Day 90 - My Big Fat Redneck New Years Eve

I'm still dwelling in the laid of no wireless, stretching my levels of creativity and forcing me to mingle with the natives of this land. Natives who just happen to be self-professed rednecks and delightfully entertaining to spend new year's eve with. The home I was invited to visit was deeply surrounded by massive pecan and peach orchards but provided me with little in the way of container gardens. But my host did suggest that their fire pot could have a dual purpose as large planter in the spring. Anyone want to guess what this fire pot was originally?



A washing machine inner tub!
Don't throw anything away. These south Georgia folks will find a purpose for it.
By the way, we feasted on roasted hot dogs (my first in about 15 years), potato chips, the best caramel cake you ever tasted, and muscadine wine. My neck is glowing a nice shade of red.

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Day 89 - Blogging Without a Laptop

Once again I've found myself in the land where no laptop dare roam so I'm blogging from my Droid phone. My pictures are limited so please forgive me if I've repeated a picture. This is an evergreen dogwood in the middle of this container after temperatures in the teens- highly underused in my zone 6 weather. I hope to get out tomorrow and get pictures of momma's zone 8 winter planters.

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Day 88 - When Repurposing Really Looks Good

You've just remodeled your kitchen and you have your two large iron pot racks that you won't be using any more. This homeowner chose to turn them upside down, line them with cocomat and have a lush foliage windowbox along her shady north-facing home.

Day 87 - Classic Meets Kitschy

I took this quick photo of this classic planter planted with sedum while visiting beautiful gardens in Raleigh, NC. I admired the fact that this beautiful sculpture is like a sweet secret hiding behind the Ruellia. Then, when I was looking over all my pictures I noticed something else hiding.

This little sculpture obviously doesn't take itself TOO seriously- he's carrying a gnome forest on his head!

Day 86 - Please Pass the Primely Picked Parsley

This elevated garden, table centerpiece, or unique container garden - whatever you what to call this piece I saw at the BloomNGarden Show in Franklin, Tennessee - invites the fresh foodie crowd and begs to be delivered to my porch. I'd have to plant it up quick if I got one of these at my house; my house full of sons might think it's a giant feeding trough for a mega-banana split.

I spy Parsley, Acorus Ogon, and an assortment of sedums in this display.

Day 85 - Bright Winter Windowboxes

Winter long beauty in a window box is possible in our zone 6 Tennessee weather. Check out how these look after several nights of temperatures in the single digits.



Green and gold Euonomous flanked by Heuchera Electric Lime and Southern Comfort, Acorus Ogon and pansies (a little limp when I took this photo at 28 degrees)

The Greatest Story Ever Told

Love that began so humbly in a manger. Love that became so strong that a cross could not hold it. May the Love that came to earth that first Christmas find room in your heart.

Isaiah 9:6-7
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Joy to World - the Lord is Come!

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Day 84 - A White Christmas

These containers are lovely at is,
but what makes them even more enjoyable
is the view they give looking out over the winter lake.

Some Dreams Do Come True

Bing Crosby would have loved this Tennessee White Christmas

Day 83 - Twas The Night Before Christmas

And all through the house
There came great commotion from the sons and the spouse.
There was meat to be roasted and cookies to be made,
There were presents to wrap and games to be played.
So off to my laptop I quickly ran
To post today's planting as fast as I can.
And to wish you a Merry Christmas tonight
And to all, a good night!
Red Twig dogwood, Winter Jasmine, Iberis (Candytuft)

Day 82 - "A Container Carol" (it's Retro Thursday!)

The ghost of containers' past is revealing that this Red Wave Hibiscus was no Scrooge with its bright red blossoms all summer long. Surrounded with Lantana Golden Weeper, Calibrachoa Trailing Blue, and Geranium Purple Rose, this full sun planter brought cheer to all the pool dwellers in the village of Westhaven in Franklin, Tn.





I've had the dickens of a time trying to find this Red Wave Hibiscus to order for our planters this coming year. Bah HUMBUG!!! Someone needs to haunt my wholesale nurseries and scare me up some of these plants!

Day 81 - Last Minute Windowbox Christmas Decor

It's three days before Christmas and you just found out that all the in-laws need to come to your house for Christmas dinner. We won't go into the reasons why. But now those empty window boxes on the front of your house are just screaming for a little holiday attention. Here are a few more quick, low cost ideas that will help your home look like you've been planning on the relatives coming all season.

Cut fresh magnolia, hollies, cedars, pines, and junipers and add a bright bow or decorative Christmas balls.

Day 80 - Oh, Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree...

...How well you fit these planters.
Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree, you're really just a Blue Point Juniper.
Not only green when summer's here,
But also when 'tis cold and drear.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging!


O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me;
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Surrounded by Golden Child Ivy
And added in was blue pansy
Afforded me the greatest glee!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me.

Pictures taken yesterday by my co-worker, Yelena Petruk, of her plantings at McEwen Dwell Apartments.

Day 79 - So What's Wrong With One of These Containers?

Just pretend you're watching Sesame Street and you hear the tune,
"One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?"

That's kind of the way I felt after taking pictures of these four containers. There was something there in one of the pictures that just didn't belong. And I didn't even notice until I looked at the picture - arrrrgh!



Redtwig dogwood 'Bailey' (Cornus sericea), Leucothoe catesbaei 'Rainbow', and Acorus grass 'Ogon'
I think I have a little bit of "Minnie Pearl" in me - I'm always leaving a tag on some plant and not noticing until the container is up for display. My right hand man, Luis, tells me not to worry about it. He says it lets the clients know that the plant is new!
One more perspective on the red twig dogwood planting where you can see the tuft of Acorus grass that serves as a backdrop to the leucothoe and red twigs.