Hooray for summer blooms!
You may recall our April newsletter listed our favorite tried and true summer plants we have used for many years in our container garden designs. This season, we have used some new (to us) plants in our container garden installations and have been so pleased with the results.
One of Elizabeth's favorite filler/spillers for sunny spots is trailing periwinkle. It starts small but will start to really fill out once the weather warms up. You can see the pink trailing periwinkle in the photo above. We have also planted with the white and purple periwinkle and love them all equally.
If you are looking for a pop of pink, purple or white, check out globe amaranth (gomphrena globosa). The gumball shaped flowers are just about the cutest things you have seen. These beauties love full sun. Such a fun filler!
We have used several varieties of cordyline this summer and are in LOVE! They are also known as "ti" plants. This is a dramatic thriller with richly colored variegated leaves. Perfect for shady spaces.
A Eugenia topiary is such an elegant thriller if you have a sunny spot. It's important to note that they don't like to dry out and they don't last outside in freezing temperatures. Even if won't last all year long, it will look great all summer and fall until frost...and who doesn't love a topiary!
Julie and I are testing additional plants and flowers in our own yards this summer and look forward to incorporating them in our container garden designs next year. We'll keep you posted on our faves!
Mosquito Repellent Plants
We love most everything about summertime, but not those annoying mosquitos. Don't let them ruin your time spent outdoors! Here are a few plants you can add to containers or flower beds to help keep those pesky bugs at bay.
Mint - Julie uses mint on her deck to ward off mosquitoes. Many people like to flavor their iced water or tea with mint, but this plant also contains aromatic properties that mosquitoes dislike. Julie suggests planting mint in a container, as it is invasive and will spread like wildfire if planted in a flower bed.
Lavender - Julie planted loads of perennial lavender because mosquitos don't like the scent of the plant due to its natural essential oils.
Marigolds - Most people who grow vegetables tend to plant marigolds amongst the veggies, and for good reason. These magical flowers help banish many types of insects including mosquitoes.
Lantana - This annual flower (pictured above) is another great choice, since mosquitoes dislike bright and vibrant colors. The scent of the flowers helps to ward off the little buggers. Lantana is extremely heat and drought tolerant and is an excellent filler/spiller in containers.
Lemon balm - This perennial has a great lemon scent that wards off mosquitoes effectively. Lemon balm grows quickly in moist and well-drained soil and likes to be watered at least once a day. Rub the leaves with your fingers - this will be your new favorite if you love the smell of lemon! Make sure to plant this in a container because this is another fast spreader.
Other plants to use to ward off mosquitos are citronella, rosemary and basil. Hopefully using a few of these plants in your yard will do the trick in keeping mosquitos at bay.
Edible Container Gardens
One of our favorite things to do in the summer is to grow our own herbs. We use them when we cook and to create some fun seasonal cocktails.
Basil is a fantastic herb to grow in an outdoor pot. We harvest it a few times during the summer to make fresh pesto and then freeze the rest to enjoy during the winter months. As the basil grows you will want to remove the flowering part at the top of the basil stems. This means it is going to seed. You want the basil to keep its energy on creating big leaves and not spend its energy going to seed. Simply snip off the flowering part when you see it grow at the tops of the stems.
In the picture above we planted the basil in the middle since it will get the tallest. We added parsley, chives, sage, oregano, rosemary and mint as fillers and spillers around the basil. We used Berger organic potting mix and organic fertilizer.
We love to grill out during the summer months and what goes with anything and everything on a grill? Fresh corn! We have discovered a great recipe online from Allrecipes that includes nearly all the herbs in this container in one recipe. Check out the link to discover this deliciousness: Grilled Herbed Corn on the Cob. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
We'll be posting some of our favorite summer sips and snacks concocted with our herbs on our social media over the next few months, so stay tuned!
Let Adorn Help You
We all love pretty pots but not necessarily the upkeep, right? Especially in the heat of the summer! Let us know if you'd like to outsource the summer maintenance of your outdoor planters. Once a month, in June, July and/or August we'll pay your container gardens a visit to fertilize, deadhead, trim and treat for garden pests as needed. Our residential and commercial clients REALLY enjoy this monthly service! Let us know if we can help you maintain gorgeous planters all summer long.
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Curb Appeal Shout Out!
Julie recently had the pleasure of working with the owner of Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ to create an inviting outdoor look for her new restaurant in Overland Park, KS. They were starting from scratch with no planters at all. The first step was for Julie to consult with the owner on how many planters, style and size of planters and placement of planters. Next, Julie ordered 9 planters from one of our favorite planter suppliers, Crescent Gardens. Lastly, Julie created an outdoor oasis to welcome the patrons of this wonderful restaurant. And don't miss the 6 huge rectangular planters on the outdoor patio. The flower-filled outdoor pots soften the space, offer privacy for the diners from the parking lot and and have a fun tropical vibe.
We highly recommend eating at Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ! It is such a fun experience.