We are moving to a town house, it's so nice, so happy, the only thing is there is no space for a garden BUT we have this huge patio that I could have 2 big planters filled with flowers!Can you please give me some tips as well as flower suggestions for the planters? I'm in NW Pennsylvania so no tropical flowers unfortunately. I love Impatients and marigolds, tho!
Petunias are reliable container plants. Impatiens will do fine in a container and so will Marigolds, Begonias, Coleus, Million Bells, Sweet Potato Vine. Most any annuals that you find in a garden center will perform nicely in a container. Just be sure to match the plant with your surroundings, just as you would in a garden. That is, if it's a sunny area use sun loving plants and use shade lovers in low light. And, if you get bit by the plant-loving bug like me, you will wind yourself having more than just two planters. I tell myself every year: no more container plantings! Yeah, right. You can plant bulbs in those containers now and have blooms in the spring: Daffodils, Grape Hyacinth, Tulips, Crocus. I get carried away with my planting ;) Sorry so long: look around at containers that are professionally planted, both at garden garden centers and in public places like municipal buildings or on Main Street. This mightl give you inspiration for the plants you want.
Swordlily gives some good ideas! Nice thing, or bad thing, about smaller planters is you change plants each year. In NW Penn, any perennial in the planter will probably freeze out......if not their root system is much larger than annuals. Larger plants, say at least 3 feet across can hold smaller perennials and their mass usually protects the plants over winter. Just as in a garden you have to account for sun/shade, but also prone to wind damage as they are a bit more exposed, insects and disease........watering will be greater as the confined root system in small planers doesn't allow for the roots to spread and take water from a larger area. So if you travel, forget flowers. You may be watering daily in hot/dry periods. You haven't said how big planters. Container growing needs to change soil often......ideal yearly, every other OK. The bigger planters can get by without but you need to recycle organic matter/compost, plant nutrients.......just as you did in the garden soil. Of course......drainage is critical. Whoever thought enclosed planters was a good idea? They can end up like mud bogs in heavy rains. As for plants......depends on size of planter. Annuals for smaller.....add some ornamental grasses for upright accents and some droppers over the planter edges. Larger planters may be able to hold miniature roses or floribundas, small flower shrubs.....whatever grows there, spring bulbs, annuals and perennials. Look in home and garden magazines for planter ideas, as mentioned above, sweet potato vine has been popular as accents, especially the dark leaf/black leaf variety. What's your favorite color? Start from there and mix in accent colors. Plan over winter and be ready when spring arrives!
