Containers add interest to outdoor sitting areas by brightening up the empty spaces on decks, patios, terraces or entryways and is a nice solution for apartments or homes with little or no space for gardens. The color or shape of the containers is a personal choice, all one color can be very effect, as can different sized pots, often sold in sets. There are many different type of containers too choose from, find the one that fits your budget and complements the home. Pick colors that do not fade into the background of the house, the same is true with the plants. Example, a purple plant in a purple pot do not complement each other, instead a plant with light green or yellow foliage would. Shape is also important a tall pot shows off a weeping shrub better, allowing the trailing branches to hang down. When choosing your shrubs ask about growth rate, exposure and water requirements, not all plants are suitable for container growing.
Very important is the growing media, never use garden soil it compacts to much over time, can harbor bugs and weeds. Potting soils heavy in peat can become waterlogged in winter and may not be suitable for all plants. The best mix is 3/4 bark mulch (semi-coarse) and 1/4 peat moss or potting soil, the bark allows for good drainage and air flow to the roots and will break down into soil, while the peat will retain some moisture. (Note: Never use Cedar bark). Water regularly during the summer months, pots dry out faster, especially on hot decks or patios. Feed with a slow release fertilizer in spring, suitable for containerized plants. Frequent watering leaches the fertilizer out faster than in garden beds, so it doesn’t hurt to give the plants an extra boast of liquid fertilizer during the summer months. Protect your deck or patio from staining, use trays under the pots if needed. Check every few years under the pot to make sure roots are not blocking the drainage holes. Repot to larger containers as needed, it usually depends on the size of the pot or plants root system on how frequent this needs to be done.
1# Boxwood ‘Green Balloon’ Buxus sempervirens: Evergreen: While all boxwoods make good container plants, this one stands out because it needs no pruning to keep its compact round shape. Green Balloon has small rounded leaves, dense glossy green foliage and grows around 3′ tall x 3′ wide. Looks great in vase-shaped terra cotta containers and is suitable for both sun or shade.
2# Cedar ‘Whipcord’ Thuja plicata: Conifer: A unique conifer with a mounding form, dense arching branches and long thin thread-like foliage. As a grafted standard it makes a graceful weeping container plant. Needs a large pot and regular watering during the summer months. (Do not allow to dry out)
3# Cephalotaxus ‘Japanese Plum Yew’ Cephalotaxus harringtonia fastigiata: Conifer: This attractive plant has a distinctive vase-shaped vertical form and glossy dark green foliage. Grow in a large pair of matching containers to make an attractive focal point at a doorway. Its sun or shade tolerant and will need regular watering during the summer months.
4# Gingko ‘Witches Broom’ Gingko biloba: Deciduous: Dwarf shrub-like tree with a compact rounded form and dense branching. Attractive fan-shaped green foliage with bright yellow fall color. Looks best in dark colored containers to compliment the bright colored foliage. Can be pruned to maintain size.
5# Holly ‘Sky Pencil’ Ilex crenata: Evergreen: A narrow columnar form with small glossy green foliage. Grows to about 10′ tall x 3′ wide at maturity, suitable for sun or part shade. Makes a nice vertical accent plant to frame entryway or for patio gardens. Looks stunning in tall square shaped containers.
6# Leucothoe ‘Curly Red’ Leucothoe axillaris: Evergreen: An unusual fairly new cultivar with twisted leaves. Low growing spreading form with glossy green foliage, red tipped in spring and fall and deep maroon in winter. Nice container plant for winter accent, best in afternoon shade.
7# Pieris ‘Katsura’ Pieris japonica: Evergreen: Compact rounded form with large glossy dark green foliage. The new growth is a striking wine-red to deep maroon color and produced throughout the season, except in winter. lightly scented rose-pink trailing bell-shaped flowers in late spring, grows around 4′ tall x 4′ wide.
8# Pine ‘Horsford Dwarf’ Pinus strobus: Conifer: This little pine has very soft short needles. A rounded form, is slow growing and looks great in dark colored containers.
9# Poncirus ‘Flying Dragon’ Poncirus trifoliata: Deciduous: Unusual and exotic describes this interesting shrub. Producing fragrant white flowers in spring, followed by inedible orange-like fruit, yellow fall color and interesting striped bark. Add twisted stems with very long sharply curved thorns and you have an unique shrub for containers or Bonsai.
10# Willow ‘Mountain’ Salix arbuscula: Deciduous: As a grafted standard this little gem is perfect as a container plant. Small glossy green leaves with golden-yellow fall color and upright pale yellow catkins in spring. Best planted in a tall pot to allow the weeping branches to drape over the edge.
