Containers are a great way to work more color into the landscape, whether you’re filling a gap in a garden bed or brightening a spot where planting in the ground can be difficult. They can be especially useful beneath mature trees, where established roots often make digging a challenge. Today we’re visiting Linda in Hinckley, Ohio (Zone 6b) who uses containers throughout her garden to bring color to all kinds of spaces.
We have lived here for 15 years on 1 acre, which had no gardens when we arrived. I have been working on incorporating native plants and have had great success with many of them. I especially enjoy watching the pollinators that visit.
Canna (Canna cvs., Zones 7–10): Because cannas aren’t reliably hardy in Linda’s Zone 6b garden, the rhizomes can be lifted after frost and stored over winter for planting again in spring.
My front garden, which is about 3 years old, with Ivory Halo Tatarian dogwood (Cornus alba ‘Bailhalo’, Zones 3–7) on the left, sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale, Zones 3–8) in the middle, and seven-son flower (Heptacodium miconioides, Zones 5–9) on the right
Orange black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata, Zones 10–11): It has done fantastic this year.
Pink black-eyed Susan vine, salvia, petunia (Petunia hybrid, annual), and perennial ornamental grass in a driveway planter
One of five native gardens in the backyard: I enjoy seeing which pollinators visit which plants.
My coleus garden under a maple tree: These coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides cvs., Zones 10–11) are all in large pots because it is difficult to plant under this tree. This is my favorite look.
My window box in the front yard includes coleus, trailing begonia (Begonia hybrid, annual), silver dichondra (Dichondra argentea, Zones 10–12), annual ivy vine, petunias, and a lime green vine whose name escapes me. The lime green trailer appears to be creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia, Zones 3–9).
Thanks for sharing your garden, Linda! Your coleus display under the maple is such a smart use of containers, and I love how much color you’ve worked into the spaces around your home.
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