Reader Tip: How to create an upcycled wine rack planter

We gardeners sometimes come home from the garden center with more plants than we have space for. That’s when you have to let your creative gears kick in, get thrifty, and make your own planter. Jennifer was about to throw out her old iron wine rack when she got the idea to reuse it in her garden. Read on to learn how this project came together, and watch the video below to see how easy it is to create!

Tips to assemble your wine rack planter

Jennifer made the task simple by sliding an appropriately sized coco liner in between the iron sides and securing the liner with zip ties. She has used both round hanging basket liners and small rectangular liners. The small rectangles fit her wine rack best.

Fill the liner with potting mix and plant it up with your favorite vining annual. Some options that Jennifer has tried include mandevilla (Mandevilla spp. and hybrids) and black-eyed Susan (Thunbergia alata). Their vines weave among the iron details and spill out.

This upcycled container works well on a plant stand or tucked into a collection of other containers. You could even add 4 lengths of chain to the wine rack, and you’ve made a hanging basket! Since the coir liner will allow water to drain through, you will want to avoid putting the planter on a finished table.

Tip submitted by Jennifer Butler, NC

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Enjoy clematis up close in containers

Why settle for clematis scrambling up a far-off fence or a distant obelisk when you can enjoy these spectacular blooms up close — right on your deck, patio or balcony! Even gardeners in USDA cold-hardiness zones 4 and 5 can grow these showy vines in containers year-round if they follow the tips from Cindy Tibbetts, owner of specialty clematis nursery Hummingbird Farm in Maine.

Getting started with growing clematis in containers

To grow great-looking clematis in a container, don’t skimp on pot size. Cindy recommends using a 24-inch-diameter container (larger is fine too) so the potting mix doesn’t dry out too quickly and the roots have lots of room to grow.

Fill containers with quality bark mix

Cindy fills her containers with Happy Frog^® Potting Soil. This blend has big bark chunks that ensure good drainage and air circulation, both essential for preventing root rot, which can be a problem for clematis in containers. But any brand of mix with bark will work. Compact varieties work best in Cindy’s containers — those topping out at 6 feet tall or less are easier to manage.

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Clematis care

Maintenance during the growing season is simple: Water and feed. Container-grown clematis can dry out more quickly than their counterparts in the ground, so check the potting mix regularly, especially when temperatures rise in summer. You’ll know the container needs watering when you stick your forefinger in the potting mix up to the first knuckle and it’s dry.

Feed with liquid plant food while blooming

While clematis aren’t usually heavy feeders, those in containers need more attention because watering pushes the nutrients from the potting mix quickly, sometimes before plant roots can access them. Cindy recommends using any liquid plant food according to label directions every week or two while plants are blooming.

Check soil pH

One year, some of the clematis developed interveinal chlorosis — a yellowing between the veins as a result of nutrient deficiency. A soil pH that’s too alkaline is often the problem. But Cindy discovered that the well water at Hummingbird Farms had a pH of 8.2. If the pH is over 6.7, iron and magnesium can’t be taken up by the plant, so yellow leaves develop. She solved this with a water-soluble acid formula plant food, which helped lower the pH, and now her clematis can take up nutrients properly.

Prune clematis roots and stems every few years

After two or three years the bark in the potting mix tends to break down, so it’s a good idea to take everything out of the pot, add more mix and replant your clematis. This provides fresh nutrients and keeps drainage sharp. When Cindy unpots the plant, most of the potting mix falls away. She takes this opportunity to do a little root pruning, which ensures plants can grow in the same container for years.

To do this, she teases out the roots and keeps an eye out for any that are broken or diseased to cut away. Her rule of thumb is that if the roots won’t fit neatly back into the pot without winding around, she cuts them back just enough to get it back into the container.

Tips for pruning clematis

Prune the clematis stems just like you would if it were growing in the ground. The varieties in the gallery below are all part of pruning groups 2 or 3.

• Cut group 3 clematis to within a foot of the crown in late winter or early spring.
• Clean up group 2 clematis by removing broken stems and shaping the vine (trim long stems or reposition those that are going where you don’t want them to).

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Try these clematis varieties in containers

The varieties above are some of her favorites and look spectacular throughout the nursery’s seating and display areas. Most of these are compact varieties that will perform well in containers; find details for each below.

• A) Sarah Elizabeth^™Clematis hybrid
  Pale pink single flowers with maroon anthers from late spring to fall; 4 to 5 ft. tall; pruning group 3; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

• B) Guernsey Flute^™Clematis hybrid
  Large 5-in. white flowers with red anthers from late spring to fall; 3 to 4 ft. tall; pruning group 2; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

• C) ‘Piilu’Clematis hybrid
  Double 4- to 5-in. two-tone pink blooms in late spring, single flowers until fall; 4 to 6 ft. tall; pruning group 2; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

• D) Bourbon^™Clematis hybrid
  Single 5-in. red-purple flowers in late spring to fall; 4 to 6 ft. tall; pruning group 2; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

• E) Tranquilité^™Clematis hybrid
  Star-shaped flowers have overlapping lavender petals that fade to a white center in late spring to fall; 4 to 5 ft. tall; pruning group 3; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

Clematis plant source

Hummingbird Farm, hummingbirdfarm.net, 207-224-8220

Tips for overwintering clematis in containers

Getting container-grown clematis through the winter can be tricky if you garden in zones 5 or colder. Over the years, Cindy has tried lots of different ways to get clematis in containers through winter. Here are the tips she’s learned from hard-won experience.

Container materials matter!

Gardening in USDA zone 5, where winter temperatures regularly drop below freezing, Cindy learned an expensive lesson about different types of containers when several ceramic pots planted with clematis and left outdoors cracked and broke. Now she plants in wooden containers, which are both sturdy and drain well. Resin containers are another reliable option for cold climates. Plastic pots are more of a temporary fix — they tend to get brittle and crack after a few years. For gardeners in zone 8 or 9, ceramic pots are an excellent choice, as they won’t face the destructive expansion and contraction that comes with freezing temperatures.

Plan for protection

Initially, Cindy left container-grown clematis outdoors all winter without protection. While most survived, the melting spring snow sometimes kept the potting mix cold and wet for too long, causing root rot.

Two easy ways to overwinter clematis in containers

1. Overwinter clematis grown in containers in a garage or shed

Now she has a better system, so all the clematis get through winter. In late fall Cindy hauls the container-grown clematis at Hummingbird Farm into the greenhouse. (An unheated garage or shed would work too.)

The best part is that you can basically forget about them until spring. No watering or fussing with lights needed — the foliage turns brown like the one in the illustration above and plants go dormant anyway. When spring arrives and the threat of frost is past, drag them outside, water and do whatever pruning is required for that variety.

2. Protect container-grown clematis in place

If you can’t move a large container into a shed or greenhouse, try this tip from one of Cindy’s customers:

Cut the stems back to 6 to 8 inches tall in fall after it goes dormant. Then place a 10-inch diameter (or slightly larger) nursery pot over the stems and drape a piece of heavy plastic sheeting, the kind you find in the paint department at the hardware store, over the whole setup. Avoid a porous tarp, as you need it to shed water.

Secure the plastic on the ground with a few bricks or stones to keep everything in place through winter. You can see how it all goes together in the illustration above. The overturned nursery pot ensures that the plastic sends snow and ice melt to the ground and away from the plant. In spring, remove the covering and watch your container-grown clematis take off.

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7 Ways to Set Up Your Garden for a Beautiful, Protected Spring

Spring is full of promise. Beds are cleaned up, new plants added, and every fresh shoot feels like the start of something beautiful. But spring is also when gardens are most vulnerable. Tender growth can be set back by late cold, pounding rain, hungry pests and browsing animals that seem to know exactly when the best plants have emerged.

That is why a beautiful spring garden is not just about adding color. It is about setting the space up to thrive. The smartest gardens combine strong early care, thoughtful planting, and protection from the start. Here are seven ways to do just that.

1. Start with a cleaner, crisper canvas

Before adding anything new, refresh the garden you already have. Clear away winter debris, cut back what truly needs cutting, pull visible weeds, and redefine bed edges. Even a modest cleanup can make the whole space feel brighter and more intentional.

There is no need to strip everything bare all at once, though. Beneficial insects may still be sheltering in stems and leaf litter early in the season. A gradual cleanup is often the better approach, especially if you focus first on what blocks new growth or makes the garden look untidy. The goal is not to erase winter overnight. It is to help spring take center stage.

2. Feed the soil before you feed the eye

Healthy spring color starts below ground. If the soil surface has crusted over or compacted during winter, loosen it gently and top-dress with compost or other organic matter. That helps roots get better access to air and moisture and gives plants a stronger start as growth picks up.

This may not be the flashiest spring task, but it supports everything that comes next. Better soil leads to steadier growth, stronger flowering and plants that are better able to handle spring’s sudden swings between cold, wet weather and warm, drying winds.

3. Add color where it matters most

Not every bed needs a total redo, but nearly every garden has a few places that deserve attention first. Focus on the spots you see every day: the front walk, the patio area, around the entry or outside a favorite window.

Tuck in cool-season annuals, early bloomers or colorful containers where they will have the most impact. Then think in layers. Low plants in front, mounded shapes through the middle and a few taller accents behind will make the planting feel fuller and more pulled together than a scattered mix of spring flowers.

4. Put protection in place before the garden becomes a target

This is the step many gardeners put off until something gets eaten. Unfortunately, by then the damage is already done.

Fresh spring growth is especially tempting, which makes early season the ideal time to protect vulnerable areas such as cutting gardens, vegetable beds, new borders and favorite ornamental plantings. A metal deer fence is especially effective in spring because it protects the garden without drawing attention away from it. Rather than feeling bulky or obtrusive, it allows the planting itself to remain the focus.

“A lot of gardeners wait until they actually see damage, but by then those tender spring plants have already taken a hit,” said Stephanie Anderson, customer support manager at DeerBusters. “If deer or other browsing animals are common in your area, it really helps to put protection in place early, before that fresh new growth starts drawing them in.”

5. Do not forget the lower-level damage

Not every garden problem comes from larger animals. In many yards, the real frustration happens lower down with chewed stems, dug-in beds and damage from smaller animals that slip through wider openings.

If that sounds familiar, it helps to look beyond the main perimeter and strengthen the lower part of the garden where needed. A metal chew or rodent barrier at the base of a fence can make a real difference around high-value beds, young plantings and edible gardens. It is a practical way to protect vulnerable growth near the soil line without changing the overall look of the space.

“People often focus on deer and forget about the damage that happens closer to the ground,” Anderson said. “If rabbits or other small animals are part of the problem, adding protection at the base can save a lot of frustration and help young plants get established.”

6. Make access part of the plan

A protected garden still needs to be easy to use. When gardeners think about fencing, they often focus on keeping animals out and overlook how they themselves will move through the space. Plan entry points while you are planning the layout. Where will you need to walk in with tools, watering cans or a wheelbarrow? Which beds need the easiest access for deadheading, harvesting or routine upkeep? A well-placed gate makes a protected garden easier to care for, and that usually means it will stay more attractive all season.

“You want protection to work with the way you actually use the garden,” Anderson said. “Easy access matters, especially when you’re going in and out for watering, weeding, harvesting or regular upkeep.”

7. Build for more than one moment of bloom

One of the biggest spring gardening mistakes is planning for one spectacular week instead of a longer, more graceful season. The best beds unfold in stages. As one plant peaks, another begins to rise. As one bloom fades, foliage or later performers begin to carry the show forward. Use spring planting to build that sequence.

Pair bulbs with perennials that will help cover fading foliage. Mix flower shapes and leaf textures. Add a few shrubs or structural plants to anchor the display. Once the garden is protected, it is much easier to plan confidently for what comes next instead of constantly replacing what was lost.

A beautiful spring garden is a protected one

Spring gardening should feel hopeful, not frustrating. And in many landscapes, beauty lasts longer when it is protected from the start. A little cleanup, better soil, layered color and a thoughtful fencing plan can make a remarkable difference.

The payoff is not just a prettier garden — it is a stronger one throughout the summer and beyond. When the framework is in place early, the whole season feels easier to enjoy and much less like a race to stay ahead of the damage.

Want to keep spring beds beautiful from the start?Explore DeerBusters’ nearly invisible garden fencing and practical resources for protecting flower beds, vegetable gardens and other vulnerable plantings.

Shop Garden Protection at DeerBusters.com

Photos courtesy of DeerBusters

Whether you garden in the nutrient-poor red clay of the Southeast, the calcium-combined-with-clay caliche of the West or something in between, the common denominator is that clay soil is difficult to grow in. Why? Tiny particles of clay hold tightly together, slowing drainage and limiting the amount of oxygen that can reach plant roots. You’ve seen the results—anemic-looking or rotting plants.

To amend your clay soil or not?

While you can improve clay soil by amending with organic matter, such as compost, it’s not usually a practical solution for a large area. But it might help in a smaller spot, such as around your home’s foundation, where clay has sometimes been brought to the surface and compacted during construction. The old recommendation of tilling in sand will often result in an even harder, denser mess unless you get the proportions just right. Further, simply filling a planting hole with compost creates a small oasis for the roots so they may not venture outside of the hole.

The most successful solution when you want beautiful borders but have a yard full of clay soil is to choose plants that can grow in this sticky situation. Let me introduce you to some clay-tolerant beauties that are up to the challenge.

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9 Tough Perennial Plants for Clay Soil

1. Rough goldenrod (Solidago rugosa)

End your garden season on a high note with the bright yellow blooms of rough goldenrod. Flowers start in late summer, last until frost and are a hub of pollinator activity. The species has arching yellow blooms, but one of its hybrids, ‘Fireworks’ above, is an easy variety to find and has larger 18-inch-long sprays.

While some species of goldenrod are aggressive, rough goldenrod spreads slowly by rhizomes. Clay soil can help keep it in check. Goldenrod is a versatile plant that isn’t bothered by much — even deer leave it alone. And there’s no need to fertilize: Plants grow best in lean soil.

Good to know

In a five-year trial of goldenrod species at the Chicago Botanic Garden, ‘Fireworks’ was a favorite for its heavy blooming and disease resistance.

Type: Perennial 
Blooms: Upright to arching plumes packed with tiny yellow individual blooms in late summer to fall 
Light: Full sun to part shade 
Size: 18 to 36 in. tall and wide 
Cold hardy: USDA zones 4 to 9 
Source:High Country Gardens, 801-769-0300

2. Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)

If you want long-lasting color and interest in your garden, Russian sage is an excellent choice. Long, billowy stems are covered with velvety gray foliage and tiny lavender to blue blooms that create a cloud of soft color from summer to fall. Flowers last for several weeks, but the colorful calyx remains for months.

Although some plants can reach 5 feet tall, many newer introductions, such as ‘Sage Advice’ are shorter. This hybrid tops out at 3 feet. ‘Lacy Blue’ grows just 18 to 24 inches tall. Russian sage is drought tolerant and quite long-lived once it gets established. Plants grow best in full sun—too much shade and stems will flop. Although this perennial prefers well-drained soil, it easily tolerates heavier clay soil as well. Finally, deer and rabbits won’t bother Russian sage, but pollinators love it.

Type: Perennial 
Blooms: Long spikes of tiny lavender to blue blooms in midsummer to fall 
Light: Full sun
Size: 2 to 5 ft. tall, 2 to 4 ft. wide 
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9
Source:Great Garden Plants, 877-447-4769

3. Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)

It’s easy to take ostrich fern for granted — its elegant fronds have made it a shade-garden staple for generations. It’s virtually care-free, deer and rabbits generally leave it alone and it provides beautiful texture in deep shade. Plants can even grow in full sun if they have plenty of water.

You’ll often see ostrich fern growing in drifts because it spreads by underground rhizomes. Dense clay, especially if it tends to be dry, will often slow the spread. Learn about more types of garden ferns here.

Type: Perennial 
Foliage: Finely dissected upright to arching medium-green fronds 
Light: Part to full shade 
Size: 3 to 6 ft. tall, 5 to 8 ft. wide 
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7
Source:White Flower Farm, 800-503-9624

4. False sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)

Nothing says summer like the daisy-shaped, sunny yellow blooms of false sunflower. All kinds of insect pollinators love its cheery flowers, and birds eat the seeds. While it’s related to the annual types that are mostly grown from seed, false sunflower is a short-lived perennial that easily reseeds. If you’re growing a hybrid, new plants may or may not look like the parent, but it’s easy to pull unwanted seedlings.

False sunflower grows into a bushy upright plant, and the species has green foliage. ‘Prairie Sunset’ has deep purple stems and veins, and its yellow flowers have maroon rings in the centers. Variegated hybrids, such as ‘Loraine Sunshine’, bring colorful flowers and foliage to borders and are easy to find at the garden center. ‘Sunstruck’ above has a compact habit and a deeper flower color. Though false sunflower can grow in part shade, plants flower best in full sun.

Growing tip

Variegated false sunflower occasionally produces stems with solid green leaves that tend to be more vigorous. Cut those off at the crown so they don’t take over.

Type: Perennial 
Blooms: Daisy-shaped yellow blooms in midsummer to fall
Light: Full sun to part shade 
Size: 1 to 6 ft. tall, 1 to 4 ft. wide 
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9 
Source:American Meadows, 802-227-7200

5. Foxglove penstemon (Penstemon digitalis)

There are nearly 300 species of penstemon, the majority of which are native to western North America and Mexico. Most prefer sharp drainage and dry summers, but foxglove penstemon and its hybrids thrive even in humid weather and denser soil. Even better, deer usually give it a pass. This upright perennial is super cold hardy and blooms for about a month from late spring to early summer with small tubular blooms in pink or white. Foxglove penstemon is tolerant of clay soil but doesn’t do well in boggy conditions.

You can sometimes buy the species from specialty native plant growers. It has green leaves and grows up to 5 feet tall, making a flowery addition to the back of the border. Its hybrids tend to be smaller, and some have burgundy foliage. ‘Husker Red’ is an old favorite with white flowers and grows 2 to 3 feet tall. ‘Dark Towers’ (above) is one of its progeny with pink blooms and even darker leaves. It grows 18 to 36 inches tall. Grow plants in full sun for the darkest foliage color.

Good to know

Foxglove penstemon’s small, tubular, nectar-rich blooms are a favorite among bees, hummingbirds and other pollinators.

Type: Perennial 
Blooms: Lavender, pink or white tubular blooms in late spring to early summer 
Light: Full sun 
Size: 2 to 5 ft. tall, 1 to 3 ft. wide 
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8 
Sources:Prairie Moon Nursery, 866-417-8156 (species); Sooner Plant Farm, 918-453-0771 (hybrids)

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6. Goat’s beard (Aruncus dioicus)

When you plant goat’s beard, you need patience — these big plants take their time to get established. But once they reach maturity, you’ll be glad you waited for the 4- to 6-foot-tall stems topped by fluffy white plumes. Consistent moisture is key to good-looking plants, and they can grow in deep shade but won’t have as many flowers as in full sun.

In ideal conditions, plants will reseed. Goat’s beard thrives in humus-rich, well-drained soil and tolerates a mix of clay and loam well but won’t survive dense clay. One thing this perennial doesn’t like is hot, dry conditions.

Type: Perennial 
Blooms: Fluffy white plumes in midspring to early summer 
Light: Part to full shade
Size: 3 to 6 ft. tall, 2 to 4 ft. wide 
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9 
Source:Prairie Nursery, 800-476-9453

7. Siberian iris (Iris sibirica)

Siberian iris blooms are often found in shades of violet, but you can also find flowers in white, yellow, pink or maroon and those with solid petals or various patterns. Care is simple: Plant in spring so the roots have time to get established in a spot with plenty of sun. Too much shade and you won’t have as many of those lovely flowers. Consistent moisture is important for healthy plants, and while Siberian iris plants grow happily in humus-rich soil, they flourish in clay to boggy sites as well.

Keep Siberian iris vigorous by dividing every few years in spring as new growth is taking off. Dig plants out of the ground and split into pieces with your spade, making sure each new division has at least three leaves. Replant at the same level they were growing and water well.

Type: Perennial 
Blooms: White, yellow, violet, blue, pink or maroon blooms in spring
Light: Full sun to part shade 
Size: 24 to 48 in. tall, 18 to 36 in. wide 
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9 
Source: Local garden centers

8. False indigo (Baptisia australis)

When it comes to easy-care, it’s hard to beat false indigo. Plant this native perennial once and you’ll have loads of pealike blooms for years without a lot of effort on your part. You could deadhead, but then you’d miss out on the deep purple seedpods at the end of the season. Several species flower in violet, white or yellow. Newer hybrids have expanded the color palette to more unusual colors (for false indigo), such as pink and burgundy.

And while the species’ long stems sometimes flop, more compact varieties such as ‘Lemon Meringue’ (above) grow to just 3 feet tall and don't have that problem. False indigo has a big taproot that burrows deeply into the soil — even dense clay. As a result, plants are very drought tolerant but also slow to get established and a challenge to divide.

Type: Perennial 
Blooms: Purple, blue, yellow, white, pink, burgundy or bicolor pealike blooms in late spring to early summer 
Light: Full sun to part shade 
Size: 2 to 4 ft. tall and wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9 
Source:Sooner Plant Farm, 918-453-0771

9. Woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata)

The lavender-blue blooms of woodland phlox (also called wild sweet William) are a terrific way to brighten up shady borders with clay soil. Its loose clusters of five-petaled tubular blooms have a light fragrance and provide an early source of nectar for passing butterflies and hummingbirds.

Plant one woodland phlox and you’re sure to have more in time — stems root at leaf nodes and flowers self-seed. Once blooming is done, the green leaves provide a trouble-free ground cover. Most often you’ll find the species at garden centers, but there are a few hybrids. Although they’re usually the same height, they vary in flower color. Some easy-to-find varieties include ‘Blue Moon’, with loads of blue-violet blooms a bit larger than the species; ‘May Breeze’, with white flowers; and ‘Cloud of Perfume’, with a sweet fragrance.

Type: Perennial 
Blooms: Lavender to blue or white blooms in spring
Light: Part to full shade 
Size: 8 to 16 in. tall, 8 to 12 in. wide 
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9 
Source:Bluestone Perennials, 800-852-5243

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Reader Tips: Smart Spring Repurposing Ideas

Easy upcycled raised garden beds using IBC tanks

Arthritis makes gardening in low beds or at ground level difficult for Sheryl. When she saw some used industrial liquid containers, called IBC (intermediate bulk container) tanks, for sale online, she got an idea. With the help of her son, she cut one container in half to make two raised beds. A reciprocating saw or circular saw work well for cutting the metal bars and the plastic container, but even most handsaws can do the trick.

Tips to create IBC tank raised beds

Most IBC tanks are about 48×40×40 inches. Cut in half, they’re about 20 inches high. You might find that some already have a large drainage hole in the bottom, but it’s likely that you’ll have to drill five or six holes across the base. Used IBC tanks may have some remaining residue, so it’s a good idea to scrub them down with soapy water. Put the containers in place, fill them up with potting mix and plant away!

You should be able to find some of these tanks online on secondhand sites, such as Craigslist or Facebook. Search “IBC tank” or “IBC tote.” Most are sold in the $50 to $100 range. That’s a pretty fine deal for a tall, accessible garden bed!

Photo & tip submitted by Sheryl Fullner, WA

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Mess-free bird feeders

Birds can leave a big mess under the feeders hung on shepherd’s hooks in Sylvia’s backyard. So she tucked a small plastic kiddie pool underneath to catch the fallen hulls and excess seeds and prevent unwanted plants from sprouting in the garden. When the pool starts to fill up, it's easy to dump the contents into the compost pile. Sylvia has camouflaged the pool with taller perennials planted along the front of the bed.

Tip submitted by Sylvia Street, IA

Keep emerging lilies safe from rabbits in spring

A bunny’s munching habits can ruin a garden in no time. That’s why Joan came up with a way to protect her lilies as they emerge: Just grab a paper grocery bag and four plant stakes. Cut the bottom out of the bag to fit it over the plant. (It might help to leave an inch or so around the perimeter on the bottom.) Then you can drive the plant stakes into the corners inside the bag to keep it in place and prevent the bag from flopping or blowing away. Mound an inch or two of soil around the edges of the bag for extra security.

Leave the bag in place for about a week, or until the plant has grown enough that the leaves and stems are no longer tender and new. This might mean that the plant has grown several inches or a significant number of the leaves have unfurled and matured.

Photo & tip submitted by Joan Pierro, MA

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Quick Garden Tip

To remedy the splaying stems of a geranium plant, Kathleen popped some dried agapanthus (Agapanthus africanus) flower stems into her containers for support. The small prongs of the seedheads prop up floppy flowers for a tidier container.

Photo & tip submitted by Kathleen Durkee, MA

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Tips for success with container-grown trees

Need privacy on your porch? Move in a hedge of container-grown evergreens to shield the view. Patio too sunny? Add a touch of shade with a kousa dogwood in a pot. Want more color in a shady spot? Try a burgundy-foliaged Japanese maple in a teal pot like the one above. The great thing about trees grown in containers is that they are relatively mobile, so you can place them wherever you want.

Container-grown trees provide height in spots where you can’t plant in the ground and add drama and permanence where you might normally just grow annuals. But there are a few tips and techniques that can help you keep them growing healthy for years. Although you can plant almost any tree in a container, you’ll have the best results with varieties that are naturally small. Read on to find a few good candidates to grow well in a pot.

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Choose the best container to grow a tree

To grow a tree in a pot, use a container at least 20 inches in diameter and height. The larger the pot, the better your tree will grow, plus it will be heavier and less likely to blow over. Though I love the look, I avoid containers that narrow at the top — they are hard to pull the root ball out when you need to repot or root-prune. Instead, I tend to choose a pot that flares out at the top.

Best Trees to Grow in Containers

• Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)
• Crabapple (Malus hybrids)
• Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
• Dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca ‘Conica’)
• Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
• Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp. and hybrids)
• Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)
• Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa)
• Orange (Citrus x sinensis)

Prune roots to keep container-grown trees healthy longer

To encourage smaller feeder roots to grow and control the plant’s size, the tree should be root-pruned every two to three years. This is important because over time, roots will circle inside the pot and may girdle the trunk, which constricts the flow of water and nutrients and could kill the tree.

See how I root-pruned and repotted an arborvitae from the test garden in our video. Many trees can be grown in pots for up to 20 years or more. Keeping the roots healthy will ensure your container tree lives a long, full life.

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Spring beauty (Claytonia virginica)

Type: Perennial
Blooms: Delicate white-pink petals with pink veining in early spring; plants are ephemeral: the foliage fades away by early summer
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Moist, well-drained
Size: 4 to 12 in. tall, 6 to 9 in. wide
Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8

From the Wild Side: Spring beauties

I had just sat down under our sugar maple tree (Acer saccharum), hoping to focus on nothing, when a bee buzzed by and focused on me. She was smaller, darker and cuter than a honeybee, and I could’ve sworn I saw pink thighs, but she was definitely checking me out. Was she trying to tell me something? Sure enough, when I stood up, she flew to a tiny hole in the soil I had been sitting on; I didn’t see it until she crawled right to it. She was a mining bee, fresh from her own winter nest, busy building a new one for her babies.

Back then, I had no idea that Nashville had hundreds of species of native bees — each with their own requirements and timing — but I did know that some made nests in soil and that I had finally caught one in the act. So I kept watching. Every time she left the hole, she ignored the sweet violets (Viola sororia), early buttercups (Ranunculus fascicularis) and other blooms in the grass to visit only one species of wildflower: spring beauty.

Native bees are pollen specialists

About the size of a dime, spring beauty’s white-pink flower offers nectar and pollen to all sorts of insects. But I had met the one insect who cannot reproduce without it, a spring beauty bee (Andrena erigeniae), a pollen specialist. And get this — the pollen is pink! I was right about those pink saddlebags. If you don’t believe me, check out the close-up view in the photo below.

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How the beneficial relationship works

The female spring beauty bee gathers pollen — and only this particular pollen — to provision each of her eggs with a little pink cake. When an egg hatches, the larval bee eats the spring beauty pollen until it pupates. Then next year, when this wildflower blooms again, new adults emerge, ready to make more bees.

Lawns in my neighborhood used to bloom with so many spring beauties, they looked like they’d been sprinkled with snow. But in the 30 years I’ve been watching, a lawn with even a hint of these flowers has become rare. And when the plant disappears, the bees disappear. What if more neighbors knew about this wildflower sleeping in our seed bank? What if they knew about the charismatic little bee who depends on this flower, and that there are many other specialist bees as well?

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Change garden practices to support pollinator populations

I know from personal experience that falling in love with just one native bee, butterfly or bird can change everything, change us. It’s why I’ve shrunk the lawn, quit herbicides and pesticides, weeded invasives, planted natives and written a book.

I also know that we can’t fall in love with what we haven’t met, which could be, by the way, the best reason to take breaks under a sugar maple even when trying to focus on nothing. You never know who might buzz by.

Keep an eye out for native bees

Want to meet a spring beauty bee? Find the flowers and some sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Try when the day isn’t breezy, so the only movement is a bee. If you see a flower tip under the bulk of a visitor, it’s not a spring beauty bee — it doesn’t weigh enough to bend a stem. If you see a small black bee with sparse white whiskers and saddlebags loaded with pale pink pollen, there she is — the real beauty of spring.

Plant sources

• Prairie Moon Nursery, 866-417-8156
• Izel Native Plants, 410-989-3721

Joanna, author of "This Is How a Robin Drinks: Essays on Urban Nature," writes about everyday wonders in everyday habitat loss on Instagram @jo_brichetto and at SidewalkNature.com.

With another gardening season just around the corner, container gardens are probably already on your mind! Half the fun is trying out new plant combinations or swapping in something fresh each season. The other half? Checking out the creative ideas other gardeners have come up with —because a little inspiration can spark some big ideas of your own.

Thanks to everyone who submitted an entry in the 2026 Container Challenge, and congratulations to our winners! With so many fantastic designs, we wanted to shine a spotlight on a handful of honorable mentions that stood out as well. Browse these top entries, and you’re sure to find one (or several!) that will inspire new plants, colors, or design ideas for your containers this year.

Read More: Get Inspired by Our 2026 Container Challenge Winners!

2026 Container Challenge Honorable Mentions

Wonderful Windowbox

Michelle & Paul Frati, NY | @pardonandmirth

After moving to a new home, Michelle and Paul were looking for a way to stretch their limited garden budget. So they shopped sales and looked for perennials and shrubs in smaller nursery pots that could do double duty. First they created a cool-color combo to fill their self-watering windowbox. Then when the growing season was over, the hydrangeas, astilbe and coral bells went in the ground to help fill the borders of their new garden. The Endless Summer hydrangeas bloomed off and on from planting until frost, and the long-lasting astilbe flowers created an interesting accent even after they faded.

The house faces north, so the windowbox gets a few hours of morning sun and they only need to fill the reservoir about every two weeks, even during the heat of summer. Because it’s made of resin, the Fratis leave the planter in place in their zone 5 region with no worries.

Key container plants

A) AstilbeAstilbe ‘Happy Spirit’
B) Coral bellsHeuchera ‘Wildberry’
C) Bigleaf hydrangeaHydrangea macrophylla Endless Summer^®
D) Creeping JennyLysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’
E) LobeliaLobelia erinus
Windowbox is 11 in. deep x 11 in. wide x 60 in. long

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Part-Shade Patio Container Solution

Camille McElroy, TN | @catmintcoop

Looking for just the right container plants for a part-shade patio in zone 8, Camille created this great-looking group. While there are a few annuals in it, her design makes good use of the foliage color and texture that shrubs and perennials, such as coral bells, lamb’s ear and paperbush, provide. The stairstep containers are made of cast concrete and stay outdoors all year. The shrubs and perennials also stay in the pots year-round and often last for several years. Once they start looking tired, they’re moved out to the garden.

Even though the containers are large, Camille doesn’t use fillers, such as rock, Styrofoam^™ or cans, in the bottom to reduce the amount of potting mix needed. This technique has blocked the drainage hole in the past, causing rot or even cracked pots over winter. Instead, she fills them about a third full of bark mulch, then tops it off with potting mix. This works especially well for shrubs or perennials, but if all the plants going in the pot are shallow-rooted annuals, she can add a bit more mulch.

Key container plants

A) AbeliaAbelia x grandiflora ‘Kaleidoscope’
B) Foam flowerTiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’
C) Creeping JennyLysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’
D) Coral bellsHeuchera ‘Palace Purple’
E) Coral bellsHeuchera ‘Plum Pudding’
F) PaperbushEdgeworthia chrysantha
G) Coral bellsHeuchera ‘Fire Alarm’
H) Lamb’s earStachys byzantina
I) Foxtail fernAsparagus densiflorus ‘Meyersii’
J) DichondraDichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’
K) BacopaChaenostoma cordatum ‘Snowflake’

Large container is 38 in. tall x 30 in. wide
Medium container is 21 in. tall x 20 in. wide
Small container is 20 in. tall x 18 in. wide

Classic Curb Appeal

Marie Herbert, MI

Coleus and impatiens are some of Marie’s favorite plants, so it was natural for her to fill these concrete urns with them, creating a colorful greeting for visitors at her north-facing front door last year.

This combination didn’t need a lot of care, but Marie kept an eye on the Kong coleus because, true to its name, it can get pretty big — up to 20 inches tall. If any stems grew out of proportion with the planting, she cut them back along with any flowers that formed. If dichondra sends out a stray stem, it’s easy to snip it off to maintain the neat and tidy look essential for eye-catching curb appeal.

Key container plants

A) ColeusColeus scutellarioides Kong^® Rose
B) New Guinea impatiensImpatiens hawkeri Painted Paradise Orange
C) DichondraDichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’
Container is 40 in. tall x 23 in. wide

Enter Garden Gate’s 2027 Reader Container Challenge!

Submit photos of your best container gardens, and we’ll choose our favorites to feature in a future issue of Garden Gate Magazine. The containers can be any size, season or style! See full entry rules here.

Pretty in Pink

Heather Markway, MO | @lifegardenstyle

This corner only gets an hour or two of sunlight each day, making it a challenge to grow plants there. So Heather nestled this lovely urn filled with colorful shade annuals into the corner where her sunporch meets the house.

The iron-framed urn needed a coir liner to hold in the potting mix, but its unusual shape made it necessary for Heather to get creative. She used an ordinary hanging basket liner at the base of the urn, then cut a sheet of coir to cover the “walls” of the urn.

With a tall caladium as the thriller, begonias and sedge as the filler and dichondra as the spiller, this classic container formula couldn’t be prettier or easier to care for. Besides watering, all Heather had to do to keep it tidy was occasionally tug off a spent begonia bloom or trim a stray dichondra stem. If the begonia gets too tall and competes too much with the caladium, just cut it back by a third. New compact growth will take off in a few weeks.

Key container plants

A) CaladiumCaladium bicolor ‘Bottle Rocket’
B) BegoniaBegonia Dragon Wing^® Pink
C) SedgeCarex oshimensis ‘Everillo’
D) BrowalliaBrowallia Endless^™ Illumination
E) DichondraDichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’
Container is 30 in. tall x 16 in. wide

Bold & Beautiful Planter

Summer Bryan, GA| @petals_of_summer

With a west-facing front porch in Georgia where temperatures easily reach 100 degrees F and higher, Summer needed a group of plants that could take the tough growing conditions. This collection of heat lovers fit the bill. She placed the tall papyrus toward the back of the pot, where it supplies plenty of elegant drama. Then she added a bright red geranium and begonias, orange coleus and chartreuse creeping Jenny for eye-catching color. It’s perfect for drawing visitors over to sit on the porch. The blue glazed container cools the hot colors down a bit and coordinates with the dark siding.

Summer keeps plants happy through the heat with drip irrigation held in place with landscape pins. She makes sure to position the emitters so they’re watering at soil level instead of splashing the leaves, in order to avoid fungal disease in her densely planted pots.

Key container plants

A) PapyrusCyperus papyrus King Tut^®
B) BegoniaBegonia Dragon Wing^® Red
C) Mealycup sageSalvia farinacea
D) VerbenaVerbena hybrid
E) BacopaChaenostoma cordatum
F) Creeping JennyLysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’
G) GeraniumPelargonium hybrid
H) ColeusColeus scutellarioides ‘Alabama Sunset’
I) EvolvulusEvolvulus hybrid
Container is 30 in. tall x 24 in. wide

See Previous Year’s Container Challenge Winners:
2026 Winners
2025 Winners
2024 Winners
2023 Winners

Pollinator Paradise

Sue Cashman, WI | @sue.cashman.167

This big resin container is packed with colorful flowers and was one of Sue’s favorites last year—and the neighborhood hummingbirds liked it too! It sits in a hot, dry spot in full sun, which is just what lantanas love, but marguerite daisies can struggle there. Fortunately, Golden Butterfly is more heat tolerant than older varieties so made it through Sue’s Wisconsin summer just fine. Deadheading its yellow blooms isn’t essential, but she snipped out fading ones to keep it looking tip-top.

Sue liked this design so much that she packed the canna bulbs away last fall to overwinter so she can bring them out in spring and grow this combo again.

Key container plants

A) CannaCanna x generalis Cannova^® Red Golden Flame
B) Marguerite daisyArgyranthemum Golden Butterfly^®
C) LantanaLantana Luscious^® Citrus Blend^™
D) LantanaLantana Bandana^® Black Cherry
Container is 22 in. tall x 16 in. wide

Prizes for 2026’s Container Challenge Honorable Mentions

This year’s Garden Gate Container Challenge Honorable mentions received a $50 gift card from Garden Crossings and a one-year subscription or extension to Garden Gate magazine.

Spring is here, and garden centers will soon be bursting with colorful flowers and foliage perfect for container planting. Whether you’re sprucing up a patio, deck or border, the possibilities are endless — and sometimes overwhelming. Take inspiration from fellow gardeners to help you kick-start a design or get out of the same old routine.

Our readers have shared their most exciting creations, offering some stunning designs and unique plant pairings you can use to transform your outdoor spaces. In addition, you’ll find helpful growing tips and plant lists along with each design. Thanks to everyone who entered our 2026 Container Challenge, and congratulations to all the winners! Ready to dig in? Let these ideas guide your container planting plans this year.

Read More: See the 2026 Container Challenge Honorable Mentions

Enter Garden Gate’s 2027 Container Challenge!

Submit photos of your best container gardens, and we’ll choose our favorites to feature in a future issue of Garden Gate magazine. The containers can be any size, season or style! See full entry rules and submit your photos here.

Elegant Entry Container

Deborah Trickett, MA | @thecapturedgarden

With a focus on foliage, these traditional-looking urns provide a beautiful low-care greeting that lasts for months near this shady entry. Deborah wanted containers that were simple but made a dramatic impact, even from a distance. Stately snake plant is a great choice for grabbing attention, and she likes the way the purple foliage of the inch plant plays off the yellow siding. Both plants are easy to overwinter indoors. Deborah bought an inch plant in a hanging basket and split it to plant in both urns, and the divisions quickly took off.

Key container plants

A) Snake plantSansevieria trifasciata ‘Ghost’
B) New Guinea impatiensImpatiens hawkeri Sonic^® Light Lavender
C) Inch plantTradescantia zebrina
D) Fanflower Scaevola aemula Whirlwind^® White
Urns are 24 in. tall x 18 in. wide

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Colorful Shade Container

Kelly Stankelis, CT

Keeping this corner on Kelly’s shady deck colorful was easy last summer with a square blue ceramic container that perfectly fit the space. It was filled with cheery yellow Rieger begonias along with a supporting cast of chartreuse creeping Jenny and cool-colored wishbone flower, and topped off with a canopy of upright papyrus.

Kelly didn’t even have to deadhead these plants to keep the container looking great. Rieger begonias are a cross between tuberous and wax begonias, with flowers that can last for months in a cool spot out of the hot afternoon sun. And the wishbone flower is self-cleaning. All she needed to do to get a great performance was give this grouping a thorough watering two to three times a week.

Key container plants

A) PapyrusCyperus papyrus King Tut^®
B) Rieger begoniaBegonia Amstel Blitz
C) Wishbone flowerTorenia hybrid
D) Creeping JennyLysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’
Container is 18 in. square

Fabulous Foliage-Focused Container

Lynnie Goss, OH

Lynnie loves creating containers with lots of color and texture, and last year’s planter was especially colorful. It sat next to her driveway under the kitchen window, where leaves stretched to frame her view.

This spot gets morning sun and shade for the rest of the day, so the caladium and fern leaves stay colorful without getting burned. The remaining container companions will grow just fine in full sun. Lynnie’s maintenance schedule was light. She fertilized a couple of times during the growing season, snipped off coleus blooms as they formed and removed fading caladium leaves.

Key container plants

A) ColeusColeus ‘Wasabi’
B) CaladiumCaladium ‘Burning Heart’
C) Australian sword fernNephrolepis obliterata ‘Kimberly Queen’
D) Purple heartTradescantia pallida ‘Purpurea’
E) English ivyHedera helix ‘Golden Curl’
F) Sweet potato vineIpomoea Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Mahogany^™
Planter is 10 in. deep x 12 in. wide x 45 in. long

2026 Container Challenge Winning Prize Package

This year’s Garden Gate Container Challenge top winners each received the following prizes:

• A custom-engraved 30-inch ColorMark Rain Wand From Dramm
• $150 gift cards from Garden Crossings
• A set of three Woodland Tools
• A one-year subscription or extension to Garden Gate magazine

Dealing with scale on citrus trees and other plants

You can’t expect to grow a robust lemon tree outdoors in most zones colder than zone 9. But you can care for the same citrus year after year by growing it in a container and overwintering the plant indoors. Michele moves her potted lemon tree and potted bay plant into her home for the winter season. But overwintered plants can be susceptible to common houseplant diseases while sharing the space inside. By the time spring returns and it’s warm enough to move the plants outside, they often are dusty and infected with scale. Instead of applying insecticidal soap, Michele opted for a faster and more thorough solution to removing the scale and dust.

Use a mesh-covered sponge to gently remove scale from plant leaves

She grabbed a Dobie sponge (though any similar mesh-covered sponge should do the trick) and lightly scraped it across the tops and undersides of leaves, rinsing the sponge every few leaves to let the scale wash down the drain. The mesh casing of the sponge adds just enough abrasion to peel off the scale without harming the leaf, and the damp sponge adds a little moisture to help remove the layer of dust as well. While you’re at it, check all your houseplants for scale infestations and get them taken care of at the same time. A sponge makes the task quicker, easier and less messy!

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