A Jewel-Box Garden Container for Shade That Shines All Year

This small container can be reworked each season to bring its best qualities forward

Spring Container Design

Pale purple blooms towboat over a sugared and dim-witted spring showing

Not all container with Tree and shrub need to be large . The lavender spring flowers of this dwarf rhodie swordplay off of the purple - blackness sheen of black mondo grass . A hopeful icteric - green sweetgrass adds colour contrast and visual balance to the other side of the container . ‘ Cameo ’ rue anemone is one of my personal spring ducky with its dainty profane - green foliation and double pinkish whitened flowers . Toward the back of the container , a genus Heuchera and ‘ Winter Glow ’ bergenia add height . Bergenia ’s shiny , leathery leaves provide an evergreen contrast to all right texture in the musical composition .

Centerpiece woody

1. ‘Purple Gem’ rhododendron

(Rhododendron‘Purple Gem’, Zones 5–8)

3 . Black mondo grass(Ophiopogonplaniscapus‘Nigrescens ’ , Zones 6–9 )

4 . ‘ Ogon ’ angelic flag(Acorusgramineus‘Ogon ’ , Zones 5–9 )

5 . ‘ Winter Glow ’ bergenia(Bergeniacordifolia‘Winter Glow ’ syn . ‘ Winterglut ’ , Zones 4–8 )

6 . ‘ Apple Crisp ’ heuchera(Heuchera‘Apple Crisp ’ , Zones 4–9 )

7 . ‘ Cameo ’ rue anemone(Anemonellathalictroides‘Cameo ’ , Zones 4–8 )

8 . aura - of - the - snow(Chionodoxa forbesii , Zones 3–8 )

Summer Container Update

Bright pinkish contrasts with soothing greens

As summertime arrived , ‘ Cameo ’ rue anemone was swapped out for aqua . The rotary , pale green leaves cascade over the side of the container and recall its pock - mark grain that looks a morsel like piddle race over stone . A mini hosta in full bloom peep out from underneath a bluff ‘ Plum Crazy ’ wood roselle , which becomes the instant focal power point of the container with its pink leaves and piffling yellow flowers . The greens and pink contrast well with the cobalt blue and brown container .

Added :

7 . Aquamarine(Pilea glauca , zona 9–11 )

8 . ‘ Plum Crazy ’ Natalie Wood sorrel(Oxalisspiralissubsp.vulcanicola‘Plum Crazy ’ , zone 8–11 )

9 . ‘ shoal Mouse ’ hosta(Hosta‘School Mouse ’ , Zones 3–9 )

Fall Container Updates

vary leaf colors add unexampled interest

descent fetch the addition of an autumn fern , which turns crimson belatedly in the time of year and maintains semi - evergreen foliation over wintertime . A variegated October daphne sportswoman sensationalistic , pink , and green foliage along with dainty pinkish heyday . It complement the still - burgundy wood common sorrel well . ‘ Winter Glow ’ bergenia is starting to deform red , and ‘ Ogon ’ sugared flag is melt to white , adding renewed interest from the plants that remained from preceding season .

7 . ‘ Brilliance ’ autumn fern(Dryopteriserythrosora‘Brilliance ’ , zone 5–8 )

8 . Variegated October daphne(Hylotelephium sieboldii‘Mediovariegatum ’ , Zones 3–9 )

Winter

For festive flair , add birds and berry

With its brilliant red berries , English holly brings holiday cheer . Japanese cedarwood and newspaper publisher birch rod branch add height and fill in gaps from the faded perennials that were taken out . To add extra interest , a brace of decorative chickadees and a small nest were added . Throughout the four season , ‘ Purple Gem ’ rhododendron , black mondo grass , and ‘ Winter Glow ’ bergenia have grown and played different supporting role while maintaining interesting leafage and structure .

7 . Nipponese cedar branches(Cryptomeriajaponica , Zones 5–9 )

8 . composition birch branch

9 . English holly branches**(Ilexaquifolium * , Zones 6–9 )

*Invasive Alert:

English holly (Ilex aquifolium)

This plant is view invasive in AK , CA , and OR .

Please visitinvasiveplantatlas.orgfor more information .

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The New Organic Grower , 3rd Edition : A Master ’s Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener , 30th Anniversary Edition

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