I have 2 cement urns that I want to place on either side of the front of my mobile home. I am looking for a couple of evergreens that can be shaped round. Would any of you have any suggestions? The only thing that comes to mind, is boxwood. These urns will be placed on the north side of my house where it is mostly shaded with some morning sun on the NE side and a bit of afternoon sun on the NW side.I am trying to think of something different from boxwood as I'm going to have a boxwood hedge around the front of the house. I really appreciate your help. Thank you.
first, what are the dimensions of the urns? specifically the inside dimensions. are they plain cement or are they painted? are there drainage holes in the bottoms?? as for plants - are you looking for something that will be tall/very tall or would you rather have something that will only get a couple of feet tall at the most? do you want something that just stays green or would you prefer something that blooms? are you set on something that is perennial or would you be interested in something(s) that are annuals - and if so, would something that can be unpotted and overwintered inside be of interest?
Jocelyn, Sorry it took me so long to answer this post but I had to wait until the weekend to have my urns delivered so I could measure them for you. Okay, they are both 10" deep, and 13" diameter. They are solid cement. Yes, they have good drainage holes in them. I was thinking of cutting 2 round circles of filter cloth and adding a couple of rocks at the bottom before planting. Would that be okay? I want something that stays green all year round with tiny glossy dark green leaves (if possible) would Japanese Holly work? or Boxwood? I like the idea of a rounded shaped shrub. They will be placed on either side of my mobile home, which faces north. The NE side gets the morning sun and of course afternoon sun on the NW.Thanks for all your help.
i wouldn't bother with the cloth/rocks treatment. maybe just one piece of rock that's large enough to cover over the drain hole so that the soil doesn't constantly wash out - try to get a rock that is curved on one side or use a piece of a broken pot so that the hole isn't completely stopped up and excess water can still drain out. the holly would be ideal if you want it to keep color all year round - they don't grow all that fast so you'd have a while before they get too large for the containers. the boxwood would also work...grows faster and would need trimming on a regular basis to keep it from looking scraggly...the plus with the boxwood is you can really do things with the shape - squared off, rounded, hourglass shape, etc. the holly would not need as much trimming as boxwood...and the holly would look nicer, too, and definitely all year round. those containers aren't that large, so you'll want something that doesn't grow all that fast. and, when it comes to most bushes/trees, what you see above ground is what you'll have underneath, so, you'll want something that doesn't get all that large or grows too quickly or you'll end up with it being root-bound far sooner than you'd want. the holly would work for short-term; after 5-6 years, it's going to need planting in the ground (they get pretty tall over time). you might do better with some kind of topiary type tree/bush. the only maintenance would be occassional trims and then, every few years, unpotting to trim back roots. what is your hardiness zone?
To cover drain holes to prevent dirt loss in pots I use old window screening cut to size. The new stuff has some sort of a plastic coating and so far I've seen no ill effects. Bl
I am in Zone 8. Fraser Valley, BC. I am really happy to get your help. Thanks soooo much. Is there such a thing as a mini-boxwood? Would that work? So, do you think you would go with a boxwood or a japanese holly in my containers? Thanks again.
personally, i don't like boxwood so i'd opt for the holly! :) that's just my preference, though!! now, you're in a warmer zone than i am, so, there are actually many more choices due to easier weather conditions. i hope others will make some suggestions!! you may want to go to a few different garden centers to see what's available as well as to speak with some of the staff as they may have some suggestions that would work well in the area you're in.
Hi Jocelyn, I think I'll go with the j. holly if it is suitable for the size of my urn. I like boxwood but I'm planning on creating a nice little hedge around my lawn with the B/W.. That's why I was looking for something different for the urns. I really appreciate your helpful ideas.
Another appealing choice might be nandina, or heavenly bamboo. This isn't a true bamboo, so it won't outgrow the pot. It produces bright scarlet holly-like berries, and has a lovely feathery appearance year-round -- a nice visual and textural contrast to the solid green of your boxwood hedge. Some varieties take on interesting red leaf tones in the winter, so you get some seasonal variation, though it retains its foliage all year.
oh! that's a fabulous idea, kaspian!! and you wouldn't have to do anything to it for overwintering (we have to wrap it here).
Nandina sounds pretty Kaspian. Thank you for your idea. I want to be sure that my color scheme works. Will this work with a row of rhodies with big red trusses? and a Burgundy Lace JM? or would all this be too much red? Does it have green foliage at certain times of the year too?
