Turn Gardening Upside Down with Sky Planters

Sky planters are all the rage these days. 



These hanging pots from Boskke have literally turned gardening upside down.  I like the idea of growing herbs in the kitchen where they can be easily accessed for cooking!

The planters are made from ceramic pottery or recycled plastic and can be used indoors or outdoors. 



Each pot contains a locking disk that holds the soil and plant roots in place.  They also have a unique reservoir system that conserves water (by up to 80%) and a personal timer that gradually hydrates the plants’ roots.  How about this one for a nice centerpiece?



What will they think of next?  Shop for Sky planters Here.

Grow Your Own Lunch

 

Instead of choosing this …

 

 

Why not choose this …

 

My Hanging Baskets

 

How terrific is this?  You see, you don’t need a lot of space to grow edibles.  Only a little imagination.

Invasion of the Purple Pixies

You heard it here first.  The Purple Pixies are coming!  Just watch how fast this plant takes over the residential and commercial landscape in the next few years!

Photo from Heinz Nurseries

At long last, here is a plant that we will be seeing a lot more of in the future as it will find a spot in almost any garden in Zones 7 to 10! The plant is Loropetalum chinensis ‘Shang-lo’ commonly known as Purple Pixie Loropetalum.

Like other loropetalums, Purple Pixie is evergreen and has beautiful burgundy foliage combined with showy pink blossoms that almost always repeat bloom. Loropetalums do well in both sun and shade, but bloom best with more sun. So far, the loropetalums appear to be resistant to both disease and insect damage. What more could you ask for in a plant? I’ll tell you. Unlike the other Chinese loropetalums, Purple Pixie is dwarf and has a weeping and cascading habit.  This plant grows only one to two feet in height by four to five feet wide! What a great choice for ground covers for sun or container gardening!

With it’s burgandy color and cascading habit, Purple Pixie Loropetalum will make a striking addition to any planter!

The strong points of the loropetalums for me have been their ability to form a dense architectural hedge. Also, their deep burgundy foliage adds year-round color to the garden and contrasts nicely with other evergreens. Their dense foliage also complements other evergreen plants such as boxwoods and hollies. The downside of the plant is that too many landscapers have planted it without paying any regard to the size this plant wants to grow, sometimes as large as 20-feet tall and wide! Because of this, often times these plants are the victim of the wrong plant in the wrong place. For this reason, I have always specified the “Ruby” variety that only grows three to six feet tall and wide.

 Other Loropetalums grow very large – sometimes up to 20-feet!

With Purple Pixie, this will change. Now we’ve got a beautiful dense groundcover for sun that won’t overtake the garden! My prediction is that this plant will catch on like wildfire!

Potted Plants = Container Garden

Planted pots look great just about anywhere! They can brighten up an entrance.

Mark an entrance to a pathway.

 

Add interest to a blank wall.

They look great in groupings.

They can add much needed color.

Photo and Design by ABHL

They look good in repetitive formation.

Photo by Malcolm Bull

They make a great way to end a wall.

Or mark or accentuate a corner.

They can be very artistic.

And brighten up a dull spot.

They can provide color where it is needed.

Photo by Gertrude K.

Link one space to another.

Photo and Design by ABHL

They can soften.

Finally, potted plants can act as focal point or centerpiece.

In fact, they can be used just about anywhere for most any purpose. Here is an entire garden display made with potted plants.

Their versatility is unlimited!

Just like in any other design, you’ll want to choose plants that add to the composition instead of detracting from it. Pick plants of varying heights, color, texture and form when using more than one species in the same container. This will provide much greater interest.

Also, consider the use of the planted pot and how it is to work in the context of the space where it is to be placed. This will help guide you in picking the right container and the right plants. Remember that form, line, color and texture are the elements that tie a design together.

To learn how to plant and grow a container garden, go Here. And to learn how to care for them, go Here.