OK it's time to start thinking about ...

[justjulie]

Planters!

Who can suggest some sun-hearty plants for my containers at the front of my house and the hanging baskets for the garage. Keep in mind the brick gets very hot and I usually only water twice a day and fertilize once a week so they need to be sun lovers and draught resistent ...

anyone?

 

[mommytotwo]

I have impatients in my hanging baskets, along with some other flowers, but I can't think of their names sorry.
In my planter, I have morning glories and mixed veggies.
Also in the hanging baskets and planters, you could grow strawberries.

 

[olena]

Purple heart....aka purple queen. I grow it in my beds and containers. It tolerates heat and drought very well.

 

[Snowwark]

Welcome back, Justjulie! Any sign of your Johnsons Blue geranium showing yet?

I haven't even started to think of my containers yet!

There are SO many plants to choose from, I often trip myself up trying to decide what to buy.

Here are some sun-lovers I've had success with in the past, which means I'll undoubtedly be buying at least some of them, again this year.

The Million Bells and Superbells (Calibrachoa), are great! They look like mini-petunias, are self-cleaning, and bloom all summer long.

I almost always buy a flat of Bacopa, it's a super trailing plant. Bridal Bouquet (white), Blue Showers, and Olympic Gold (with variegated leaves!), have all been prolific bloomers.

Licorice Plant and Vinca vine, are also good for trailing, as is Trailing Verbena and Snapdragon. Scaevola is another excellent choice for hanging baskets and containers. It's pretty cool, it's a fan-shaped flower.

I used quite a bit of Heliotrope last year, in the garden and in some containers. It worked out very well, and they're nicely scented.

Bidens and Diascia (especially the Diascia in coral-great colour!), are pretty reliable.

I'm also a big fan of Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea), specifically "Blackie". The dark foliage is a great foil for the brighter plants and flowers.

I use lots of Coleus. It used to be considered quite old-fashioned, but in the last few years it's made a big comeback. Different shades of foliage, especially lime green (how DIS-like..lol), were a very big feature at the Canada Blooms Flower Show.

Vinca, geraniums, the choices are almost endless...

I'll stop now.... ..and let another Bud add their suggestions.

 

[DebºoºS]

:thewave: Wave Petunias are my favs. They're hardy and drought tolerant.

 

[CajunDixie]

I'll second what DebºoºS said..... Wave Petunias are beautiful. This is the first year our local (small town USA) nursery has the Waves in small disposable containers.....always before they only had them already planted in a basket that cost around $20. This year I'll gladly buy them for a couple $$ and plant them in my baskets.

 

[justjulie]

My e-mail notification was turned off and I thought no one was interested in my planters question - I'm glad I was wrong.

Snowwark - my Johnson's blue is huge and full of beautiful green foliage already! My primrose bloomed this morning and my columbine, lupin, peony and hostas are all up!

Great suggestions from everyone. I've also been told that Ivy Geranium is a sure-fire winner so I might try some of that. I think we've decided on masses of red geraniums for the front this year to compliment the red/yellow brick.

Our "oasis" is actually our backyard and we're about to undergo so major revamping to add two ponds with a connecting water treatment - wish us luck. The yard will be a two step process working from the back to the front with the garden and water treatment this year followed by extending the patio and adding a pergola for shade next year ... wish me luck!

 

[Snowwark]

Originally posted by justjulie
My e-mail notification was turned off and I thought no one was interested in my planters question - I'm glad I was wrong.

Our "oasis" is actually our backyard and we're about to undergo so major revamping to add two ponds with a connecting water treatment - wish us luck. The yard will be a two step process working from the back to the front with the garden and water treatment this year followed by extending the patio and adding a pergola for shade next year ... wish me luck!

The email notification seems to be an on-again, off-again thing, Julie.

Gald to hear your Johnson's Blue is doing well!

Any chance we can get some pics of your oasis revamping?

Oh, and lots of luck to you!!

 

[Tulirose]

Originally posted by justjulie
........ I've also been told that Ivy Geranium is a sure-fire winner so I might try some of that. I think we've decided on masses of red geraniums for the front this year to compliment the red/yellow brick.....

I wish I can post the picture I took this past April in EPCOT of a bed of red geraniums. I had never seen an entire area filled with red geraniums. It was stunning!