The Versatile Container Garden

Why are container gardens popular?

Container gardens are popular for many good reasons!

• Growing in containers allows you to enjoy greenery in otherwise ungrowable spaces, such as patios, balconies, smaller yards, and areas with poor soil.  In today's world, limited space is the reality for many gardeners.
• It's also a great option if you are renting your living space, and may want to take the plants with you when you move on.  That Japanese Maple or bonsai collection you are babying can come with you wherever you land.
• Growing in a container is good for controlling soil conditions, drainage, and moisture levels.  You might choose to keep spreading plants in a container so they don't take over the garden.
• Containers are removable and moveable.  So switch it up and re-decorate as often as you'd like!

Tips for having a thriving container garden:

Growing in containers does require a few different considerations that you might not need to think about if you are growing in ground.  

• First choose plants that will do well in a container.  Usually with a little digging you can find this information.  Always check the mature size of shrubs on the information tag or website.  Just because it's a 'dwarf' doesn't mean it's container size (for example, a regularly 8 foot shrub could come in a 'dwarf' version that grows 5 foot tall).
• Pick a container that is appropriately sized for the shrub.  Most shrubs need a container that is at least 18-24 inches deep and wide.  Perennials can usually do with less.  If you want to allow the plant to get larger, such as a privacy hedge or feature tree, choose a larger container.  You might need to upsize the container every couple of years to the the roots room to expand.  The pot you choose should have drainage holes as well.
• Let your creative juices flow!  Layer with different heights and textures to get the creative look you like.  Mix evergreens with annuals and perennials.  The possibilities are endless.
• Water!  Remember that plants in containers need more watering than ground planted ones, especially in hot or windy periods.  Their roots aren't able to draw from water lower in the ground, and the entire root system heats up faster since the container is out of the ground.
• Don't forget to consider overwintering needs:  You can treat your shrubs and perennials like annuals (throw them into the compost at the end of the season), or you can overwinter them in pots (but you have to follow a few guidelines).  In general to be winter hardy in a pot on your patio, the plant should be 2 zones hardier than the climate you live in (if you are a zone 6, a zone 4 plant should do fine).  Alternatively, you can still overwinter less hardy plants (your zone), by either burying the pot in the ground for the winter, or storing it in the garage for the harshest period of winter.

Here's some of F2H favorites for container gardens:

1. Boxwood - prune them into fun shapes, like round balls, cones, or lolipops.  Green Velvet and Green Mountain are both excellent for containers.  The greenery will be appreciated in the winter months, and they can be fun to decorate for Christmas!
2. Alberta Spruce are slow growing with a natural cone shape.  Another good one for winter interest.
3. Smaller hydrangea varieties, such as Bobo or Little Lime.  Hydrangeas have long bloom seasons, and the smaller varieties generally do well in pots.
4. Hostas are great for adding texture and colour.  Twilight and Halcyon both have good fullness and structure in pots.
5. Lavender is gorgeous in a pot, and fragrant too!
6. Japanese Maples - so many different ones to choose from!  Seiryu is fantastic in a patio pot, as is Crimson Queen.  You can even play around with growing less hardy varieties and bring them into a protected area for the winter.
7. Japanese Forest Grass is beautiful for colour and overhangs the side of the pot nicely.

Have fun and get creative!  We'd love to see your container garden pictures and tips!