How to Create Three Charming Container Gardens

2020 was an unusual year for gardening. Because of COVID-19, gardening supplies were either difficult to come by or sold out quickly. However, I did manage to design two container gardens and one window box. In two of the designs, I used one of my favorite classic flowers, the Pelargonium geranium. I hope you enjoy these three charming container gardens.

All these containers were in an area that had morning shade and afternoon sun.  Before we get started, just a few quick tips on creating container gardens:

• Drainage – check to ensure that the container you are using has drainage holes in the bottom.
• Potting – fill the container ¾ full of damp soil and then add your plants. Add more soil to fill in around the plants after they have been added.
• Fertilizer – apply weekly. If you are using a controlled-release fertilizer, then apply monthly. I started all my containers with a slow-release fertilizer mixed into the soil and then applied a liquid fertilizer monthly. A great slow-release fertilizer is Osmocote. My containers have done some much better once I started using a slow-release fertilizer.
• Water – If the soil is dry 3 inches below the surface, then watering is required. In the heat of summer, most containers require daily watering.

For more detailed information on the requirements of assembling a good container garden, see my blog post titled “Container Gardening with Spring Flowers”.

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Red, White, and almost Blue Container Garden

My plan was to design a red, white, and blue container. However, finding the colors I wanted was not easy this year. I found beautiful red and white plants and had to settle for a violet-colored plant for the third color. All the plants are from the grower Proven Winners and were in 4.5-inch pots. The size of the container is 15-inches.

A. Superbells Pomegranate Punch Calibrachoa

The ‘superbells’ are a calibrachoa hybrid. Lovely red flowers were produced most of the summer. They also grew aggressively in the container, taking over half of the container. In mid-July and again in mid-August, the flowers stopped blooming and required a good pruning. Upon close inspection, I noticed bug worm caterpillars eating the flowers. For a few weeks, I treated the flowers with Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) and that eliminated the problem. The brand of BT I use (there are multiple) is Safer.

• Number of plants: 2 (4.5-inch pots)
• Characteristics:
  • Part sun to full sun
  • Heat Tolerant
  • Deadheading Not Necessary
  • Small petunia-like flowers 

B. Supertunia Bordeaux

The ‘supertunia’ is a petunia hybrid. Pretty purple flowers covered the container during the first month. However, as the summer progressed, the supertunia’s were overtaken by both the superbells and superbena. While I could still see a few blooms, they were mostly crowded out. As with the other plants, I gave these a trim in mid-July. With petunia’s it’s important not to remove too much at once. The recommendation is to cut back 20% of the branches at a time.

• Number of plants: 2 (4.5-inch pots)
• Characteristics
  • Part sun to full sun
  • Heat Tolerant
  • Deadheading Not Necessary

C. Superbena Whiteout

The ‘superbena’ is a verbena hybrid. Beautiful large white umbel flowers were produced all summer. It grew aggressively in the container, easily taking over half of the container by the end of the summer. In mid-July, I gave the plant an all over trim with pruning shears. Within a week it was blooming again.

• Number of plants: 1 (4.5-inch pot)
• Characteristics:
  • Part sun to full sun
  • Deer resistant
  • Heat and drought Tolerant
  • Deadheading Not Necessary

Drama and Fun Container

I love all three plants in this container. However, the Red Star Cabbage Palm stands out and creates the drama while the zonal geraniums and vinca add fun. This has been a mostly carefree container. The main effort is to deadhead the geraniums and water. 2020 was a warm summer in NJ and these plants thrived in the heat and sun.The size of the container is 15-inches.

A. Cabbage Palm (Cordyline australis) Red Star

I was looking for a plant to provide height and drama in the container. The red star cabbage palm did not disappoint. The long, thin, bronze-red leaves are beautiful. This plant readily adapted to growing in the container.

• Number of plants: 1 (4-inch pot)
• Characteristics
  • Part sun to full sun
  • Size 3 to 4 ft. tall, 18 to 24 in. wide

B. Pink Zonal Geranium

I love geraniums and you will see them repeated in the window box. To encourage blooming, deadhead spent flowers and enjoy beautiful blooms all summer long. The bug worms also infected the geraniums and I treated with Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) to eliminate the problem. The brand of BT I use (there are multiple) is Safer.

• Number of plants: 4 (4-inch pots)
• Characteristics:
  • Part sun to full sun
  • Heat Tolerant
  • Deer resistant

C. Periwinkle (or Vinca) Polka Dot

Periwinkle is another beautiful carefree plant. It took a few weeks to acclimate itself in the container and then went on a growth spurt. At one point I thought the geraniums were going to crowd out the periwinkle.  However, periwinkle is tough and once it got going, made is presence known. The glossy, emerald green foliage is also attractive on this plant.

• Number of plants: 4 (4-inch pots)
• Characteristics:
  • Part sun to full sun
  • Drought-tolerant and pest-free, 
  • Heat tolerant
  • Deadheading Not Necessary
  • Deer resistant

Classic Geranium Window box

Geranium is a classic standard for containers and window boxes. In addition, geraniums are one of the most popular plants today. Geraniums are the focus plant of my window boxes this year. I paired the geraniums with pink bacopa and variegated vinca vine (another traditional plant). Both the bacopa and vinca vine provided a ‘trailing’ feature for the window box. The size of the window box is 18” wide, 6” tall, and 5” deep.

A. Red Zonal Geranium

The geraniums worked nicely in the window box and bloomed continuously all summer. Again, the most important care aspect is to deadhead the spent flowers.

• Number of plants: 2 (4-inch pot)
• Characteristics:
  • Part sun to full sun
  • Heat Tolerant
  • Deer resistant
  • To encourage blooming, deadhead spent flowers. 

B. Pink Bacopa

This was my first experience planting bacopa. It is a dainty plant with small pink flowers and adds a spiller effect to the window boxes. In hindsight, I should have planted 2-3 bacopa’s plants in the window box instead of just 1. From a distance, the 1 bacopa plant was difficult to see. However, up-close, it is such a pretty plant.

• Number of plants: 1 (4-inch pot)
• Characteristics:
  • Part sun to full sun
  • Deadheading not necessary

C. Variegated Vinca Vine

Vinca vine is one of my favorite trailing plants for containers. To encourage a bushier effect, I trim the vine at least once every two-three weeks.

• Number of plants: 1 (4-inch pot)
• Characteristics:
  • Vinca vine is a perennial.
  • Tough, low-maintenance, and pest-free, 
  • Vinca vine grows just as well in full sun as it does in shade, 
  •  Deer-resistant

I hope you have enjoyed reading about these three charming container gardens. I have included some newer plants and some more classic plants. For additional ideas, check out my blog titled Container Gardening with Summer Flowers.