I recently emptied two large pots sitting in our front entry area and relocated their contents. Those pots stood empty for more than three weeks, which surprises even me. While I think an empty pot can add mystery or perhaps an artistic touch in a well-placed spot in a garden, I'm not capable of leaving mine unplanted for long. It's arguable that the front entry isn't the right place for empty pots anyway.
This week, on a trip to the local garden center to pick up compost and planting mix (my usual excuse for such trips), I discovered several plants that I thought would do to fill those empty pots. My choices are a little iffy as one of my key plants has shown itself to be short-lived and I've killed another at least twice but I plunged ahead anyway. Those empty pots were starting to bug me.
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| The empty pots in question, photographed in January |
The plants I chose to fill the two blue pots were these:
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| This is Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata' (aka mint bush). It produces lovely purple blooms but the scented foliage alone is worth its inclusion in the garden. They never survive more than a couple of years in my garden yet I still love them. |
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| This is Boronia crenulata 'Shark Bay', the plant I've killed twice |
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| I filled in with Nemesia '7th Heaven Mix', white Violas, and Lobularia maritima (sweet alyssum) |
The effect is muted but pleasing. Both the
Prostanthera and the
Boronia are Australian natives that can get by with partial shade. I expect the mint bush could grow to 4x3 feet and the
Boronia to roughly half that size in their pots. It's an experiment - and I've been known to swap out potted plants seasonally in any case.
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| One of 2 identical pots |
But I didn't leave things there. You see, there was this
Pericallis hybrid I'd been eyeing for some time and the garden center finally got a supply of smaller plants in stock. I couldn't pass it up. One came home with me and I popped it into an empty pot I had stored behind the garage.
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| This is Pericallis 'Senetti Magic Salmon'. Isn't that flower color fabulous? |
I couldn't get a great after shot of the front door area as it's still shady.
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| My conclusion is that I could use a few more pots here. I'll get to that at some point. |
Today and tomorrow are supposed to be warmer, with a chance of rain late Sunday and Monday. Perfect for planting. Luckily, reinforcements arrived right on time.
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| I used the gift card a friend gave me for Christmas |
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| My haul includes (clockwise from the upper left): Lobelia fistulosa, Echium wildpretii, Lupinus propinquus, Erysimum x allionii (2), and Clarkia unguiculata (3) |
I hope you enjoy the weekend, whatever your weather.
All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
