This budding season, swap out flowerpots for more fantastic price. Flowers don’t care about their container, as long as they have water, drainage and proper light.
According to garden experts “Summer-flowering bulbs like dwarf lilies, calla lilies and dahlias fare well in container gardens and prefer full sun. Dahlias are typically thought of as taller flowers, but for container gardening, low-growing series dahlias like Gallery, Melody and Karma are best. Begonias, caladiums, elephant ears and pineapple lily are also good container-plant choices, but prefer partial shade.”
Create an evenhanded look via matching colors like yellow and purple. Adding together annual plants with your favorite summer-flowers will make a full container and provide immediate color. Here are 10 containers to consider for spring:
Recycled Jug:
‘Lemon Pixie’ daylilies gladly grow in a used plastic jug. Cut off the jug’s top and drill a hole in the bottom before planting. ‘Lemon Pixie’ is a dwarf Asiatic hybrid that reaches 12 to 18 inches in height.
Straw Hat:
‘Candy Prince’ tulips surrounded by anemone windflowers are a charming spring revelation to pull out of a hat. Use a plastic plant liner with a drainage hole to keep in moisture and shield the hat, which will also need a drainage hole to prevent water from rotting the fibers.
Teepee:
“A tripod of posts suspends this hanging basket in a meadow”. It is a perfect pot for a very sunny spot. Dwarf pineapple lilies stand high in the middle, and straggling annuals spill over the side. Pineapple lily nectar is particularly striking to bees.
Rain Boots:
Spring-flowering bulbs, including daffodils, tulips and hyacinths, sprout from these colorful rain boots. Be sure to make a hole at the base of the boots. Otherwise, bulbs will become drenched and rot. No liner is necessary.
Straw Purse:
Two colors of calla lilies share this “tote-able” bottle. Place a plastic planting liner in the bottom of the tote, but make the tote have drainage holes. When planting calla lilies, the “eyes” or growing points should face upward. Callas do better if they don’t get hot midday sun.
Pails:
This group of sand pails is filled with low-growing pink and white dwarf gladioluses. Unlike their full-sized cousins, dwarf gladioluses only reach 16 to 32 inches tall and don’t require staking. They like full sun and plenty of water. If deer or other pests wander your terrace, fear not: Gladioluses are pest-resistant.
Drawers:
Shallow file drawers are a swell option for begonias, which have a preference to be planted right underneath the soil surface. Use a power drill to create several drainage holes in the drawer bottoms. No liner is necessary.
China Bowls:
When planting any forced bulb, it’s best to cover the bulb with soil up to its “shoulders” but leave the “nose” exposed. Keep the soil moist but not wet. And don’t fill the bowls full with soil. Leave room for watering, so the pot won’t overflow.
Birdhouse:
Birdhouse pulls double duty and is a unique way to repurpose an existing item in the garden. A “roof” of flowering bulbs provides cover for the feeding area below. Using moss as “mulch” is a colorful touch, and it also retains moisture. This house will need plenty of water as it’s in direct sunlight all day.
Colander:
‘White Splendor’ windflowers track from the sides of enamel colander. Colander holes supply great drainage, but also added air exposure, so line it with a coco liner to keep plants moist.
Use these beautiful container ideas to flower up your garden. And they are easy to find and much much cheap.