Tim's Combo Containers

I’ve always thought that it’s a great idea in the heat of the summer to keep the garden and landscape simple. There’s no easier way than to enjoy container gardening. Let’s take a look at some examples at our friend Tim’s house. Tim has an arbor covered with red flowering passionfruit vine that has two simple concrete urns with matching red flowering purslane. Through the arbor we see my favorite Vista Bubblegum Supertunia growing in a raised planter, which by the way IS a container, along the front of the house. I love the way this plant sprawls out over the edge of the planter. On the front porch there’s a great thriller, filler and spiller combination container. The thriller is the bright red Vista annual flowering salvia. The fillers are pink petunia and yellow mini elegans zinnia. The spiller is the chartreuse lysimmachia. Tim has also recycled a couple of wheelbarrows. After cleaning and painting them, the first is planted with double French marigolds, orange purslane and bright yellow with red throat tropical hibiscus. Flanking are two tomatoes planted in GroBuckets. The other is planted with colorful croton and bright red vinca. And on the back porch Tim has a grouping of combination containers with his collection of gorgeous succulent plants. So remember when the summer heat is on, containers are a simple garden practice. I’m MSU Extension horticulture specialist Gary Bachman and I hope you’ll join us next time on Southern Gardening.