Hi everyone! I hope you’re enjoying the cool weather and a nice cup of coffee—or seven. With winter right around the corner, I’ve been absolutely gushing over these container designs from New Jersey garden designers Ellen Goldfarb and Tracy Buttrick of What’s Blooming. The wheels are turning! Here’s another round of their winter container designs to inspire us.
These sturdy, no-nonsense planters stand guard on either side of an impressive entry in Saddle River, New Jersey. The challenge here is matching the weight of the pots and doors. We had to carefully avoid the glass lamps just above them.
We carefully placed birch logs and then filled around them with some golden curly willow (Salix matsudana ‘Tortuosa’, Zones 4–8) and berried Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis, Zones 4–9). The red berries are winterberry (Ilex verticillata, Zones 3–9). Greens are a bit of desert juniper (Juniperus osteosperma, Zones 3–9), noble fir (Abies procera, Zones 5–6), and incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens, Zones 5–8). We also used frosted pine cones, some lotus pods (Nelumbo cvs., Zones 4–10), and silver brunia.
Close-up of one of the planters in the previous picture
Another pot at the same house in Saddle River: This one sits at the front door, where we had the same challenge. We were working with chunky planters, limited porch space, impressive doors, and breakable lamps above.
We opted for thick bunches of redtwig dogwood (Cornus sericea cvs., Zones 2–7) against the off-white stone walls. We added lots of desert juniper, red winterberries, natural brown pine cones, some silver bell eucalyptus, noble fir, and incense cedar.
This pot and its twin on the other side of the door and landing stand in front of the one in the previous picture, but down one step. You can see a peek of the red branches in the background.
For contrast with the red planter in back, we used cooler colors: yellow twig dogwood (Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’, Zones 3–7), artificial white berries, and frosted pine cones. Finally, we added clusters of silver brunia, noble fir branches, and incense cedar.
A small planter on a covered porch in Saddle River, New Jersey, is crowned with southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora, Zones 6–10) leaves. Pieces of incense cedar peek through here and there. We love using seeded eucalyptus, and that year we found really pretty purple branches of it. Some natural brown pine cones and clusters of silver brunia complete the planting.
The tall branches are white-painted “sweet huck” branches (huckleberry) mixed with dark redtwig dogwood. Under them are branches of seeded eucalyptus and red winterberries, some frosted pine cones, a little noble fir, and incense cedar.
Thanks for another dose of winter container inspiration, Ellen and Tracy! It’s been such a joy to see your designs—you are both incredible artists.
And we’ll be back tomorrow for another round of winter containers. Hopefully you’ve spotted something you’d like to try or re-create in your own containers this season!
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, fill out the Garden Photo of the Day Submission Form.
You can also send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
Lee Valley Garden Obelisks
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Sturdy yet lightweight, these obelisks provide ample support for climbing plants while being easy to install and move. The medium obelisk stands 68 1/2″ high overall with a diameter of about 9 1/2″, compact enough for smaller containers indoors or out. The large size stands 86 1/2″ high with a diameter of 15 3/4″, ideal for larger outdoor spaces and containers.
The New Organic Grower, 3rd Edition: A Master’s Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener, 30th Anniversary Edition
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Since its original publication in 1989, The New Organic Grower has been one of the most important farming books available, with pioneer Eliot Coleman leading the charge in the organic movement in the United States. Now fully illustrated and updated, this 30th Anniversary Edition is a must-have for any agricultural library.
The Crevice Garden: How to make the perfect home for plants from rocky places
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
A crevice garden replicates the environmental conditions of mountain tops, deserts, coastlines, and other exposed or rocky places on earth. These striking garden features provide perfect conditions for the plants native to these far-off places, bringing the cultivation of these precious gems within everybody’s reach.
