Container Gardening
Bring a Sunny Disposition to Your Container Plantings
CONTAINEDBRILLIANCE There’s just something about yellow Last month, I shared that tete a tetes signify the arrival of spring for me. I recently found myself thinking about what is it about tete a tetes that makes me feel so cheerful and happy. Is it something as simple as their color? Yellow symbolizes happiness. One…
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Narcissus ‘Tête `a Tête’ – The First Sign of Spring
CONTAINEDBRILLIANCE Narcissus ‘Tête `a Tête’ nodding to a new season’s arrival Because of the Narcissus ‘Tête `a Tête’, there is literally no need for a calendar to signify spring. One of the first signs of the new season, it offers up sweet fragrance, bright color and cheer. ‘Tête `a Tête’ is a French term,…
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Sowing Sweet Peas for Spring Container Charm and Beauty
CONTAINEDBRILLIANCE It’s time to sow those plans for spring! Seed racks begin rolling into the garden centers this time of year, and sweet pea seeds will be one of the many offerings. The sweet pea, Lathyrus odoratus, is a flowering plant that’s native to parts of the Mediterranean, but grown all over the world…
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Simple Ideas to Bring Festivity and Warmth to your Winter Container Plantings
CONTAINEDBRILLIANCE Winter is around the corner! I know this because daylight savings has ended, dogwood branches are bare, rose hips are visible, and I’ve shifted my drink of choice from a sweet chai latte to a Tiger Spice Chai latte. These things — seeing the bare branches, noticing gorgeous winter colors, and walking past…
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10 Tips For Planting Your Fall Containers
CONTAINEDBRILLIANCE Fall reminds us that change can be beautiful. While fall brings opportunity for fresh starts, new beginnings and rejuvenation, it’s always a little hard to say goodbye to summer. For those of us in the Pacific Northwest, gone are the long days of sunlight, and host of outdoor activities, dining and socializing. It’s…
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Garden-to-Glass: Container Gardens to Spice Up Your Summertime Beverage
I recently returned from a blissful long weekend boating on the Columbia River with dear friends. One is a budding container gardener, the other (wrongly!) claims to be incapable of putting together any sort of container planting. I took the opportunity to host an informal Q&A on the topic. Both wanted to know more about…
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Hot Summer Tips for Water-Wise Container Gardening
CONTAINEDBRILLIANCE The heat has arrived and forecasters throughout the nation are telling most of us that it’s going to be an unusually warm and dry summer. This can be stressful not only for us, but for the container plantings we care for. How do we get the best from our container gardens — which…
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Soil: The Underrated Secret Sauce
CONTAINEDBRILLIANCE Soil is the secret sauce to beautiful container plantings that’s often not considered enough. Choosing the right soil is the foundation to any successful container planting. The quality of your potting soil is the key to ensuring that you have happy, healthy plants which will receive the nutrients they need to grow. If…
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Tips for Choosing Your Next Garden Container
CONTAINEDBRILLIANCE Ready to Purchase a Container? March is a wonderful month to shop for outdoor containers. Retailers typically have received new arrivals, and offer a wide selection. Many run beginning-of-the-season sales to help them move product from previous seasons, making for some great value purchasing. Despite this, in March they aren’t crazy busy with…
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Let’s Talk Pruning!
CONTAINEDBRILLIANCE Container Garden Pruning 101 BRRR! It’s cold outside. How are you spending your time during these cold, dark, February days? A fair amount of my time has been spent indoors dreaming up future container plantings for spring but I’ve also been kicking around my yard, lightly pruning my Diane Witch Hazel, bringing in…
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