Bored at work - help me plan my container garden

18 years ago

So Â I am bored at work so I decided to plan out the container garden for my parentÂs porch that I am redoing this weekend. If anyone else is bored I and want to give me some ideas . . . then bring it on.

Excuse the picture quality. I took the pictures with my phone. I am thinking of sticking with a white/pink color theme since the color of the house is so dark.

I noted on the schematic where I want to move the ferns and I also moved some of the pots around so they may not be in the pictures where they are located on the schematic. The tree is also finally going to get planted this weekend so it will be off the porch. My mom has given me free reign with a nice budget so tell me what I should do. She also mentioned that some perennials would be nice. I am installing a micro irrigation system so hopefully everything will not only stay alive but thrive.

It is a 12Âx12Â porch and this is the general layout:

1 Â 10"x10" planter

2 Â 14" shallow pot

3 Â 18" pot

4 Â 14" pot

5 Â 10" pot

6 Â 10"x20" planter

7 Â BakerÂs rack with the bottom 2 shelves measuring 18"x20" and the top 2 shelves measuring about 8"x18"

8 Â 10"x36" planter

9 Â 18" pot

10 Â 12" shallow pot (on the table)

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

redneck_grower
18 years ago
For a vertical accent in #9, how about Fatsia japonica or Aucuba japonica, perhaps interplanted with Hosta, or Ophiopogon, or Heuchera, or a combination?
redneck_grower
18 years ago
Oh, and since you are looking at a "white" color scheme to brighten the house, if you use Fatsia, try to find 'Variegata' or 'Spider's Web'. I like my 'Spider's Web' Fatsia; it really brightens up shady spots.
Related Professionals
Concord Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Enfield Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Saint Cloud Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Hudson Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Portland Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Jacksonville Landscape Contractors · Knoxville Landscape Contractors · Abilene Landscape Contractors · Hackettstown Landscape Contractors · Tampa Home Builders · Texarkana Home Builders · Amherst Home Builders · Sierra Vista Home Builders · Glenwood Springs Home Builders · York Home Builders
trowelgal Zone 5A, SW Iowa
18 years ago
Hi Katy bug,
Just came in from working on my planters and have some ideas for you. I used ivy Geraniums in a burgundy with white markings, named Picasso. Patted Alyssum into the soil so that will bloom and be a filler. Used Euphorbia Diamond Frost in the center with some asparagus fern too and sweet potato vines around the edges. Looks real pretty.
Tina
Penelope
18 years ago
Trowelgal, do you have a trick for keeping the sweet potato vines in check? Should they be pinched or pruned? I used the burgundy one last year in a large pot and it simply took over and crowded everything out.

That Euphorbia Diamond Frost is a winner, I used it last year for the first time in a pot on a shady patio and it was gorgeous. I also had great luck with asparagus fern. I took it in before frost, kept one good-sized pot at home and one at work, and soon it will be warm enough to bring back out again.
KH 888
Original Author
18 years ago
Okay - so I took a long lunch today and went to our awesome little nursery here. I broke out the pocketbook, but I am going to take the left overs home to my house so here is what I got:
I ended up going with a white/lavendar/purple/green theme . . .

begonia - white
tiarella cordifolia
elephant ear - illustris
diamond frost - euphoria
petunia - superbells white
sweet potato vine - sweet caroline
snapdragon - angelface
angelonia - serena lavender
cabana - trailing blue
bacopa snowstorm - giant snowflake
saparagus fern
lysimachia - sundew springs
coleus - velvet lime
new guinea impatiens - lavender
creeping jenny
heliotrope - baby blue imp.
coneflower - coconut lime
zinnia - star white
polka dot plant - white splash
a small bay tree
parsley
oregano - sweet and spicy
golden oregano
greek basil

whoo hoo!