IT’S EASY TO FALL FOR THESE HANGING BASKETS
Aldergrove grower creates containers that showcase vibrant beauty for autumn
In spring, beautiful outdoor hanging baskets are everywhere. But as we move closer to the cool evenings of late summer and fall, it can be hard to find replacements for these now tired-looking spring beauties.
Fortunately, for the past 12 years one grower, in particular, has been creating stunning fall baskets to enjoy all through autumn and well into winter.
I admire innovative growers, and Nordic Nurseries Ltd. in Aldergrove is a standout. Since 1993, when Glen Anderson opened Nordic Nurseries in Surrey, its reputation for quality bedding plants grew quickly. Nordic’s spring and fall pansy crops were amazing, but what really set the company apart was its relationship with Proven Winners.
Nordic was the first company in Canada to grow and supply Proven Winners’ plugs to the greenhouse industry and Proven Winners’ consumer-ready, finished products to the public through garden stores. This relationship gave Nordic access to an ever-increasing selection of Proven Winners annuals, special combinations and innovative décor ideas, and it subsequently made these items available to retailers and home gardeners.
Proven Winners, one of the most influential and innovative horticultural companies, brands, promotes and markets plants to help today’s garden consumers discover new, fun plants and how best to present them.
Nordic’s fall hanging basket program was something created in-house, and I asked Stephanie Grier, Nordic’s general manager, if she could share the company’s philosophy.
“There is such a connection today between people and plants,” said Grier, “and when folks begin to lose the enjoyment of their summer baskets, we thought it would be nice for them to have a fall and winter replant. We knew there would not be as many colourful autumn flowers, so we relied more on fall foliage and texture.”
Grier also pointed out that moving into fall, with cooler temperatures and more uncertain weather patterns, the baskets would need plants that were more tolerant of these conditions. Evergreen perennials, grasses, edibles and vines are the primary ingredients, and winter flowering pansies, as well as calibrachoas, incorporate colour into this mix.
“Even though we don’t have as many plant choices at this time of year, we use special plant combinations to create the beautiful look that folks want on their patios,” Grier explained.
In fall, Nordic prefers to use 14-inch and 16-inch pre-formed moss and coco fibre forms. They no longer side plant; now, they only top plant with larger plants to create the maximum impact. Grier said they like to use baskets that can be reused in spring; however, depending on the winter, in many cases their baskets continue to look great well into the next summer.
The right soil is also important as it must be well-draining yet still able to hold moisture during those warmer days of September. They also add nutrients to keep all the plants in good health.
Even under the great growing conditions of summer, it takes Nordic about six weeks to grow a fall basket. They must also allow time to harden them off or acclimatize them for outdoor fall weather.
The key question, of course, is: What are their favourite plants? Grier loves the vibrancy and colour of Proven Winners’ heucheras. Few other plants can provide such long-lasting, versatile pops of colour as the vibrant purple of H. “Dolce Wildberry,” the hot lime of H. “Dolce Apple Twist” and the autumn colour of H. “Dolce Crème Brûlée.”
Other favourites for top planting are the many new euphorbias, such as E. “Ascot Rainbow” and E. “Efanthia,” which have attractive foliage that combines well with other companions. Both winter and summer flowering varieties, especially those with rich yellow and orange foliage, make attractive additions to these baskets, and hardy evergreen ferns contribute many shades of green for a fresh look.
Herbs, especially those with evergreen foliage, are also used to add interest. Tricolour and golden sage look great and produce new growth that can be pinched out for adding flavour to our cooking. The silver foliage of compact lavender adds a beautiful perfume.
As for spill-over plants, there are lots of choices, but the sleeper has been golden creeping jenny (Lysimachia nummularia “Aurea”). This hardy, perennial ground cover adds a vibrant splash of colour and accents most other plants. Grier loves the long trailing forms of both creeping jenny and “Silver Falls” dichondra. Colourful evergreen ajugas, such as “Black Scallop” (a black-bronze) and A. “Tricolor” (a creamy pink combination), also play an important role in fall baskets. From the blue of “Blue Cushion” and the burgundy of “Red Canyon” to the gold of “Angelina,” trailing evergreen sedums also make great spillover plants. Although not evergreen, Grier loves the cream and green bi-colour of S. “Atlantis.”
Colourful ivies, especially the newer varieties like the white and yellow “Ripple” and “Golden Ingot,” also add a nice trailing habit.
Pops of colour can include ornamental kale, violas, Cool Wave pansies and even the many new varieties of continuous flowering coreopsis. Not to be left out, grasses, such as the evergreen foliage of the carex family, add a striking touch. Grier loves carex “Toffee Twist” and juncus “Blue Mohawk.”
There are many more choices of plants well suited to fall and winter baskets. Nordic Nurseries does a fabulous job of combining colours, textures and foliage types to create baskets that any homeowner would be proud to display.
Even though we don’t have as many plant choices … we use special plant combinations to create the beautiful look that folks want on their patios.