If you didn’t get your containers planted in May, you still have a little time. We caught up with Kristopher Dabner, owner of The Greensman, on curb-appeal considerations for your potted plants. Here are three options:
1. Something Different. “The standard thing that people think about is using a flowering tropical like a hibiscus or an oleander,” Dabner says. “Instead of that, try an interesting shrub that you can later plant in your yard.”
His suggestions: Try Ninebark such as Coppertina, which has a dark purple leaf, or Amber Jubilee, which features golden orange leaves.
2. Anchored by A Trellis. Dabner suggests using a decorative obelisk trellis in containers. You can grow climbing vines such as Mandevilla, Morning Glory, or Moon Flowers.
3. An Easy Classic. Plant an interesting dwarf conifer in a pot like a globe spruce or pine on standard. “It will last for years,” Dabner says. Surround it with side plants such as geraniums, or trailing plants like Dichondra Silver Falls.
A few other container tips from Dabner:
• Get containers as big as you can get with as much planting room as possible.
• You can make containers from things like galvanized metal tubs from the hardware store—just make sure to drill a drainage hole in the bottom.
• If you have three or four containers you’re grouping together, make sure they flow together as one, harmonious arrangement.