Container plants make a focal point
The kids and I lived in the pool this summer, trying to stay cool, and when they let me float around on my own, did I gaze peacefully up at the sky or the trees or even what I’d made of the new-baby garden during its first year? No. I stared with furrowed brow at an 8×6 foot section of one of the raised beds along the back of the house—an area with which I grew increasingly dissatisfied as the season wore on.
Before. Here is what bothered me so: this spindly, non-blooming, half-dead-looking ‘Dortmund’ rose that I inherited with the house, and a mish-mash of low-growing plants (mine) surrounding it. Nothing anchored the scene. The only vertical element was the rustic trellis and the browning rosebush. Two small pots on the right were lost in the jumble.
With a little rain and cooler weather recently, the rose started to show signs of life again. So I got out my loppers and shovel and offed it before it regained mass and I lost my nerve for the sake of a few red roses. Ruthlessness is sometimes necessary to achieve peace of mind, don’t you agree?
After. The space needed a focal point and some vertical interest that wouldn’t overwhelm the tight corner in a few years. I decided to use architectural container plants to get height and focus.
Bigger is usually better. So I jammed this corner full with two blue pots—one containing a variegated American agave, the other a golden barrel cactus and ‘Angelina’ sedum—that were sitting nearby on the upper patio. Remembering the 3-foot-diameter stock tank that I’d brought over from my old garden (where it served as a container pond), I added it to the grouping and planted it up with more xeric beauties: Yucca rostrata ‘Sapphire Skies’, ‘Sharkskin’ agave (I finally got one!), ‘Limelight’ artemesia (trying for the first time), santolina, and two golden barrel cacti. I ended up sticking a discounted yellow bells (Tecoma stans) in the corner, which will grow tall next summer and echo the yellow of the variegated agave, artemesia, and golden barrels. I don’t know what possessed me; these can get quite large. I’ll be pruning it hard as necessary to keep it from overwhelming the container plants.
For a change, I topped off the stock tank with ‘Texas Black’ gravel rather than decomposed granite. I also trenched a small dry streambed of New Mexico river rock. Since it’s been raining I’ve found that runoff from the roof tears through some of my new beds (the house lacks gutters). The dry streambed will direct water around my plants rather than through them.
If you’d like the specifics of how to make a xeric stock-tank planter, click here for a step-by-step post about one I made for my former garden.
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Those blue pots are stunning! What a lovely way to fill that corner. There’s something about that particular shade of blue that seems to just POP in the garden.
This looks so much better. Sometimes it is better to say goodbye to a plant, but this is something we learn with time. Thanks for this beautiful example.
It looks very pretty. It reminds me of the stock tank plantings at the local Chili’s here in the Jacksonville, FL area. They of course use xeric-type plants, yours looks nicer nd more maintained.
Jake
Oh Pam. I love how you just DO things! I could have looked at that 8×6 area for the better part of 3 years before moving something over there. Or more likely I would start to do something, and then not finish it. It looks really great and I love that black gravel. By the way – I love my book! Thanks so much!
Three months was about all I could take, Helen. 🙂 I’m glad you’re enjoying the book you won in the giveaway. —Pam
Great corner makeover, Pam! And I have to say BRAVO for the choosing of the Tecoma stans, which is one of my all time favorites! It DOES get big, but it’s worth it – those clusters of yellow bells become amazing flower bombs! I just put TWO in a client’s garden (yes, I am insane!) Where I wanted a big, floral, jungle-y display (they were accompanied by Otatea acuminata and Strelitzia nicholai), and we couldn’t be happier!
Those blue pots are fantastic – I must have them NOW!
And thank you so much for your comment on my recent blog entry – I feel better knowing that the gardeners I respect understand my difficult choice! You are the best!
XO!
Flower bombs is a good way to describe what Tecoma stans offers, Germi. It’s a great performer for hot, dry locations. I bet it does look great with Mexican weeping bamboo and bird of paradise. —Pam
It looks great! I really like the blue containers!
Looks great, Pam! The blue pots will look great with the bright yellow esperanza behind them.
I’m getting ideas! It’s beautiful!
I’ve been looking for black gravel like that. May I ask where you procured your supply?
Warren, I got it at Daniel Stone in Oak Hill (SW Austin). —Pam
You have made a stunning transformation to that area. When you get down to doing something you really get the job finished in no time at all. Wish I could do that. I’m the one who is still stuck on the pulling out aspect, although today I have been hard at work pulling out lots of the pink crystal grass.
I love the stock tank planter idea. I have a place I can’t add any more soil,,,too close to tree roots. But, one of those planters would be perfect.
Thanks for posting the link to the specifics. That’s going to help a lot.
I hope you got good rains, and none of the flash floods, in your neighborhood.
Very nice. It has continuity now and just flows around the corner of the pool. I love the color of those pots. It is so hard to be ruthless in regards to plants, but it is necessary occasionally.
That is HOT! Love your choices and that you got rid of what wasn’t working for you. I have always loved blue planters in other peoples gardens and wished I was a blue lover. They look so darn good with the plants! And that gravel choice is perfection! Is that a A. desmettiana I spy next to/in front of the stock tank planter? I am wishing for a mild winter for you! (ok..and me too). I am going to further the Agave in the PNW discussion this week on my blog…if you have a chance to visit.
Hi, Loree. Yes, it’s a variegated Agave desmettiana in the third picture, over to the left. If anyone wants to know, that’s a ‘Bright Edge’ yucca directly in front of the stock-tank planter. Loree, I’ll be looking for your agave post. —Pam
Yep, much better!
I love the container grouping! The blue is fabulous beside your pool.
cameron
Pam, Spoken like a true gardener…can we relax in a pool or bench? Apparently not~~we are ever looking at the garden for weeds are problem areas. Looks like you solved this one beautifully! I love the blue pots. Topping off the stock tank with the black gravel was inspired. gail
Great idea Pam. Looks nice.
Great looking area now. I’m considering using the stock tanks for my veggies as I also have a bad back. My question was answered as for the heat build up. Nice to know it doesn’t.
I adore those blue pots. Where would one get something like that short of coming to Austin? lol
Thanks, Lola. I got my blue pots at Barton Springs Nursery in Austin a couple of years ago. 🙂 —Pam