My mom does pansies every year and they tend to be very hardy through the winter. Her planters are wooden window box types and they back up against the house.

We are trying Osmanthus in our bigger containers and I am entertaining the idea of mixing up a few evergreen herb containers and see how that works out. Ivy seems to fair well in containers in the winter and I had a Vinca that overwintered well in a thick black plastic pot.

The link below has some tips on caring for winter containers and some suggestions. You can find a lot of info by googling "winter container gardening" as well.

There is also a container gardening forum here where you might be able to find additional help. Just go to the top, click forums, then garden forums and look down the alphabetical list to the very left.

Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Container Care

Thank you for the link and the heads-up on the container gardening forum... somehow I've missed that one!

If your summer shade comes from deciduous trees, then you MAY have more winter sun than you think.

Don't forget that you do need to water pots in the winter, but much less than in summer, so it's easy to overdo. And if these are all things you know well, my apologies.

Variegated ivy is always good for sun or part shade - it might be a bit bronze-y in winter.

Pansies are quite greedy and need regular fertilizer to do really well. The flowering kales can do well despite your failures, as can snapdragons - although the last may do better as the spring rolls along.

A good winter plant for containers can be one of the smaller evergreens - variegated, green or turned bronze for winter. They will eventually get too big for the container, and need to be planted in the ground. And there is always the old standby of using freshcut greenery - every few weeks refreshing the display, and simply sticking the ends in the soil.....

I have had very good luck with Dryopteris erythrosora, Autumn Fern potted in such situations. They are evergreen and as drought-tolerant as ferns come. If you don't get regular rain in the fall/winter, you will need to water them occasionally. Adele

Thanks dibbit and Adele... I hadn't considered that I might need to feed the pansies since I was putting them in fresh potting soil (maybe I'll give 'em one last try!). I checked out the Autumn Fern... it sounds like a good choice for the porch containers, too.

One thing I also hadn't considered was fresh-cut greenery stuck in the pots - I really like that idea! I've used it inside in large vases - we've got lots of nice holly and cedar - but DUH! Why didn't I ever think of that?? (Now I'm getting ideas for alternatives to my AGGREVATING artificial Christmas tree!)

Thanks again, all... there's always great advice here!

Most species of heuchera are evergreen and tend to do best in part shade. I've had luck growing different types in containers. If it starts out growing the pot you can always move it to a more permanent shade garden.

I do not post pictures here on GW, so hope that the following description, which will solve your problem, can be understood. This is meant for large pots in shade.

From the plumbing section of one of the box stores purchase two, 8' lengths of 1/2" diameter plastic pipe. Paint them black with acrylic craft paint. Bend and insert pipe in each planter (centered) so they form an arch. Now, plant a small-leafed ivy at each 'leg' (four ivy plants total). As the ivy grows twist and train it, tucking branches under each other, around the arch creating a topiary on the arch which should be trimmed neatly as needed. Will take about a year to fill in fully. These should grow happily for many years on light feedings before needing repotting and root trimming. Difficult to kill ivy grown outside, as you know.

Now, the fun begins, limited only by your imagination. First, there is seasonal decoration: lights strung on topiary during winter holidays or decorated in a 'wreath' manner, etc. Seasonal pots of color can be placed in the center of a large pot under the topiary arch, changed as needed. Or, just interesting pieces of sculpture in scale can be stood in the pots. I have two pots planted in this manner on my front porch and every visitor stops to admire them. Give it a try!

Winter is the only time most of my yard gets any sun but there are few corners that stay dark all year and I like to grow lots of containers so I know your pain.

My success stories include just about any of the variegated carex species, any of the variegated euonymus (you can take cuttings and root them during the summer and then use them to decorate container gardens with during the winter), and this wonderful filler plant sold as "wire vine", it isn't a real vine (more like ground cover) and even though I see it often sold with tender tropicals it is amazingly tough and completely hardy. Its scientific name is something like Muhlenbreckia but I may have it wrong.

Thanks for all the great suggestions... too bad you don't post photos, nandina... I'd love to see your arch!

And trianglejohn - I think you've identified a plant that I see growing in several areas at USC... variegated euonymous. There's a huge mass of it growing on in full sun on campus that I keep stopping to look at (does the leaf texture resemble mint?). I've been wondering what it was. Now maybe I'll just pinch a bit off and take it home! ;-)

Claudia - it might be. Euonymus is a huge group of plants. Some of them are trees, some bushes and some vines. They are not the most cherished plants for most gardeners. They've been around a long time and that tends to make people ignore them - kinda like the way southerners feel about crape myrtles.

They come in a variety of variegation patterns, some yellow on green, pale green on dark green, and almost white on green. Some of them are named and some of them are just 'variegated'. They do handle full sun as well as full shade, but the leaves grow closer together with more light, making a much denser shrub or vine.

They are slow to root so be patient. I usually have a few pots rooting off to the side. When I think about it I trim them up to encourage bushier plants (it can take a while in the beginning). After they fill the pot with roots they tend to grow faster but it can take over a year. They make great filler or center piece plants in winter patio containers.

Variegated plants handle low light levels better than most solid green plants.

Claudia-

Where did you see it on the USC campus? I work at USC and would love to take a look.

Claudia-

I guess we are co-workers, and fellow students. I just started back this semester for a master's degree. I work on the Horseshoe, so if I get some free time I'll head over and take a look. If you've never hung out in the garden behind the Caroliniana Library, you should. Always nicely maintained. Beautiful salvia, coreopsis, lantana, etc., etc.

They were cleaning out some of the ferns a few years ago and I got some of them. You're right about the campus, it is beautiful. They have a wonderful landscaping/gardening staff.

My history on campus just goes back to 1999 when I started my undergraduate. Though I guess my first trip to campus was the 1984 USC/Florida State game. I wish I wrote this yesterday and could share the enthusiasm for the Cocks. Oh well, we'll just get ready for the Dawgs next week.

Graham

Hi Graham! I agree... the area behind the library IS beautiful... even more so because there's not so much traffic there! I've taken a number of Women's Studies classes and, as you know, Flinn Hall is right there. Next summer I'll be studying for the Women's Studies certificate, in addition to working on the Sociology master's. It's tricky working full time at a demanding job and going to school, but USC has a fabulous policy for us "nontraditional" (or, in my case, "mature"!) students. I'm surprised that more staff don't take advantage of the tuition program... free college!! I work in Wardlaw, on the basement level, which was completely flooded out on July 20... over 24,000 gallons of water from a water main break - right behind one of our walls! We're all working from home temporarily (nice until you suddenly need to be there, RIGHT NOW!), but we're hoping to be back in our nice, newly renovated basement in a few weeks.

Since you're on the horseshoe, do you know what that nice groundcover is that's planted on the inside, R-hand curve of the walkway, just as it turns towards the steps up to McKissick? It's a pretty, pale green with small round leaves and has more of a "runner" kind of growth (not a very good description, but if you can figure out the loction I'm talking about you'll know the plant I mean). It seems to like shade, too.

Again, nice-ta-meetcha, and best of luck on your mater's!