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Containers

Lots of great reading here on the container posts.
 
Just last week I purchased 6 stunning (in looks and price) terra cotta containers imported from Vietnam. This year I have two 100 member tours booked to come through and am preparing for a 500 person tour in July of 06.
 
I have been amazed to see what people are willing to spend on containers as I check out the local growers and see people with wagons so loaded down that they threaten tipping over.
 
Locally, we are dealing with the loss of two of our largest commercial nurseries, Frank's Nursery & Crafts and Moehlenhoff's (a family buisness that was over 80 years old). Closest to home, a 10 acre Hosta/Daylily/Perennial farm only a few lots away from me is closing down as soon as they can sell out of their remaining stock. At the places that remain, the prices of container plants (annuals) has risen greatly and yet the people are buying like mad.
 
With the up coming tours, I feel compelled to offer different types of containers for viewing. Yet, after spending $100 just to fill 4 planters by my pool I'm also limited by what I'm willing to spend on plants that will not be here by the end of the year. With many more containers still waiting for plants, I really like the idea of using perennials. One whiskey barrel has had a Hosta (name unknown) for a number of years and it looks good from now until frost. With so many lovely Hosta on the market, I think they'd be great additions along with Heuchera in containers. Lysimachia ciliata purpurea has such a wonderful color foliage and a nice tall shape. It's vigorous enough to put in a container too and doesn't show any signs of transplanting shock so I will dig some today.
 
Back to the new containers. One was already planted at the nursery and I bought it "as is" just because they didn't have an unplanted container in that shape (a low, wide, square that is belled at the bottom). It was planted simply with different colored lettuce and is beautiful. Taking that as my cue, I planted the other containers all with herbs. Different sages, yummy basils (love that African Blue!), dreamy lavenders, golden oregano (from the garden), lemon grass, and even simple parsley. I bet come summer these containers look better than those expensive annual ones by the pool (which by the way contain that new Lobelia).
 
Sorry for the rambling, when it comes to gardening, my brain is all over the place right now and I've got to get away from this computer and get back to edging (stealing more growing space) from the front perennial borders. Wisteria and Camassias are "to-die-for" right now.
 
Melanie Vassallo
 
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