Recommednations please

Discussion in 'Container Gardening' started by clanless, Feb 8, 2017.

  1. clanless

    clanless Total Gardener

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    Hi All,

    I've been asked to recommend suitable plants for containers.

    The pots will be placed either side of a doorway, the plants must:

    - be evergreen;
    - have colourful flowers;
    - not grow too big - the pots are about 24" across I would say.

    Any suggestions as to suitable plants would be appreciated - ta.:blue thumb:
     
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    • shiney

      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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      There must be loads :scratch:

      How about Choisya Sundance. It flowers a couple of times a year and the golden leaves brighten up the area.

      Possibly some of the Abutilons but they need a bit of protection in the harsh winters.

      Pieris japonica 'Purity' - white flowers, hardy

      Some of the Hebes and Viburnums are suitable for growing in pots and being trained.

      I'll leave the rest to others :snork:
       
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      • Anthony Rogers

        Anthony Rogers Guest

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        I think a bit more information is needed Clanless......

        Where are you. North Wales could mean half way up Snowdon, in a sheltered valley or down by the coast.

        Are they in sun or shade predominantly?
         
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        • JWK

          JWK Gardener Staff Member

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          With containers you're not limited to the local soil type, so you can grow the really showy acid loving plants such as Azaleas and Camellias.
           
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          • clanless

            clanless Total Gardener

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            Thanks for the replies everyone.

            I'm not sure whether the pots will be in sun/shade - all I know is that he lives in York!!

            I'll ask next Thursday when I see him in work. Good point about using the correct compost - and some good suggestions for plants. I'll pass this information on :blue thumb:.
             
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            • FloraPie

              FloraPie Gardener

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              Moon rocks around the base of those flowers or flowering herbs better still!, will give doorway pots a beautiful and natural blue night glow. They look like white rocks during the day but at night, they offer a calming luminescence that you can see by (if you have enough of them :heehee:) Flowering herbs that would be great by a doorway: Spearmint, a gorgeous pinky white bloom and Thai Basil flowers in hues of purple and white and Pineapple Sage has a vivacious red :biggrin:
               
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              • shiney

                shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                @FloraPie those are nice suggestions for plants but are not really hardy in the UK. For most of the UK our plants are in the Australian equivalent of hardiness zones 1 and 2. :)

                I'm not sure what you are referring to with regard to moon rocks. :dunno: :biggrin:
                 
              • FloraPie

                FloraPie Gardener

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                Energy begets energy @shiney and those moon rocks are aquarium rocks that absorb sunlight during the day and in turn glow blue at night. 'Blue glow at night is a growers delight'.. or is that just another of grandma's..:heehee: :heehee: never mind.

                Zones freak me out a bit. If I want a particular plant, I just attempt to grow it regardless of the 1's, 2's and others, and especially if it's in pots close to the doorway of humans. And by gosh, it's worth a try! :)
                 
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                • ARMANDII

                  ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                  Agreed, FloraPie, I never take too much notice of what is said can't be grown or can be. At the moment I've got 5 Foxtailed Lilies [Erermurus elweii] freshly planted into pots and they can be difficult to grow in the UK. I've tried once or twice but failed to get them established..........but you've gotta keep on trying.
                  [​IMG]
                   
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                  • FloraPie

                    FloraPie Gardener

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                    Well exactly @ARMANDII :hapydancsmil: that's what one does!! Humanity made it to the moon (and back, and we are off to it again I hear, hip hip Space X!!) and with regards to our flora, our life source, we should never say never and always.. 'have a go mate'! :snork:
                     
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                    • shiney

                      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                      We have a number of acid loving plants that 'can't be grown in our soil'. As I've mentioned before, Mrs Shiney's attitude to that is "Shhh! If you don't tell them, they won't know". Works for us. :thumbsup:
                       
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                      • strongylodon

                        strongylodon Old Member

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                        Dwarf Pieris with a couple of Heucheras would look good.
                         
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