Shade Containers

Recently I cooked up a couple of new container combos, and I'm really liking the effect of perennials grown in containers. Delicate miniature hostas that would get trampled or eaten by rabbits in the ground, can be appreciated and enjoyed up close and personal when in a pot, and of course perennials tend to be more cost effective in the long run when compared to annuals. To liven up my deck, I'm gradually expanding my collection of planters each year, and it's fun playing matchmaker when choosing a container and its contents.

Ingredients: Coleus, Hosta 'Striptease', Fern 'Autumn Brilliance', Fuchsia, Impatiens

Ingredients: Polemonium, Hosta 'Hadspen Blue', Impatiens

Finally this year, I decided to make good use of this shelf which has been with me forever. There are 2 houseplants summering outside (Pony Tail Palm and Pothos), a pot of Impatiens and Begonias contributing the flowering power of annuals, and a couple of "specimen" perennials.



-- Hosta 'Masquerade'

-- Heuchera 'Midnight Rose'

I love all the new shades of Impatiens. No more having to settle for basic white or pastel pinks and purples, as there are so many vivid and interesting colors on the market these days. A shade garden just wouldn't be a shade garden without Impatiens, and this is one annual that I will never tire of.