58 Alden Lane Nursery
May 27, 2022
60 Plant Foundry
June 24, 2022
Senecio candicans ‘Senaw’ (Angel Wings Senecio), Osteospermum ‘Voltage Yellow’ (African Daisy), Lithodora diffusa, Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft) —Photo: Morton Residence
Got Pot?
N ow that I got your attention… Well do you? Call them what you will, pots or containers, containers or pots, same thing—whatever can hold soil, water and plants. Because throw in little knowhow and you not only Got Pot, you got one of my most favorite things: stand-alone loveliness!
Hosta (unknown variety, aka CRS), Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’, Daphne x susannae ‘Tage Lundell’
See what I mean?!?!
If you read and applied my 3-part series on container gardening (Containers, Plants, and How To) and created some loveliness for your garden or patio, then you can proudly say, “Yes! Got Pot!” If you didn’t, I’ve got more pot-induced inspiration for you right here!
During a recent trip with AP, I bought some plants at various nurseries and created this arrangement. (I’m gifted like that 
!)
Heuchera x villosa ‘TNHEUGA’ (Grande Amethyst Heuchera), Campanula glomerata ‘Alba’, Silene dioca (Red Campion), Verbena canadensis ‘Homestead Purple’
What beauty! Gives you a pot-inspired high, right?
Speaking of that, I went to AP’s house the other day to snap photos of her pot creations. She was away travelling somewhere and bummed to miss out on a house call from her favorite Plant Therapist () at the very low rate of $100 per hour (…my Friend’s & Family discount).
About AP’s yard—you never know what will greet you there. Best approach, keep breathing and just enjoy…
AP has definitely Got Pot!
BTW, can you spot a common plant in her yard? Yes. Petunias! I’ve told you she’s Got Issues…but look at the fantastic frothy beauty Petunia Pot gives you.
AP bought a Caramel Yellow Petunia a few years back during our travels. She killed it somehow (sigh), but not before I was able to take a cutting. This was Fall, 2020, and luckily the daughter survived my winter cold that year AND the following year. Go figure, because my petunias never make it past November. So this one’s got me hooked!
Here is that cutting, now thriving with Pot and looking great with Superbells.
Petchoa ‘Supercal Premium Caramel Yellow’, Calibrachoa hybrid ‘Superbells White’
Of course I took another generation of cuttings and grew 6 grandchildren.
Now grown, 2 of them are in pots on either side of a swing, and 3 ended up on my kitchen deck.
Yes, I Got 4 Pots there. I broke the odd-number pot rule ‘cuz I can. Since all 4 pots belong to the same color family, I unified the look by putting same-colored flowers in 3 of them. And there’s my odd number. Clever huh?! ‘Cuz I am.
You might wonder why on earth I would put that pink-flowered Lewisia in the arrangement. (Lewisia cotyledon ‘Sunset Strain’ )
Well, one, its low container fits nicely with the other pots of varied heights, and, two, next to it used to grow a Sedum morganianum (Donkey’s Tail) that sadly suffered death by winter. Then the Lewisia decided to rebloom! Bonus! (Maybe because it Got Pot all to itself…)
The 6th granddaughter? ‘Cuz I’m nice I gave it to AP.
But who needs flowers?
Got Pot? Get Foliage!
Euphorbia x martini ‘Tiny Tim’ (Martin’s Spurge), Lomandra longifolia ‘Platinum Beauty’, Ligularia tussilaginea ‘Argenteum’ (Silver Variegated Ligularia), Pinus strobus ‘Tiny Kurls’ (Dwarf Curly White Pine)
All evergreens there and nicely settled in a cobalt blue container now nestled in Snow White’s garden. I got the Dwarf Curly White Pine in Corvalis, Oregon, at Home Grown Gardens mentioned in my post #20.
Speaking of past posts, here’s my Cherry Drops Azalea that was just a baby in post #18. It Got Pot in 2020. Just look at her now!
Filled out and gorgeous. And that red is so vibrant it appears blurry. Stunning!!!
Here’s another Lewisia—all grown up from another past post.
Lewisia longipetala ‘Little Peach’
When you came across Little Peach and other Lewisias in post #3 maybe you didn’t run right out to pot one up for yourself. But seeing Little Peach now, don’t resist! Get addicted. Lewisia grows well in pots—and good thing, because you want Lewisia placed near wherever you are. Love, love, love.
Galvanized troughs make good containers when you want that kind of Pot. You can’t see the trough in this pic because those violas are on Pot steroids!
Violas tricolor (Johnny Jump Up), Nemophila menziesii (Baby Blue Eyes)
FYI, that rooster came home with me from London. I wanted to buy many things on that trip, but this was the only thing that would fit into a suitcase!
Pots can go almost anywhere and can fill many purposes. Here’s a former bare spot near my birch trees…
Cordyline (unknown variety), Coleus (various)
That space used to be just bare tree roots because the damn Vinca minor flat-out refused to be invasive in that direction. (What the heck!?)
Took me years to find the right pot—low and wide enough to fill the space and NOT grab all the attention. I wanted plants to be the star attraction, and I have to say they are.
I put the arrangement together and set into place just a month ago. So pretty. Love, love, love the colors.
What to do if you Got Extra Pot?
You’ll find some of that to the side of my greenhouse door…
Acanthus ‘Whitewater’ (Bear’s Breech), Gardenia jasminoides ‘Kleim’s Hardy’ (Cape Jasmine), Colocasia (Elephant Ear), Acanthus mollis (Bear’s Breech), Pieris japonica ‘Temple Bells’ (Lily-of-the-Valley), Succulent (unk variety)
It’s my catch-all collection of pots I don’t have a place for yet, or that I think are ugly or the wrong color. I put them to use holding plants that haven’t yet told me where to put them in the landscape.
And that gardenia? I have a habit of killing gardenias. I bought this one for a customer’s landscape but ran out of space for it there. So I kept it, thinking, “What the hell…let’s give it a go.” And finally! A gardenia that refuses to die! Maybe the Pot makes it feel life’s worth living.
I bought the 3-tiered metal bin (photo center) at The Lighting Palace in East Sacramento where they feature antique and vintage lighting. I’ve mentioned this store in my blog somewhere but through my brain fog lately I can’t remember where. Actually, maybe I haven’t mentioned it. I’ve been blogging now for almost 2 years, and WHO can remember THAT far back?
Anyway, that container is very old. The store owner thought it might have been used for grain. Could be, but I’m going to use it for succulents…when I get around to it.
What are you going to do when you get around to it?
Got Pot? No? Then Get Pot and Use Pot. It will make you feel real good!
