Pots full of flowers brighten our decks, balconies, doors, windows, and our moods. No matter your space, you can bring warmth and color to it, flex your style muscles, and show off your personality. Pots come in any shape, size, style, and price and you don’t have to limit yourself to flowers.
If you are thinking that this is all good info for next year, well you would be wrong. It is not too late to pot new plants or refresh a pot that is overgrown or may even still have spring annuals, (that would be my neglected pots :))
THE PRETTY POTTED PERENNIAL
The easiest and probably cheapest Perennial to pot right now would be Sedum Autumn Joy, which blooms from August to November. The flower has a pink bloom that matures to a rust color This plant is as dependable and adaptable as they come. My mom plucked a random Sedum growing in one of the cracks in my driveway, potted it, and left it on her balcony all year round. In 2 years that tiny plant has filled it’s pot.
This year I transplanted a Sedum that I potted about 8 years ago to a bigger pot next to our front door. I added Alyssum to keep it company until it filled the pot, which it already has. In fact it looks like it’s pushing the Alyssum right out of the pot.
Sedums come in many sizes and prices. You can start small for little $$ knowing this happy plant will grow fast whether you fertilize it or not.
YOUR ANNUALS NEED LOVE TOO – RE-FRESH YOUR POT(S)!
If the heat has finally gotten to your Pansies and Violas, well then they’ve lasted longer than mine. They really don’t like the heat and are usually spent by July. Your other annuals are probably looking a bit haggard by now too. No worries. You can easily refresh your pots with a good hair cut and a few new additions.
Cut back those leggy annuals now and you’ll have new growth and lush planter in a couple of weeks. I know it sounds ruthless but put on your gloves and get to it. Your plants will thank you. You know that great feeling you get after you’ve spent the weekend painting a room and putting up new curtains? Well you will get that same feeling only quicker and cheaper by just refreshing your pots.
Here are before and after photos of the pots I have in the front of the house. The Pansies and Violas were beyond tired and the Alyssum had gone to seed and yellowed. I bought a few new annuals from Home Depot, in coordinating eye popping colors. Bonus – the Zinnias came 2 to a pot!!!
AND AFTER
Now you can actually see the design again on this pot 🙂
I bought the annuals from Home Depot because not only was the price great at $2.50 each (and the Zinnias came 2 to a pot), but the plants were in great shape.
When you’re done giving your plants their “hair-cut”, bring a few inside, where hopefully it’s a little cooler.
