On one of the forums and on a thread I cant remember,someone asked me about how I creat the combos.
I don't like to be idle for too long. The winter months are stressful as far as boredom is concerned.
In December when the catalogs come I look for new plants to add to my files for combinations for next years containers on the deck.
I am part of a combined household,DD,SIL,and Me.
When we moved here four years ago I had angst about making choices as to what would come with me and what I would need to giveaway or leave behind from my 1700.sq.foot house.
The Driveway containers defiantly came
The patio containers too
I brought my thirteen to add to DD'S 10 and made purchases since so my guess is the count is over 25.
Not all are 18 inches in diameter.
The new house has a large deck so containers make a deck garden in summer. Designing the container plants is a process I really enjoy during the winter when the gardens are asleep. I make different combinations every winter so the deck garden changes from year to year
This was last seasons deck garden,DD is responsible for her own containers.I design mine and am available for consult. Mother – adult daughter diplomacy is delicate.
Now back to the container
During the winter I design the combinations.
New catalogs always rev up my creative engines.
I have a large number of folders and subfiles of plants and flowers “gleaned” from the net
I use the free photo editing software from Google-Picasa.
I make collages using the plants I want for particular containers, yes another folder with pictures of each container. I know this sounds fussy and compulsive but I need to stretch out the process so I don't have too much winter left at the end of the job.
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I would never be able to garden on this scale if I didn't have notes and files and the stuff that makes my children roll their eyes.
Not that the gardens are huge,but they are enough for a geezer to take care of.
This garden is over 100 feet long and 15 feet deep average.
This garden is 35 feet long and 10 feet deep. There are more but you get the idea.
Back to the containers.
I find the first image I want to use and choose the “collage “ icon on the bottom menu bar.
I wont go into all the ins and outs of creating collages as Picasa has pretty good instructions but I will add something that has been of great value to me in making arrangements where colors echo ,this is not only applied to container plantings but adding new plants to the garden and choosing which plants and color themes to combine for new garden spots.
When all the images are in the collage,before you click”create collage” go to settings and find the slider bar that determines the thickness of the frames around the collage images.
I make a reasonable thickness so I can see what color matches I am doing for the frame thickness can be changed before you are completely done..
Hold the mouse on the dropper that chooses color for frames.Drag the dropper across the collage and see how the color s change and choose the color you like best.
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When you are satisfied just choose Create Collage.
I keep these creations with the container notes and a list of the plants within each file.
Place my orders and make a list of plants to buy locally.
I have used many coleus in the past and am adding perennials to some of the deck garden containers,this cuts down on the number of coleus and annuals I need.
This was last years container for the front porch .There was a matching container on the other side of the front door..
Planting perennials in a few of the tubs affirms some choices are already made and all I need to do is choose companion plants.
This tub is planted with a short clematis and small yellow hosta,the snails used to chew it to pieces by June. Hosta rescue I call it.I added Lobelia Violet and Coleus ( forgot the name)
When the snow flys I will be at the computer finding and filing and making notes. Its a great way to spend the winter and dream of spring.
