Saturday, February 13, 2010

Summer Containers Pt. 1


Needing an escape from the cold and all this
white stuff outdoors it is time to revisit last summer's
containers and make plans for this spring.




I am always looking for different containers to
plant flowers in or display them
on my visits to flea markets, yard sales, etc.
I will also enjoy looking for new ideas and
containers at the Central Ohio Home and Garden
Show which starts at the end of this month.




I have two tipsy pot displays in my garden beds.
They are both in shady areas so they are usually
filled with impatiens to brighten up the shady beds
where color is sometimes hard to find.



This one was so full by the end of summer that the
pots were all but hidden until the deers ate them in
late Fall.





An old foot tub filled with ugly orange pelargonium's.
They will not be back this summer since orange is not
a favorite color of mine.




A Salvation Army store find was this wooden tool
carrier. It is really a Boyd's Bear holder and says
such on the back side but turned around who can tell.




A new bright paint covering might be in order for the
tote box this spring.

Teapots make lovely flower pots.




An old coal bucket I have had around for years.
I think the bottom may not last this summer.





Don't throw away those old pitcher and bowl
sets. This $2.00 one makes a pretty flower pot.
Plant the pitcher and the bowl.




An old bird cage maybe.




Broken pots even have a place in the beds.




An old kettle.




Window Boxes.




An old washtub.





I built a small window box to put on the back of
the potting bench I built a few years ago.








An old ladder whether short or tall makes a
wonderful pot holder for the shade or sun.



These are just a few of my flower containers from
last summer and I hope it will give you some ideas
for flower containers. Anything that holds dirt is
a future flower pot.




Since the blooms are far and in between now
why not make a posting of your flower containers
of the past.




Happy Gardening Everyone!


30 comments:

Anonymous said...

What food for thought. You have presented here so many very original ideas for summer colour utilising a wide range of containers - there surely is something for everyone.

How disappointing for you that your autumn colour was eaten by the deer. I believe that they are something of a menace where gardens are concerned.

Jimmy said...

I love planting containers. It makes me feel so creative. But I always forget to water them and they look crappy in a month.

Unknown said...

Londa that' a great idea. Maybe I'll show mine. I love all of yours and I even have a couple that are similar, the old gray teapot, coalbucket, ladders, I have an old rusty toobox that believe it or not I got at a nursery.
Hey I love your tipsypots and what you planted in them. I've been going to make one for a year now and haven't. Also didn't know what to put in them.
Great post!

Lona said...

Edith: Last year was the first time I have had a real problem with the deers. There are more of them all looking for food and they got braver coming into the yard to get it. I will have to try some tricks this summer to keep them away.

Jim:LOL! A couple of mine get 'crappy' too if I forget to water them. You have so many pretties that you do not need the containers. I have too much shade and hard clay. So any trick works for me. ;-)

RG: Please show your containers I love seeing different ideas. Be aware I may steal your ideas though. LOL!

Rebecca @ In The Garden said...

What a beautiful post! I especially like the tilted pots & ladder, just beautiful. With our new canine addition, I may be looking at more container options this year, I haven't had many in the past. :) Rebecca

Anonymous said...

Hi Lona~~ I don't see your signature signage which forced me to scroll back to confirm that it was you. A creature of habit, I am. :)

Very nice containers. I love the white perlargonum with the variegated trailer. When the bottom rusts out on my containers I just "plant" them amid the flowers and plants in the garden for a nice little exclamation point.

I'm like you in that I'm always on the lookout for cool containers. I, however don't have the awesome galvanized stand-up wash tubs yet. A nearby house has one though and it's cute and I want to steal it. LOL

Thank you for the info on the clipart. I visited the two sites you recommended, then visited their links, and their links and more links and ooh, la, la. I didn't see your watering can but I found an amazing assortment of cool things. So, you are hereby officially an enabler and my addiction is alive and kicking. LOL Thanks friend. Stay warm.

Jean Campbell said...

Enjoyed every pic, so cheerful in cold February. I don't think I have passable containers to show -- containers are not my strong suit, but I love everybody else's.

Patsy said...

I enjoyed the walk in your garden so much. Thank you
Patsy
Happy Valentime's Day

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Such fun creative containers! I would love to try that ladder idea on my deck! :))

Victoria said...

Beautiful..fun.creative...whimsical..simply gorgeous! Just like you..i use everything too...and it is such fun! I love the pitcher ...lovely! Great post..
Kiki~

Lona said...

Rebecca: Good idea to keep them up until the new critter get use to it all.

Nell: With your pretty flowers and beds what is a container. LOL!


Patsy: I enjoyed looking back at them myself. LOL! Happy Valentines to you and your sweet Bennie.

Kate: Yes, you can get more plants on your deck with a ladder. LOL! Any excuse will do you know.

Kiki: Thanks so much. I guess I am a junk gardener at heart. ;-)

Grace girl I still cannot find the site where I got the watering can clip art. Ugh! I have looked and looked. Maybe they are no longer up.
Hey, anything else I can do to enable your addiction . LOL!

Christine B. said...

I noticed you had trailing lobelia in several of your containers. It is very popular up here in Alaska. Out city has signature "lobelia baskets" they do every year for downtown, with dark blue lobelia and yellow marigolds on top. It is supposed to symbolized the blue and gold of our state flag. Moose love lobelia and impatiens, but the geraniums, not so much. I'm really looking forward to planning my spring pots but it seems so far away still!

Christine B.

pogonip said...

Clay soil--no wonder you have so many intriguing containers!

Impatiens are essential color in my shady garden too--I just love them in orchid and hot pink.

Amy said...

I enjoyed your post. You have some great containers! I love the containers with the impatients. I think I might need to go on a search for containers. :)

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

You have so many cute ideas! I love the flower combination in the window box. I'm not very creative in the container department but seeing post like yours definitely gives me inspiration.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Maybe I won't get rid of all of those pots I haven't used. You have given them a new life!

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Hi Lona,
I love all of your pots. I use some of those, too. I'll see about posting some containers after bloom day and possibly doing a house plant census. I am behind in blogging due to getting ready for my kitchen remodeling, which involves cleaning out spaces in different rooms in order to find places for different things. Plus, we are turning our former computer room into a play room for our grandson.

I hope seasonal weather comes soon. We are colder than normal this month.

Lona said...

Christine:I guess spring does come later to you. This winter is going to seem longer for many because it has touched so many this year. Hang in there. :-)

Pogonip: The soil around here is so poor. I live in a section with large rock formations so the soil is rocky and hard clay. It would cost a fortune to amend all of the soil so containers are a must have in my yard.

Amy: it is kind of fun to see what all you can use to plant flowers in. I will not resort to planting them in an old commode though LOL!

Catherine: I am not good with plant combination's either as you can tell with the clashing orange and pinks LOL!

GG:My son never throws anything out until he asks if I want to plant flowers in it. LOL!

Sue: Your kitchen is going to look terrific after it is all done. Why is it when you remodel that you end up moving and changing every room in the house to make room for the remodel LOL! I usually find stuff I can no longer remember why I keep it in the first place.

D said...

Lona, I love your tipsy pots! Great ideas, all. A friend of ours has a very old pickup truck and each summer she has petunias and such spilling out over the sides. Hope you are having a wonderful Valentine's Day. Diana

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

You are amazing! I haven't visit for awhile but I will be back often. I am a follower of yours but it's funny how we get so busy we drift away. Today I came and remembered why I followed you in the first place. You fill that wish in my heart to make my garden beautiful! I have the ladder..now wanting to paint it! :) I look for pretty things at garage sales to use in our yard.
I did not think of planting the bowl and pitcher, but you can bet I will this year. I have a couple of them..and now I know what I will do.
Thank you for this wonderful post. :)
It's nice out and things are wanting to bloom early..and I am already eyeing seeds and planning my above the ground garden. I can't wait!
Mona

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

:) I get confused with the "holding" thing. Have a wonderful love filled day!
Mona

Kelly said...

Oh yes....a much-needed escape. I especially loved the little teapot you've used as a planter. So pretty.... (more snow is on the way for us tonight....so these flowers were great!)

Bren Haas said...

Your photos are amazing! This was a wonderful post!
Happy Valentines Day!

Anonymous said...

Your containers are always inventive and beautiful! I'm so glad I got to see this reminder of summer once more. I especially like your tipsy pots, and have been thinking about making one myself. You must have your daughter take you to Franklin Park Conservatory. How about combining it with trip to the Home Show? They aren't far from each other.

Muhammad khabbab said...

wow the containers are inspiring. I am excited to try these soon. Being a container gardening enthusiast, i must say these are looking awesome.

Bangchik and Kakdah said...

Pots on top of another is such a sight. It definitely saves space and adds some creative element! ~bangchik

Unknown said...

Lovely containers--especially on such a cold, wintry February day! By the way, I love the roses in your new header. Very pretty. :)

Liz said...

Such wonderful containers... I don't have anything even remotely interesting as them, but I do love some of the simple lobelia ones, so romantic...

I've been trying to move away from using pots... But this may just convince me not to give up yet!

Anonymous said...

Hi Lona, I simply love the idea of using 'anything that holds dirt' as you say...Your containers are most creatively used.I'd love to use some of these ideas. Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful images.

Andrea said...

You're so creative in putting those slanting pots together upright on top of each other, i bet you put a wire through them, hehe. BTW, the collage of roses on the header is so fascinating.