Get creative with container gardens
Your empty pots are just waiting to be filled with spirit-lifting flowers and foliage. But with thousands of varieties of plants, where do you start?
Houseplants have migrated outdoors in this collection of creative container garden recipes by designers Sarah Davis of Sunnyside Gardens in Minneapolis and Kelsey Ness of Lynde Greenhouse & Nursery in Maple Grove, Minnesota.
“People are becoming more comfortable grabbing houseplants for container gardens,” Davis said. “They bring diversity and color, especially in shady spots.”
Dramatic big-leafed beauties — from the flamboyant Florida Red cordyline to the junglelike Alocasia Polly — are the stars of the show, with splashy foliage rather than flowers.
When designing a container garden, an upright houseplant can fill the role of the tall, bold “thriller.” Then surround the centerpiece plant with mounding “fillers.” Lastly, tuck in “spillers,” which are varieties that cascade and trail over the edge of the pot.
The trick is repeating, complementing and contrasting plant colors, textures and shapes for a visually captivating composition. And you don’t need a cart filled with flats to do it.
“You can create a beautiful pot with just three simple ingredients,” Ness said. Plus containers are a lot easier to care for than an expansive in-ground garden.
Get inspired by — or simply copy — these pots to create instant visual impact on your deck, patio and front steps.