Here is the Recipe I ended up using:
1 Tropicana Gold - the invisible major Thriller - free- I chopped it out of another container I already had ($20 if you are not so lucky)
5 Calla Lilies - I think these are minor thrillers - currently invisible - free - ditto on the chopping (?? $10 if you have to buy them in bloom)
1 Duranta erecta Golden Dewdrop 'Gold Edge' - filler - $1.88
3 green/white kale - filler.40 each - $1.20 total
1 - Ipomoea - spiller $2.00
3 blue Salvia - filler - .40 each - $1.20 total
I have spent barely over $6.00 on this big container and I am totally gaga over it! You will have to use your imagination because the main (free) plants are currently invisible. See that white stalk in the back? It's the 'Thriller'- the star, the big Honcho...
You will understand that when you see what it is going to look like:
Just imagine those bold yellow/green striped leaves as a background for this container. Then imagine these corms in front of the striped leaves....these are calla lilies....
can't envision it?
OK, this is what those little corms will turn in to...white-spotted leaves and big yellow flowers...
Now imagine five of those in front of the big yellow/green striped canna leaves.......... their smaller whitel-spotted leaves against the big stripes.....push some smelling salts under my nose........I am about to faint in anticipation!
The bold yellow edged plant in the front of the calla lilies is "Gold Edge' Duranta. I have never used it before so I googled it.... OMG *BIG SQUEAL...it blooms with little yellow balls of fruit!!! Could it possibly be any better than that!!!
Just imagine that bright yellow filler growing tall with golden orbs hanging from its branches....it's a Texas native, but I so hope it will bloom in Michigan! Notice I added an Ipomoea right in the front. This will grow like crazy and cover the entire blue container in no time. I will keep cutting it back so that some of the blue shows through. After all I planted three blue salvia just to coordinate with the color of the container. The Tropicana 'Gold' will eventually bloom with a nice medium orange flower. It won't bloom until late July or August. If I find the flower color distracting, I will just cut it off.
I am entirely giddy over this unique (at least I have never seen it done) combination. If it looks even half as good as I expect it to, I will be thrilled!
5/30/11
I added these yellow daisies:
Now if only those big bold Tropicanna Gold leaves would appear....Oh, dear, what if I put the wrong Tropicanna in here? Bummer.....................................if that turns out to be the case! It's pretty tough to know exactly what you are planting when you only have one sun-deprived white shoot to go on....
Calm down Zoey....you'd better relax and do some clothes shopping LOL
ReplyDeleteBalisha :)
I can't wait to see the lilies in full bloom and leaf! Woo-love cobalt blue and yellow flowers, so you have me watching this one with great interest!
ReplyDeleteYou need to keep us updated on the growth. I just adore the different shades of green in the pot. It should be stunning!
ReplyDeleteAnd I walk with scissors in the garden too! Makes it much easier doesn't it?