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| Container Garden in 3 Steps |  | | P. Allen Smith shares his formula for a professional-looking container—it's as simple as 1,2,3. |
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| More Plant Combinations |
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Coastal
Quick bloomers for the short growing season; perennials in most zones.
• sea thrift (Armeria maritima)
• lantana
• sea lavender (Limonium perezii)
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Desert
Tough plants that tolerate severe heat and drought; perennials in zones 7–10, annuals or half-hardy elsewhere.
• common blue fescue (Festuca glauca)
• purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea)
• sand verbena (Abronia angustifolia)
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Shade
Plants that love morning sun; perennials in zones 6–10, annuals or half-hardy elsewhere.
• lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis)
• cranesbill geraniums (Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’)
• foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea ‘Foxy’)
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| Easy Container Garden |
| One flat of plants for about $40. Two hours to prep and plant.
Three containers. Having blooms that last till fall--priceless. |
| By Kate Karam |
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photography: Tom McWilliam
A modern galvanized container is paired with old metal garden furniture for a country-in-the-city look.
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High style yet low maintenance, easy care and affordable. That's the kind of gardening we like. To get the classic cottage look shown here, simply repeat the same plant combo in a pot, hanging basket, and window box all grouped together for impact. Forty bucks' worth of plants has never looked so good.
photography: Tome McWilliam
Left: 5 (4-inch) trailing sedums; Center: 5 (4-inch) purple oxalis; Right: 5 (4-inch) white geraniums |
photography: Tom McWilliam
Fill hanging basket with 1 white geranium, 1 purple oxalis, and 1 trailing sedum. |
1. Pick your plants.
Select a favorite combination of 4-inch plants, then fill your flat at a nursery; most will let you mix-and-match. We chose plants that need six or more hours of full sun daily. They're perennials in zones 7-11, annuals or half-hardy (which means they require protection from frost) elsewhere.
photography: Tom McWilliam
Fill window box with 3 white geraniuls, 3 purple oxalis, and 3 trailing sedum. |
2. Fill your containers.
Choose three containers that complement your deck, patio, or entryway. Before you plant, you’ll also need to pick up enough potting soil and slow-release fertilizer (such as Osmocote). You should find both at your local nursery.
photography: Tom McWilliam
Fill pot with 1 white geraniums, 1 purple oxalis, and 1 trailing sedums. |
3. Watch them grow.
Feed monthly with a balanced fertilizer, and deadhead spent flowers regularly to keep them blooming. |
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