Porch planters

It was a rainy day in Lambertville, NJ, but that didn't stop us from wondering in and out of the shops. If you have never been there or to New Hope, PA (which is just a quick walk across the bridge), it's filled with quaint boutiques and galleries.  And, if you walk a few blocks off the main street, you can find some beautiful Victorian homes. These are the places where it's easy to find home and garden inspirations.  I noticed this buttery yellow stucco home with black shutters and lots of iron work.  What really drew my attention were the plantings. 

They did not have a lot of planting space in the yard, but they made the most of it.  They alternated two plants against the house and a continuous row of impatiens along the fence. What I really like about this garden is the color scheme and how the plants in the ground relate to the plants in the planter.  All the flowers are white and some of the plants have green and white variegated leaves.  Also notice that the plants are in terracotta pots, which relate back to the stucco finish of the home. The great part about using pots is that the homeowner can easily change out the plants depending on the season, month, or even their mood.

It has the three components of a great container garden -- range of heights, color, texture.  The topiaries lead your eye up, while the ivy and vines bring your eye back down. Most plants look good together, but a good color scheme appears more thought out.  This monochromatic palette of white looks modern and sophisticated.  And, finally, the similar shape of all the leaves gives a soft relaxing feeling.  All of which add to an eye catching planter and a welcoming front porch.

Ladew Gardens, Monkton, MD

Since it's summertime, I will posting a lot about plants and flowers. I love container gardening! I always look forward to planting the urns and pots at home.  While we don't have any, I think flower boxes beautify almost any home.  For rural or suburban homes, they can help continue flower beds and draw your eye up the face of your home.  For urban homes, they are one of the ways to add some greenery to a sea of brick, stone, or siding.  I think plants in general help to soften hard lines and surfaces and add a welcoming touch to your home.

(www.ladewgardens.com

On a day trip to Ladew Gardens, I saw these beautiful flower boxes filled with all types of succulents.  This a great example of texture and color.  These are two of the factors to think about when selecting plants for containers.  The shades of greens, yellows, purple, and blue-silver give this box excitement and the textures and various sizes of similarly shaped leaves add a great complexity to otherwise simple plants. I could see this box on the first floor of a city brownstone, so every passerby can get a great look.  I don't think it would work quite as well on a second story window since many of these plants do not grow too high or dangle over the edge.

There are plenty of premade boxes to choose from at home and garden centers. Or you can create and build your own.  Make sure they can easily drain and be removed if needed.  Happy gardening.