Flowers for a large window box and planter - help!

[LBIJim]

Did not read any replies, so this may have been suggested. Wax Begonias! My favorite hot weather annual - blooms from 'can' until 'can't'!! Loves sun, moisture, fertilizer. Easy to grow - blooms constantly, and has lovely foliage. Fills out containers beautifully - I even plant them in huge 'strawberry' pots - they fill out and look like a 'tree' - no container showing! Colors are red, pink, white - did I say they are beautiful!! LOL Love to garden!!

Impatiens are also a gorgeous well rounded flower, but hot sun (except for special varieties) can do them in. Spider plants are pretty to put in hanging planters as edge fillers and to dangle down. Good luck!

I have plenty of wax begonias, but I only have success with them in partially sunny areas. Full sun killed mine years ago so I confine them to more shady areas.

I curious if anyone heard anything about some type of impatiens disease. In summer of 2012, everyone's impatiens in this area suddenly died. Internet and other places said it was some kind of fungus. It would take about 5 years to eradicate. Most higher quality garden centers haven't been selling impatiens since then, but places like Lowe's and Home Depot do.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yes, it is called Downy Mildew. Stinks on ice for sure. I am considering putting down seed in an area this yr.

I work in a nursery and we only get a few flats of them in now.

Our reps said they are still planting them out west, CA and AZ.

 

[minnie mum]

Mystery Machine, the downy mildew didn't infect New Guinea Impatiens did it? I'm thinking of using these this year for some of my larger planters.

Any ideas for companions for these? They'd be going into 1/2 oak barrels.

 

[7165red]

Mystery Machine, the downy mildew didn't infect New Guinea Impatiens did it? I'm thinking of using these this year for some of my larger planters.

Any ideas for companions for these? They'd be going into 1/2 oak barrels.

 

[7165red]

This is a great thread, I am going to write down all the flower and goole them, I have two window boxes to fill and one large planter.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Mystery Machine, the downy mildew didn't infect New Guinea Impatiens did it? I'm thinking of using these this year for some of my larger planters.

Any ideas for companions for these? They'd be going into 1/2 oak barrels.

No it did not infect the new guineas.

As far as companion plants, it has to be one that can tolerate a lot of water since NG's have to be watered more, esp. in the sun. They are water hogs and can wilt if it is really hot out. Very common with them. Does the barrel have good drainage?

Some NG's need all shade, so pay attention to the varieties although they are marketing something called "sunpatiens" but I have yet to plant them myself in full sun. So cannot comment on the growth habit.

Avoid vinca, lantana, sedums, anything that is labeled "water-wise" or something along those lines as fillers.

You can make the NG your thriller (center) if you want and then do "spillers".

Or since a 1/2 oak barrel is pretty large, you could do a fern, grass, spikes, or a flowering perennial as the "thriller" (depends on the sun for fern (shade) vs grass (sun/part sun), plant NG's around that (filler) and then fill with lobelia, creeping jenny, potato vine, etc for the spiller effect.

Another good filler is called Torenia for NG's impatiens. Needs shade, part shade.

 

[minnie mum]

Thanks for the ideas. My barrels only get morning sun, and I have some ostrich fern offshoots that need to be dug up, so I can use those as a thriller in the back. I've been using potato vine as a trailer for a few years, but I think I'll look for something different this year.