Cheery blooms and interesting foliage
By: Garden Gate staff
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Reliable interest
Get double duty from a combo that does well in the lingering chill and as temps warm up!
A good spiller, Frosty Knight sweet alyssum helps hide the edge of any pot. As much as it likes cool temperatures, Frosty Knight thrives in summer heat, too.
Red-veined ‘Scarlet’ flowering kale, with coloring that’s richer in cooler weather, echoes the coleus’ deep burgundy foliage. Just replace it with another coleus as temps get hotter.
For even more long-lasting interest, tuck a small obelisk — choose a light one about half the height of your container — into an empty spot near the back of the pot. The ornament is a good-looking thriller that also provides support if you add a climbing plant to your combo.
Click ahead for more info on container care.
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Container recipe
At 14 inches tall, Maverick Scarlet geranium is another tender perennial you won’t have to worry about replacing once summer arrives. Just deadhead its spent blooms to encourage more flowers. Make sure this container gets afternoon shade, and feed weekly with balanced water-soluble fertilizer.
A – Flowering kale Brassica oleracea ‘Scarlet’
B – Coleus Solenostemon ColorBlaze® Marooned™
C – Geranium Pelargonium Maverick Scarlet
D – Viola Viola Sorbet™ Lemon Blueberry Swirl
E – Variegated airplane plant Chlorophytum comosum ‘Variegatum’
F – Lantana Lantana camara Bandana® Pink
G – Sweet alyssum Lobularia Frosty Knight™
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