Colors for Containers

Actually as I looked out at the snow this morning, I thought any color would go with this!  For gardeners, this is the time of year for planning.  I like to vary my color scheme for colors each year, oranges one year, pink another year, or orange and pink together or pink and cherry red together.  I have all of these colors in my perennial garden, so no matter which color I decide to play up in my containers it is a blend.  Also, take into consideration the color of your house.  If you have a red brick house, red flowers are not going to "pop."  Adding small splashes of blue, yellow and white also help frame your main color scheme.

Containers can also be filled with colorful plants that do not have showy flowers.  I check out the http://www.provenwinners.com/ site to get ideas for my containers and see what is new for the 2010 planting season.

Snow Duty

As I shoveled along the side of my house this am, I noticed my Miscanthus Udine (I could only find this on the internet) trying to stand upright in the raised planter bed.  Each year I debate whether or not to cut it down before winter.  I should have cut it down, looks really bad, doesn't hold up well under snow.  Very few varities of the taller grasses do well once the snow hits.  One that does do well all through the winter is Panicum "Northwind."  You can see "Northwind" at  http://www.hostas.com/  It pops back up even after the heaviest snows.  Come March it is ready to cut down, but you have this lovely upright grass all fall and winter ( tan color).

Oh The Weather Outside is Frightful!

Another great tulip is called Monte Carlo.  It is a double, blooming in early May (yellow).  The squirrels and rabbits do not seem to bother this variety.  They are very showy, low enough to put around trees.  I order mine from Scheepers or VanEnglen.

A spectacular tulip is Orange Emperor. It is large and continues to open up even bigger as it ages. I hope the squirrels left some! Treat tulips as annuals in this zone. If they come back it's a bonus. When they come up it's the rabbits that bit off their yummy tops.

I am thinking of yanking my Knockout roses from the front of my house. They face east and get a decent amount of sun, but have never done as well as the ones in the back. I have switched to almost all doubles because they are hardier in zone 5.

I talked to the Jackson and Perkins rep a few years ago, and he said that the popular single does not do well in the Chicago area. My favorite Knockout is Rainbow, very hardy and flowers until November profusely!

An asian friend of mine said you should not have thorns in the front of your house bad luck!