Lovely photo rouge21,

I have this plant in my garden, and have had it for a couple of years. Last year I propagated it when it started to look ratty. It has taken off again, and it is just starting to make flower spikes here. I try to keep mine so it gets some shade during the day as it gets really hot and humid here.

Is that Helichrysum?

You are correct Saypoint.

Here is the same planter but from the 'front':

Do you ever overbuy annuals in May and then you have leftovers with no previous plan as to where they should go and with what? Well this container is 'home' for these 3 extra purchases. I am reminded by my partner that they don't really go together but I am pleased with the health of each.

I think they play quite well together! It's their contrasting which shows each for what they do best.

I love love LOVE Mystic Spires! Have posted many times that it's my favorite salvia. I prefer the thicker foliage over the "regular" salvia, and the flowers are an absolutely gorgeous shade of deep purple. I'm still thinking about how I'm going to overwinter -- cuttings were a mess this past spring so that's out, and these are expensive annuals. I guess it won't hurt to experiment --- maybe wrap them after dormant and keep some in the basement fridge, some in the crawl space under the addition, some in the barn, and figure out what space, if any, works for overwintering. Going to do the same with "Black and Blue" (another favorite).

And yes, I overbuy (and over-plant seeds) - don't we all LOL! Nice thing about annuals is you can kind of just stick them here and there for dots of color.

I saw this planter outside a public library today:

Is that Helichrysum? I found it went berserk when I planted it in containers.

I now see that "Licorice" is, shall we say, quite vigorous ;).

(Here is the same container almost 3 months later and what you see is only one Helichrysum).

So given Helichrysum's extreme vigor how does one use it in a container? (Would one need to trim it throughout the growing season to keep in in check?)

Is that Helichrysum? I found it went berserk when I planted it in containers.

I see what you mean.

Here is the same container 3 months later. Even with the colder weather and some scattering of snow, the licorice is just one plant.

So given its vigour how does one use Helichrysum 'properly' in a container? (Do you trim it throughout the growing season to keep it in check?)

Mine was on a deck railing, hanging down. It grew really long and beautiful, not spread out like the plant in pics here. I didn't trim it. But the runners took over the container.