Fall / Winter flowering plants for containers

Discussion in 'Garden Design and Plant Suggestions' started by Freyja, Oct 4, 2009.

  1. Freyja

    Freyja Active Member

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    Location:
    Surrey, BC, Canada
    I have a few 18" diameter containers that my veggies will be vacating soon and want to fill them with some fall & winter flowering plants for a little colour on my deck. I'm in a suburb of Vancouver (zone 8a, I believe) and have had pansies overwinter before. Since I'm not really a fan of pansies, I'm looking for something different this year if it will survive.

    It is south exposure. Any suggestions?

    Thanks.
     
  2. Dana09

    Dana09 Active Member

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    Location:
    Vancouver Island BC
    You could always put an evergreen in its own pot in the soil in the container and move it in the spring.
    Something like flowering Kale will be colourful but I find they smell later on and they will use up the soil in the containers too.
    There are lots of great evergreens that go thru colour changes in the different seasons and some with great mounding form that can be had for not too much.
    How about a potted palm even?8a
    Or use for Halloween decorating with those orange lanterns for now or some squashes or gourds in a basket or on rocks on the soil
    and then Xmas or other seasonal holiday can be done when it is time.

    I have seen local businesses use their empty planters filled with soil for placing branches of evergreens and holly for the winter months. The soil keeps the greens moist enough and those can be had for little. Or get little trees & dress them up with lights for xmas if that is your bent.
    Or if you keep bonsai, place them there for the winter. Sometimes you can get a runt for little cost and do some bonsai-like topiary cutting for effect and create an interesting shape for small cost.
    If it continues dry mums will be good for a while yet.

    Nurseries are always getting in new varieties and there may be something interesting out there.

    I have noticed lettuce come up far earlier in spring than I had thought it would after it had gone to seed in the fall in the garden. If you have something more temporary in the containers you can experiment with early starts. If we do have a warmer El Nino year as forecast, you might get lucky that way.

    There's a Viburnum that blooms in winter, white flowers, metallic blue berries.
    D
     
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2009
  3. ErWe

    ErWe Member

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    Location:
    near Vienna, Austria (Europe)
    the viburnum would be Viburnum davidii.

    You could plant hellebores (Helleborus x orientalis), and transfer them to a shades spot in the garden later on. Heathers (Erica sp.) are winter blooming as well.
     

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