Containing my exuberance .........
Exuberance ..... kind of a big word for me at 6:30 am. But it is how I feel.
Normally, I plant very simple containers around the farm.
A container full of begonias, a container full of impatiens, a container full of geraniums.
Easy-peasy stuff.
And I have reasons for that.
One is the expense .... I can order a couple of plug trays and plant up lots of containers for very little money. Buying 200+ impatiens of one color range ... cost me less than 20 cents each. At a greenhouse, they are 50 cents.
Secondly .... the care is easy. Begonias can take it dry .... and dry they can get!! So those containers will go in areas that the hose doesn't reach!
Or the gardener is too lazy to get it there! (You can derive your own conclusion on that one!)
And there is something about containers of mass plantings that I like.
Except this year.
We have a couple of very cool things coming up on the farm. And I want the farm to look super spiffy.
Like perfect.
Like no weeds ... no messes .... absolute perfection.
And if I am totally honest with myself ..... There is no chance of any of that happening. But I can dream.
So I am trying to do some super cool containers.
All of my containers are in shady areas .... first of all to lower watering needs and secondly to add some color to less colorful areas. ;)
And if you notice ... they are NOT over planted and blooming. And some look a little droopy. But after they get established and get over the root shock I put them through .... they will be beautiful!
Instant gratification is wonderful ..... but I want these to look perfect in 3 weeks. So many blooms get cut back ... I prune ... I trim ... I fertilize. And in a couple of weeks, they will be thick and lush.
I totally love this container! I used a caladium, coleus, asparagus fern, lady fern, vinca vine and a variegated ivy along with a begonia and New Guinea impatiens. We are painting the door of the corn-zebo white so it will look really nice there.
The caladium has just a slight line of pink which goes nicely with the blush of pink on the begonia.
All of the specialty plants came from Blossom Farms in Davenport. They had an incredible selection of unusual plants ..... like the ferns above.
And this Bossa Nova begonia.
Which I LOVE!!!!
It may have to go into a huge mass planting container!
It's hard to teach this gardener new tricks!
Normally, I plant very simple containers around the farm.
A container full of begonias, a container full of impatiens, a container full of geraniums.
Easy-peasy stuff.
And I have reasons for that.
One is the expense .... I can order a couple of plug trays and plant up lots of containers for very little money. Buying 200+ impatiens of one color range ... cost me less than 20 cents each. At a greenhouse, they are 50 cents.
Secondly .... the care is easy. Begonias can take it dry .... and dry they can get!! So those containers will go in areas that the hose doesn't reach!
Or the gardener is too lazy to get it there! (You can derive your own conclusion on that one!)
And there is something about containers of mass plantings that I like.
Except this year.
 |
| I have NO idea what this was in its previous life. But stuffed with moss it makes an awesome container! |
We have a couple of very cool things coming up on the farm. And I want the farm to look super spiffy.
Like perfect.
Like no weeds ... no messes .... absolute perfection.
And if I am totally honest with myself ..... There is no chance of any of that happening. But I can dream.
So I am trying to do some super cool containers.
 |
| I bought this bicycle years ago for $5 at a flea market. I love that it has its Galesburg, IL bicycle stamp on it. |
All of my containers are in shady areas .... first of all to lower watering needs and secondly to add some color to less colorful areas. ;)
And if you notice ... they are NOT over planted and blooming. And some look a little droopy. But after they get established and get over the root shock I put them through .... they will be beautiful!
Instant gratification is wonderful ..... but I want these to look perfect in 3 weeks. So many blooms get cut back ... I prune ... I trim ... I fertilize. And in a couple of weeks, they will be thick and lush.
 |
| This container is a "foam" container ... moss is growing around its edge. |
I totally love this container! I used a caladium, coleus, asparagus fern, lady fern, vinca vine and a variegated ivy along with a begonia and New Guinea impatiens. We are painting the door of the corn-zebo white so it will look really nice there.
The caladium has just a slight line of pink which goes nicely with the blush of pink on the begonia.
All of the specialty plants came from Blossom Farms in Davenport. They had an incredible selection of unusual plants ..... like the ferns above.
And this Bossa Nova begonia.
Which I LOVE!!!!
It may have to go into a huge mass planting container!
It's hard to teach this gardener new tricks!
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