Container Gardening

Every spring our patio containers need a general face lift. Choosing plants and foliage can be a challenge.

This year I selected mostly foliage with a few pops of color to add interest. When choosing foliage, look for a variety of colors, textures, and leaf shape and size. For example the soft fern shaped foliage in the top left of the photo is very complimentary to the large red leaves of the Coleus in the top right of the photo.

I almost always select a few white flowers because they really "pop" against different shades of foliage. We are hosting a fourth of July party at our home later in the summer so I also chose several varieties of red flowers.


When arranging the plants in the containers remember to place some that will "trail" down the front or side of the pot as they grow. Grouping plants by color is an affective way to create focal points in the containers.