they should be.  If you are looking for a flora filled winter escape, the greenhouses here are exceptional. We definitely want to return this summer or fall. 

Container Ideas, Featured

End of the Season Container Report

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Shady Planters with Mini Spider Plant, Pilea glauca and silver Sanseveiria...the white begonias  originally planted pooped out, and were replaced with white pumpkins a few weeks ago.

It’s October 20th, and although we’ve flirted with temps in the low 30’s…we haven’t had a frost yet! We had reasonable summer weather, although not much rain in August and September. The containers we planted in June have held up well, although a few plants had to be edited out or cut back midseason. Once again, the containers based on foliage plants and succulents fared the best.

One of our go-to combos: Phormium, Echeveria, Aeonium and Silver Falls Dichondra

Pelargonium tomentosum overwhelmed one side of the drum pot, but we didn’t mind as we love to rub the minty scented leaves as we pass by. The Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’ held its bracts all summer.  Plectranthus neohilis ‘Gary Hammer’ added its own aroma.  And Erigeron karvinskianus received a cut back a few weeks ago and has decided not to perform anymore.

Phlebodium aureum (Rabbits Foot Fern) is an easy solution plant for shade containers. The yellow leaved jasmine ‘Fiona’s Sunrise‘ trailed about, the purple Oxalis triangularis carried on as did the Tolmeia ‘Cool Gold ‘.

This planting received ooh’s and ah’s when I shared on Instagram back in June….then everything grew out of scale quickly;  both the Abutilon and Coleus were pinched back regularly.

Phormium ‘Evening Glow with Sedum ‘Firestorm’ and various Echeveria and Kalanchoe planted at its base.  Looking just fine in mid October.

This was NOT the best pairing this year…..the Eucomis never bloomed and we knew the Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender ‘ would bloom late, but it proved rather lackluster when it finally did. We used last year’s stock plant and it never kicked in the way a fresher, young plant does. The yellow-leaved jasmine did its thing well, though.

The tall cylinder container with succulents put on a show all summer…the Sticks on Fire did get rather tall and we discussed but could not decide whether to clip it back or not. Love the lacy Rhipsalis that trails in the front!

This collection of greenhouse foliage plants in our Zen bowl did well, (except for the Begonia boliviensis that succumbed to a bad case of fungal leaf spot and had to go). Synadenium grantii put on some height . Light conditions: mostly shade except for 2 hours of mid-late day sun.

I really liked this Euphorbia turcalli , Begonia kellermanii, Oxalis combination. It is situated where it received 2-3 hours of the midday sun, and then its all shade. There’s also a Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’, a Ming fern and Echeveria tucked in for added from and contrast.

What combinations did you try this year? Which plantings would try again?

Container Ideas, Featured, Garden Musings

Quick Container Rehab

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Nothing stays the same, and this is especially true with gardening. A container planting can look great for 2 months and then an issue arises…a focal point plant gets leaf spot or melts with the humidity, or it just stops blooming.  This doesn’t mean you have to ditch the grouping. You just need to edit.

Blame it on the humidity or uneven watering, or gardener’s neglect (I’ll be honest) but the showy orange Begonia bolivinensis just began to look awful with leaf spotting. Spraying with a fungicide would only prevent new leaves from being affected, so the only thing to do was to remove this sad plant and find a worthy replacement. Sad because the hummingbirds sure did visit frequently.

This spot gets a few hours of the afternoon sun, and we’ll have summery weather for at least another 6-7 weeks, so I decided on using orange flowered Cuphea ‘David Verity’ (for the hummingbirds) which never disappoints and will flower until a hard frost. I also had enough space to tuck in a dwarf variegated papyrus  (Cyperus albostriatus) , (you can always count on foliage plants). Although it likes moisture I’ve found it can tolerate dryish conditions.

I am guilty of overplanting a container, in case some plants just don’t perform, figuring I can always thin out the planting later. This pot with Verbena bonariensis, Lantana montevidensis, Gomphrena ‘Truffula Pink’ and Euphorbia Diamond Delight needed editing. The Angel Wings Senecio candicans really started to go downhill once the humidity arrived in July.First  I brought down the height of the Verbena bonariensis by removing the tallest stalks. I cut back the Lantana and the Gomphrena to allow the Euphorbia to own more space. And out came the Angel Wings…lesson learned…not a plant for southern New England summers. Next, I fertilized with fish emulsion to give a nourishment boost to the planting.

Later, I’ll post how these containers fared when I do the end of September evaluation.

Container Ideas, Featured

Containers 2019…The June Images

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A shade tolerant planter that gets its zing from foliage color, with blossoms as a bonus

My goal, when designing containers, is to come up with combinations that are easy care, not too thirsty and will look fabulous right through September. As followers of this blog know, I am a big fan of succulents which you will see featured in many combinations.   Here are some of this season’s ensembles.
An older black cast stone urn features a new plant (for us) Angel Wings Senecio, with Phormium ‘Shiraz’, Aeonium, Echeveria ‘Afterglow’ and Dichondra Silver Falls. Yep, I’m mixing succulents with other drought tolerant plants! This urn receives more shade every year, but it does get strong afternoon sun.

Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender’, a Coleus relative, has dark green leaves with purple undersides and lavender-blue flowers. She’s paired with the Pineapple Lily Eucomis Oakhurst, Oxalis triangularis, Foxtail Asparagus, and yellow leaved Jasmine.

Nearby, in the teal green drum pot, I’ve used Pineapple Lily again with Phormium ‘Evening Glow’ , Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’, and the ever so sweet Santa Barbara daisy Erigeron karvinskianus plus Peppermint Geranium.

This rather wild planting in a 20″ cast stone bowl includes Feather Grass Stipa tenuissima with Gomphrena ‘Fireworks’, Gaura ‘So White’ , Ornamental Oregano and the Santa Barbara Daisy again.

This basalt gray trough is about 28″ x 10″ wide by 7″ deep. Perhaps it’s overplanted…we’ll find out. Cardoon Cynara cardunculus is the centerpiece, flanked by Luzula ‘Solar Flare’,Pelargonium sidoides , white Lantana montevidensis ,Santa Barbara Daisy and Dichondra.

A large brown terra cotta bowl is planted with a variety of succulents and Phormium ‘Evening Glow’ which adds height to the center.

The Martini pot makes an appearance again, featuring, of course,  succulents

Found this great pumice rock planter at Snug Harbor Farm in Maine! Black Mondo Grass adds dark contrast and texture to this succulent planting,

A 20″ dark gray stone bowl is planted with succulents which pick up the coloring of the stone wall in the background.

Visitors to Avant Gardens are greeted by this tall planter featuring some of my favorite succulents. Super easy, so reliable, so drought tolerant!

A closeup detail…featuring a choice Echeveria,  powder blue Sedum clavatum, and amber Sedum adolphii and Rice Plant.

This arrangement, in front of our little summer house which is quite shady, plays with gold, variegated and burgundy foliage.  The perennials Tolmeia ‘Cool Gold’ and Euphorbia ‘Ascot Rainbow’ contrast with Coleus ‘Dark Heart’,  and Abutilon ‘Gold Dust’ offers color with its melon colored blossoms. The Abutilon will probably need regular pinching. I can handle that.

A large urn , which now only gets a couple of hours of morning sun. I’ve had good luck growing the various Asparagus and Rabbit’s Foot Ferns, as well as the purple leaved Alternanthera in this spot. New additions for this year are Abutilon ‘Harvest Moon’ and the trailing variegated Bermuda Grass.

Another shady spot combo: Golden leaved Jasmine ‘Fiona’s Sunrise’ will trail and perhaps climb the cedar rail. Rabbit’s Foot Fern will add height, Oxalis triangularis adds dark tones while Tolemia ‘Cool Gold’ echoes plantings in the bed behind. Last year we had Begonia grandis in this pot, and it looks like seeds dropped and came up at the base of the stone wall. Maybe I should tuck one into this pot again.

I used to plant this huge 38″ bowl with succulents, but nearby trees have grown and shaded this area quite a bit. This year’s experiment is a mixup of shade tolerant plants that are not very thirsty. Here is a partial list:  Begonia boliviensis ‘Santa Cruz’ dominates with orange color, Begonia ‘Ebony’ adds dark angel wing foliage, Black Mondo Grass adds contrast. Rice plant Rhipsalis cereuscala,  Rhipsalis rhombea and Ming Fern Asparagus macowanii will trail, and  Begonia bowerea will creep and fill. I had to add a  gift plant from my friend Suzanne,  Synadenium grantii. Can’t wait to see it grow…it is a succulent Euphorbia with red infused foliage and will obtain some height…observe and learn, I say.

This embossed cast stone pot gets only a few hours of sun, but it happens right in the middle of the day. I’m using plants that can take the heat, and hopefully some shade too. Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’ adds height and Euphorbia turicalli (Sticks on Fire) adds a warm glow, while Oxalis ‘Iron Cross’ will be filler, along with Begonia kellermannii and Ming Fern.  Echeveria agavoides adds some weight. Oh, and I tucked in a String of Pearls too! It doesn’t ask for much, and more is good.

Check back in early October when I report back on how well these containers carried on through the summer.

Container Ideas, Featured, Garden Musings

containers 2018… the after shots

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The summer of 2018 presented many challenges to gardeners here in the northeast. Some folks had mind-numbing amounts of rainfall. We had the heat and HUMIDITY but missed most of the storms until September, when we began to catch up with the precipitation….a good thing for the trees and shrubs,  but after a summer of high humidity, the succulents which s often end with a grand tra-la, began to falter.  On the other hand, containers that loved tropical conditions thrived, and I wish I had planted more.

I present to you the before and after pictures:

Brown terra cotta bowl, June and then October…a number of succulents like the yellow and copper Sedum melted with the humidity and late season wetness.

The turquoise jar held up admirably, with Echeveria ‘Afterglow’. The after picture was taken in mid-September.

We never caught them in action, but think some birds decided to have a go at pecking on the succulents’ foliage and breaking off strands from the Rhipsalis which trails over this gray cylinder pot.

Still looking as good as it did in June, this urn with Beschorneria and tender succulents put on a little more growth.

Shade Pot 1. The white form of Begonia boliviensis continues to send our flowers with the Blue Rabbit’s Foot Fern and trailing Alternanthera ‘Gails Choice’ is still holding up well in early October.

Time of day and time of year affect lighting so much. This was a fairly successful shade planter with Begonia ‘Concorde’ filling in nicely, and the golden-leaved piggyback plant Tolmeia ‘Cool Gold’ adding color contrast. The Maidenhair fern fronds had a tendency to brown out.

Happy happy tropicals such as the dark red Caladium and Black Elephant Ears aren’t ready to quit. Trailing over the pot is variegated Bermuda Grass (Cynodon dactylon)

 

How did your containers perform this season?  Did you try a combination that worked well all summer and is still showing off now?