COLOUR IN WINTER CONTAINERS
There are many plants to provide Winter colour. Many people have the perception that once Summer flowers have disappeared and finished flowering - that is the end of colour for the rest of the year. Nothing could be further from the truth! There are many plants, shrubs and bulbs which will give colour in late Autumn, Winter and Spring. There are many colourful shrubs with attractive bark, berries, colourful foliage and deliciously fragrant flowers.
CHOOSING CONTAINERS
There is a wide choice of containers available. Containers are available in terracotta, ceramic, plastic, wood and stoneware. Make sure that your chosen container has adequate drainage and outlets for excessive water to drain away. Choose a container that is frost-proof. Many containers will be specifically labelled inidicating their frost-proof status. Other factors to bear in mind when choosing a container include the suitability and size of the container for plants intended to be used. The colour, size and design of the container should be compatible with the style, design and colour scheme of your house.
CHOOSING COMPOST FOR YOUR WINTER CONTAINERS
Fresh potting compost should always be used when potting or re-potting containers. The Shamrock range of potting composts are especially recommended. Use browngold or an ericaceous top soil when planting lime hating shrubs such as: heathers, camellias, rhododendrons, pieris, skimmias, gaultheria azaleas. A slow-release fertiliser such as osmocote or bio timed release may be mixed at rates as specified on the package when planting up the containers. These slow-release fertilisers have life expectancies of 6-12 months. Use brocken crocks at the base of the container to facilitate drainage.
PLANTS FOR CENTREPIECES
When choosing large containers many people use a focal centrepiece plant which will give structure, shape, form and focus to the container. Phormiums, evergreen ornamental grasses, cordylines, yuccas, dwarf conifers, bamboos, topiary - shaped plants such as box, Ilex (hollies) are all ideal centrepiece plants. Garden urns, christmas cherries and cyclamen may all be used to good effect.
TRAILING, FLOWERING PLANTS
Arabis available in pink or white shades will flower from February until May in a sunny position. Aubretia - closely related to arabis flower March-June. It makes a spectacular display. Colours available include red, lilac, violet and blue.
BEDDING PLANTS FOR WINTER AND SPRING COLOUR
Winter Pansies come in a wide variety of colour. They are available in mixed or named colours. Single, named colours look best. Why not try some true blue with tulip "red riding hood" (8") or with some dwarf narcissi; (8"-10") such as "February Gold", "Little Witch" or "Hawera". Yellow universal pansies look well with blue hyacinths (very fragrant, 10). Polyanthus flower from February to May with some intermittent flower during Autumn and Winter. The crescendo series of polyanthus are available in mixed or named colours. Good, clear, crisp colours such as blue, red, rose and yellow. Polyanthus are tough, reliable and good in exposed sites. Polyanthus are ideal in window boxes or hanging baskets. Plant with dwarf bulbs, ivies, dwarf conifers such as: juniperus communis compress. Wallflowers are available in a delightful range of colour. Flowers are sweetly scented and flower March-May with new varieties now flowering in Autumn also, wallflowers are particularly good in larger containers suc as oak tubs and some of the deeper window boxes. Violas give good Autumn and Spring colour. Much improvement in varieties has occurred recently. Look out for the penny series of varieties and the delightful "magnifico" (blue and white).
TRAILING FOLIAGE PLANTS FOR WINTER COLOUR
Thymes come in a variety of gold, silver and green foliaged varieties with strongly aromatic foliage. Ideal in window boxes, tubs and hanging baskets. Grow them in bright, sunny well-drained positions. Sedum Lineare - variegated, trailing, evergreen foliage use in hanging baskets, window boxes and tubs. Ivies (hedera helix) are ideal companion plants to bulbs, bedding plants, dwarf conifers, skimmias, gaultherias to provide year round and winter colour.
PLANTS FOR A SHADY CORNER
Camellias, Rhododendrons, skimmia rubella (red flower buds - September - March; skimmia reevensiana (self-pollinating, bearing several months of continuous colour), sarococca (christmas box) - glossy, luxuriant foliage with sweetly scented flowers in mid-winter, Fargesia murielae 'bimbo' - new dwarf bamboo - ideal containter plant - gives an oriental look, a graceful plant with movement - much heralded new plant!
BULBS FOR CONTAINERS
Bulbs are ideal in containers, plant - August to early December. Careful choice of varieties should give you a sequence of colour from January to June. Snowdrops and Crocuus - January/February, dwarf tulips/narcissi - Late February - April, hyacinths - March to April, anemone blanda - February - April. Lilies - regale, pink perfection (scented), casa blanca, stargazer, luxor, all mid-summer. alliums (ornamental onions) - May/June, crocus, dwarft ivy, chinodoxa - February/March.
HEATHERS FOR WINTER COLOUR
Heathers will give you colour in the depths of winter and will flower regardless of weather. Choose the carnea and darleyensis types. Choose varieties such as Mary Hell - bright gold foliage and attractive contrasting pink flowers, kramers red, springwood white, fox hollow - bright gold foliage, myretown ruby, vivelli.
THE FINISHING TOUCH
Your containers may be top dressed with decorative stone such as the Shamrock range. These give an attractive finishing touch to your containers, suppress weeds, help drainage and minimise splashes from compost onto windows, etc.
FURTHER IDEAS AND ADVICE
Further advice and help is available from Hosford's where you will find a selection of ready-planted containers and all the ingredients for colourful containers.
“Colour in Summer Containers “
GUIDE TO STUNNING WINDOW BOXES AND HANGING BASKETS
Always use fresh compost.
Discard old compost-it will be burnt out of nutrients and may contain pests or diseases.
Use Shamrock Potting or Multi-purpose compost.
Use a soil based compost if you have a holiday home or away for long periods-it will give you some grace by not drying out as quickly.John Innes No.3 is the best.
Use Gee-up in the bottom quarter of the container.
Do use a slow-release fertiliser and water retaining gel when preparing the compost-this should be well and thoroughly mixed and distributed throughout the compost.
Water in well after planting using a fine rosed watering can.
Make sure brackets are sufficiently strong and in good and safe condition.
Ensure your basket chains are in good condition-replace if not.
A weekly liquid feed of tomato food during the growing season is recommended.
The Plants
Sunny position
Geraniums
Petunias
Trailing Antirrhinums.
Sanvitalia
Lobelia
Nasturtiums
Pansies
Violas
Helichrysum
Nepeta-grannilocks.
Shaded positions
Fuchsias-trailing and bush varieties.
Begonias-trailing,non-stop varieties.
Impatiens-buzy lizzies.
Ivies
Vegetables/herbs in containers
Tomato Tumbler
Lettuce –in variety.
Thymes-aromatic,decorative and functional.
Rosemary-trailing varieties-evergreen,fragrant,decorative.
Easy to grow bedding plants from seed
Nasturtiums
Sweet pea –dwarf varieties-Snoopea,Sugar,n,Spice etc.
Marigolds/tagetes.
Alyssum
Further reading-
The Bedding Plant Expert-Dr.D.G.Hessayon.
The Container Expert-Dr.D.G.Hessayon.
Important note-take down containers in stormy/gale force conditions.
Watch for slugs,greenfly&caterpillars and treat immediately on detection.
Remove faded blooms and leaves as they appear-allowed to stay on will result in Disease. |
