Potted Pleasures
Take your garden to new heights with container gardens. Perfect for everywhere from balconies to patios, container gardens are a beautiful way to add color to any space. Here's some advice to get you growing.
Go ahead, dig in.
Container gardens are a beautiful, low
maintenance gardening solution, and can be easily moved and placed just about
anywhere to accommodate your space.
Pots
Select containers that suit your
home's architectural style and color palette. Terra-cotta planters require more
water than other types, but they are extremely versatile. Concrete planters are
strong and sturdy, while plastic versions are lightweight and easier to move
around. You also can enjoy the visual appeal of concrete or terra-cotta by
selecting lighter look-alikes crafted from resin or fiberglass.
Soil
Purchase a potting soil designed for
use in containers, such as Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Potting Mix. Mix in
compost or topsoil (up to one-third the total volume of the potting mix) to
reduce watering needs, especially if you garden where summer sizzles.
Water
Make watering less of a chore by
mixing water-retention crystals into the soil when planting. You also can
attach a water wand to the hose to extend your reach. For large container
gardens, install an irrigation system designed for pots and patios.
Fertilizer
Increase the flower show by using a
bloom-booster fertilizer and faithfully removing spent blooms. For lush
foliage, use a high-nitrogen product. Organic options include blood meal and
fish emulsion.
Foliage
For a different twist, design a garden
using plants with interesting leaves. Beautiful options include coleus, scented
geraniums, ornamental grasses or polka-dot plants.
Mix Master
For a pot with plenty of visual punch,
incorporate plants with different growth patterns.
Position an upright selection in the
center of the container, and then surround it with mounding plants. Place
trailing plants around the edge of the container. Be sure to choose plants that
have similar sunlight and water needs. For more on container gardens and plant
selections, visit your local Lowe's Garden Center or Lowes.com/ContainerGarden.
Upright: slender selections that add
height
·Dahlietta dahlia (Dahlia x hybridus
Dahlietta Series)
·AngelMist angelonia (Angelonia
angustifolia AngelMist Series)
·Kong coleus (Coleus x hybridus Kong
Series)
·Garden Spice carnation (Dianthus
caryophyllus Garden Spice Series)
·Amazon dianthus (Dianthus x Amazon
Series)
·Serena angelonia (Angelonia
angustifolia Serena Series)
Mounding: plants that create full, wide
batches of color
·Fiesta Ole double impatiens
(Impatiens walleriana Fiesta Ole Series)
·New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens New
Guinea hybrids)
·Summertime osteospermum (Osteospermum
Summertime Series)
·'Dreamtime Jumbo Yellow' strawflower
(Bracteantha bracteata 'Dreamtime Jumbo Yellow')
·Angelart nemesia (Nemesia strumosa
Angelart Series)
·Moon torenia (Torenia fournieri Moon
Series)
Trailing: selections that cascade around
the planter's edge
·Copia Gulliver bacopa (Sutera
grandiflora Copia Gulliver Series)
·Tropical Breeze garden verbena
(Verbena x hybrida Tropical Breeze Series)
·Tiny Tunia Double petunia (Petunia
Tiny Tunia Double Series)
·'Techno Blue' lobelia (Lobelia erinus
'Techno Blue')
·'Lara White' nierembergia
(Nierembergia caerulea 'Lara White')