Container Gardening

I have done more container gardening than anything through the years but never come close to the beautiful things I see in the UK, Germany and Holland ... what could the difference be? Everywhere there are window boxes and potted entryway plants that thrive! I want to do some entryway pots but can't decide what to do and would love some suggestions. I also am wanting to help a friend who I noticed yesterday has some beautiful pots on her front porch which are empty. Can bulbs do well there? I would like to fill hers with something that she wouldn't have to maintain. I love the Boston Ferns, but have not had good luck with them indoors, would they be happier outside? Any ideas would be appreciated!

Hi, Peggy,

See if this helps:

Container Gardening

1. Good website with color charts:
http://www.fernlea.com/awesomeaccents/recipes.html

2. From gardener, Flower*: Really neat plant combos for containers. Also give's you the recipe.

http://provenwinners.com/combinations/comborecipes.cfm

P.S.
My hubby and I grow Oriental Hybrid Stargazer Liliums in large containers. However, they do need to be watered. They only bloom one time during the summer.

We do a lot of gardening in large containers and two foot long troughs.

Here are some hints on beautiful container gardening:
Mix water crystals into the soil or buy it already mixed in. Ask the clerk for these items. Water well several times for a week or so before planting because the crystals need to swell with water. This keeps you from having to water so often.

Mix slow release fertilizer into the soil before planting. Read the directions on the box/bottle. You only have to do this one time each summer.

After you plant your flowers into the container, just stick your finger down into the soil about two inches to test for dryness once or twice per week. If it's dry, water until water comes out the bottom, and the top of the soil is wet.

Start with an easy plant such as vinca (Periwinkle). They like the sun and are drought resistant. Buy a small six-pack of vinca at your local nursery, and plant all six of them into your container.

OR.....buy the largest pre-planted container that you can find. Saves a lot of work and most already have the fertilizer in them. Make sure to ask the clerk if it needs to go into the sun or the shade. These can be put down into a larger container without doing any planting. Cool