Sunday, August 14, 2011

Container Plants

First I need to show you this calla lily. It's the first time I have ever seen one like this. It's a Siamese twin calla! The two flowers share one stamen. I just thought it was pretty unique.

After the big winds from last week, I had to rearrange all the tall flowers  on the deck because they were separating and starting to flop. I moved the green table so I could use the house wall as a windblock. This area happens to get hot afternoon sun and most of my containers have tropical plants that love the sun.  I put a huge pot of rather dull purple/white Rembrandt dahlias against the blue door.


I left a nice wide walking area as this is the main entrance to the deck. You can tell I am doing this very early in the morning as the dew is still on the floor.

I put the table under one of the plant pictures on the lattice wall where it would be shaded from that hot sun.  Later in the afternoon, I sat there with an afternoon glass of wine and enjoyed being able to see both sides of the new arrangement.  Side One:
Side 2:
Did you notice the orange cosmos at the bottom of the plant clusters on both sides?
I grew them from seed last year and they reseeded themselves in the long containers that I saved. 
 I am thrilled as they are so nice and thick this year.
Each long planter also had 3 cannas in it. The cannas all died. I was pretty bummed about that until I saw the cosmos.  Now I am happy because they work great to perk up the bottom of container combinations.

The big green/white striped leaves are from Tropicanna 'Gold'.

No blooms yet on 'Gold', but Tropicanna 'Black' in the background is throwing up a new bloom almost daily. 

It's been raining since Friday afternoon, so I have not had much time to enjoy the new set up. I think it is going to stop today, which will be good as we have a family picnic at the lake this afternoon.


10 comments:

  1. Such a nice spot to sit and enjoy the world.
    Wanted to thank you for the input on the pink mallow---I think I'll be avoiding it.
    :)

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  2. Your porch is incredibly beautiful! I wish I were sitting there with you, enjoying a nice glass of wine! We'd have LOTS to talk about, wouldn't we?
    xox

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  3. Beautiful Zoey. The Calla is interesting. I am envious. Don't know what I did wrong but my Cannas did not store well, they rotted. I think it must have gotten to dry in the hall closet or something. Yours are beautiful though.
    Cher Sunray Gardens

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  4. You really do have to tell how you store your pots! When you cut them down, what conditions they are in in your basement and all that, because when I tried it, the same thing happened to me as did Cher!

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  5. I have had no luck overwintering cannas, either. I had a Tropicanna and killed it promptly. For years I had calla lilies and dug the bulbs and stored them, I had literally hundreds of 'em, until one winter someone tossed a heavy bag of something or other on top of the tote they were stored in and all of them rotted. Oh, well, easy come, easy go. I didn't have any beautiful yellow ones like you have, especially fancy ones that sport twin flowers!

    Love your deck, I have to think about making things around here more inviting. Your deck is so lush and tropical, like a Hawaiian paradise!

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  6. You have some beautiful container plants Zoey. The Calla lily is amazing. When I first saw the picture I wondered what was wrong with it.LOL! I have the Rembrandt dahlia too and was very disappointed with it. That is one I will not be saving this winter.

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  7. Zoey, Oh how I wish I had your deck and flowers. They are so beautiful.
    Barb

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  8. Zoey your deck with all those plants and flowers is just gorgeous..you should retire and spend your days there:)

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  9. Wow, this area looks so inviting-love all the blooms. I am glad you can enjoy it so much.

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  10. your deck is so inviting....

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