1/29/2016
Container Series: A Sweet Assortment
Christina Salwitz
February is the month for sweethearts and, for many of us, the first time in the year that we get to show customers new ways to use plants in containers. These hardy evergreens do well in good-quality potting soil, on a covered porch in colder climates where they’re protected from drying late winter/early spring wind and then can go out in the spring garden easily when it warms up. The rose-colored blooms on the hellebore keep turning a deeper tone for weeks as the blooms age and then hold until they form the seed-head.
THE PLANTS:
Variegated Boxwood
Wissel’s Saguaro Cypress
Pink Frost Hellebore
Boughton Dome Hebe
Variegated Algerian Ivy
PLANTING TIP:
A few alternative plants that you might also like: Dwarf Alberta Spruce is a tough and easy-to-find conifer option in place of the cypress. For another option in place of the Hebe, try Juniper Blue Star or Sea Urchin Pine.
With more than 20 years of horticulture experience, Christina Salwitz is an author, garden writer, horticultural guidance counselor, cheerleader and landscape design hand-holder. She is The Garden Coach and can be reached at personalgardencoach@comcast.net.
This feature is part of a year-long series on unique and themed mixed containers that retailers can replicate and sell, or use to give consumers inspiration for their own creations. Have a great themed creation of your own you’d like to share? Email Jen Polanz at jpolanz@ballpublishing.com.