Sedum is always nice, it tolerates dry conditions and does flower some. I've also used Centauria, Lantana, Cosmos and those other little flowers that I can't remember the name of......
They did well in the hot sun next to my patio the past couple of years. If they surive the MN winters, they should survive yours.
Julie
----- Original Message ----
From: karen
To: gardenmessenger@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, January 4, 2007 12:53:54 PM
Subject: [gardenmessenger] rock garden plants in cement containers
I am giving a presentation to my garden group in a month.
I'm going to present why they should consider planting 4 large cement planters with rock
garden plants.
The planters are 3 ft deep and 4 feet square . The planters are in a public garden and have
previously been doted over with annuals by someone else. That someone else has moved
away.
My group has decided this should now be our group donation to the community. Funds for
plant and soil purchases are available.
I think I could at least suggest something with less maintenance than annuals. The garden
group members are all grandmothers who don't like working in the sun. I don't think they
realize how much work this could be. I'm not knocking grandmothers, here:) Just not sure
they are going to be able to carry a lot of water all summer. I am already in charge of
another community garden in my own town. I won't be there for maintenance work myself.
It could also be a learning experience as none of us has a rock garden of our own.
I have ordered a few library books as I know little about rock gardens. I could certainly use
your expertise.
Let me describe the site and you can suggest the easy keepers I should encourage them to
plant. THX
It's a full sun spot in town in NW IL zone 5a. We get 20 to 40 inches rain/yr.
It really varies that much! Yes, windy and no, I don't think there will be place to get water
closeby. It will have to be hand carried in. The planters are positioned far enough apart
that they do not have to match. So it would be possible to do different varieties in ea. like
acid lovers in one with the appropriate soil mix, and non acid plants with the approp. soil
mix in another.
We have been asked to NOT use anything growing over 12-18" tall in these planters. So
forget your basic planter design with a spike, thriller and spiller.
Although a thrillers and spillers would be cool!
Karen
__________________________________________________
I am giving a presentation to my garden group in a month.
I'm going to present why they should consider planting 4 large cement plant=
ers with rock
garden plants.
The planters are 3 ft deep and 4 feet square . The planters are in a public=
garden and have
previously been doted over with annuals by someone else. That someone else =
has moved
away.
My group has decided this should now be our group donation to the community=
. Funds for
plant and soil purchases are available.
I think I could at least suggest something with less maintenance than annu=
als. The garden
group members are all grandmothers who don't like working in the sun. I don=
't think they
realize how much work this could be. I'm not knocking grandmothers, here:) =
Just not sure
they are going to be able to carry a lot of water all summer. I am already=
in charge of
another community garden in my own town. I won't be there for maintenance w=
ork myself.
It could also be a learning experience as none of us has a rock garden of o=
ur own.
I have ordered a few library books as I know little about rock gardens. I c=
ould certainly use
your expertise.
Let me describe the site and you can suggest the easy keepers I should enco=
urage them to
plant. THX
It's a full sun spot in town in NW IL zone 5a. We get 20 to 40 inches rain/=
yr.
It really varies that much! Yes, windy and no, I don't think there will be =
place to get water
closeby. It will have to be hand carried in. The planters are positioned f=
ar enough apart
that they do not have to match. So it would be possible to do different var=
ieties in ea. like
acid lovers in one with the appropriate soil mix, and non acid plants with =
the approp. soil
mix in another.
We have been asked to NOT use anything growing over 12-18" tall in these pl=
anters. So
forget your basic planter design with a spike, thriller and spiller.
Although a thrillers and spillers would be cool!
Karen
http://ag.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/cont_plantlist.html
Julie
----- Original Message ----
From: batgirl1958
To: gardenmessenger@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, January 4, 2007 10:04:12 PM
Subject: [gardenmessenger] Re: rock garden plants in cement containers
I suggest you try some hostas. There are many beautiful varieties
that are tolerant of almost anything. They are almost maintenance
free and will flower in mid summer. Once established, they will come
back every year. You can always plant a few annuals amidst them if
you want more color.
batgirl
--- In gardenmessenger@ yahoogroups. com, Julie Yap
> Sedum is always nice, it tolerates dry conditions and does flower
some. I've also used Centauria, Lantana, Cosmos and those other
little flowers that I can't remember the name of......
> They did well in the hot sun next to my patio the past couple of
years. If they surive the MN winters, they should survive yours.
cement planters with rock
> garden plants.
> The planters are 3 ft deep and 4 feet square . The planters are in a
public garden and have
> previously been doted over with annuals by someone else. That
someone else has moved
> away.
> My group has decided this should now be our group donation to the
community. Funds for
> plant and soil purchases are available.
> I think I could at least suggest something with less maintenance
than annuals. The garden
> group members are all grandmothers who don't like working in the
sun. I don't think they
> realize how much work this could be. I'm not knocking grandmothers,
here:) Just not sure
> they are going to be able to carry a lot of water all summer. I am
already in charge of
> another community garden in my own town. I won't be there for
maintenance work myself.
> It could also be a learning experience as none of us has a rock
garden of our own.
> I have ordered a few library books as I know little about rock
gardens. I could certainly use
> your expertise.
> Let me describe the site and you can suggest the easy keepers I
should encourage them to
> plant. THX
> It's a full sun spot in town in NW IL zone 5a. We get 20 to 40
inches rain/yr.
> It really varies that much! Yes, windy and no, I don't think there
will be place to get water
> closeby. It will have to be hand carried in. The planters are
positioned far enough apart
> that they do not have to match. So it would be possible to do
different varieties in ea. like
> acid lovers in one with the appropriate soil mix, and non acid
plants with the approp. soil
> mix in another.
> We have been asked to NOT use anything growing over 12-18" tall in
these planters. So
I suggest you try some hostas. There are many beautiful varieties
that are tolerant of almost anything. They are almost maintenance
free and will flower in mid summer. Once established, they will come
back every year. You can always plant a few annuals amidst them if
you want more color.
batgirl
--- In gardenmessenger@yahoogroups.com, Julie Yap
> Sedum is always nice, it tolerates dry conditions and does flower
some. I've also used Centauria, Lantana, Cosmos and those other
little flowers that I can't remember the name of......
> They did well in the hot sun next to my patio the past couple of
years. If they surive the MN winters, they should survive yours.
cement planters with rock
> garden plants.
> The planters are 3 ft deep and 4 feet square . The planters are in a
public garden and have
> previously been doted over with annuals by someone else. That
someone else has moved
> away.
> My group has decided this should now be our group donation to the
community. Funds for
> plant and soil purchases are available.
> I think I could at least suggest something with less maintenance
than annuals. The garden
> group members are all grandmothers who don't like working in the
sun. I don't think they
> realize how much work this could be. I'm not knocking grandmothers,
here:) Just not sure
> they are going to be able to carry a lot of water all summer. I am
already in charge of
> another community garden in my own town. I won't be there for
maintenance work myself.
> It could also be a learning experience as none of us has a rock
garden of our own.
> I have ordered a few library books as I know little about rock
gardens. I could certainly use
> your expertise.
> Let me describe the site and you can suggest the easy keepers I
should encourage them to
> plant. THX
> It's a full sun spot in town in NW IL zone 5a. We get 20 to 40
inches rain/yr.
> It really varies that much! Yes, windy and no, I don't think there
will be place to get water
> closeby. It will have to be hand carried in. The planters are
positioned far enough apart
> that they do not have to match. So it would be possible to do
different varieties in ea. like
> acid lovers in one with the appropriate soil mix, and non acid
plants with the approp. soil
> mix in another.
> We have been asked to NOT use anything growing over 12-18" tall in
these planters. So
The one's that I've purchased at garden centers here are not thorny. I saw some growing "wild" down in TX last year too - that was not thorny either. There may be other varities.
The Lantana at my old house grew in containers. I think the size of the container may limit the size of the plant. THese grew to be 12 - 18 inches high. They were probably about the same width or maybe slightly more.
In the winter (central MN) I would put the containers in the garage in big buckets, fill the buckets with mulch, then wrap the whole mess in burlap. I don' think they would have survived outside. Where you live they may be OK outside with the mulch and burlap.
JV
----- Original Message ----
From: karen
To: gardenmessenger@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, January 7, 2007 7:26:51 AM
Subject: [gardenmessenger] Re: rock garden plants in cement containers
Thank you Julie and Batgirl :)
Julie I have a question on the lantana. How tall would it get and how big across? In a planter
here?
I think it's lovely but have no experience with it. In CA it grows into bushes for my sister.
Isn't it thorny?
Karen
__________________________________________________
Julie I have a question on the lantana. How tall would it get and how big a=
cross? In a planter
here?
I think it's lovely but have no experience with it. In CA it grows into b=
ushes for my sister.
Isn't it thorny?
Karen
> The Lantana at my old house grew in containers. I think the size of
the container may limit the size of the plant. THese grew to be 12 -
18 inches high. They were probably about the same width or maybe
slightly more.=20=20
> I use Lantana here in Northern Va because the deer dont eat it. It
gets pretty big, almost two feet and bushy. It isnt thorny although the
stalks or limbs on the plant are kind of rough, and they can scratch
you. I tryed keeping seeds this year but in order for it to keep
blooming you have to cut the seeds off. I left a few but they dryed
out. The hummingbirds LOVE it. I use mine as annuals. I buy them tiny,
maybe $5 for a small little annual pot, and by the end of the
summer/fall they are huge.... ~ Pat
ooppps I forgot to add, I grow it only in containers ~ Pat
Hi
Just thought I'd mention that Lantana are extremely poisonous, so don't plant them anywhere that stock could eat them (or kids) - I think that the berries are the poisonous part, but it could also be the foliage.
Cheers
Karen
Auckland, NZ
