It depends how you feel about lifting those plants and replacing them with new ones, and you'd still have to find somewhere else for the plants you take out. It would be easier, and much cheaper, to just do the swapping over with insert pots
I meant the insert swapping method. My query was about the insert pots being stored in the dark room and the changing of the winter plant in them every two years. I will research a suitable 'insert' for the terracotta pots which we do like. I am thinking using square and round pots
We posted at the same time @theno2soco. I wonder if you will notice my post at the end of the last page?
Yep, I saw it thanks and will bear it in mind (I make sure I miss nothing lol!)
I have a heart stress test and an internal cancer biopsy within the month of October so unless I can still plant pots close to the end of October, it may have to wait until spring. I still have the pots to get and to prepare the site for them.
Hope all goes well @theno2soco. Re keeping plants in a dark room - that's not ideal. It's ok for tubers/bulbs for a period of winter, but not for anything actively growing. You can still plant anything out in a pot at that time as long as the plants are properly acclimatised, and there isn't a hard freeze on the way. Bulbs are fine to plant though. Harsher weather isn't ideal unless it's a plant you already had, that was outside in a pot, and you weren't needing to water it in right away. If you're buying something that's undercover, you'd need to be careful with getting it properly adjusted to going outside at that time of year, and that depends entirely on the plant and what your climactic conditions are
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thank you @Fairygirl & @Bluejayway, I don't think it's a bad as it sounds when written.
Ok time to gather up the things I don't understand.
I started by suggesting 5 pots which may have to be 4, each with a 'liner' that I can take out.
Assuming it is Spring, first start by filling up all 4 liners and plant suitable spring bedding plants in each. At the end of spring when the plants start to wither, remove and compost them. Summer, freshen the soil and plant summer bedding plants in the liners, composting them later. In both periods I can plant bulbs with the bedding plants.
Now, here is where I stumble, Winter, I have 4 pots with bulbs in them and can plant winter plants in each liner alongside the bulbs. What do I do next Spring? I have to store some/all of winter plants in their liners but they need to be outside. I buy more liners and start the year as before. I end up with 8 liners, 4 out on show and 4 in 'storage' outside. I do have a patio area at the back and could place 4 there but it seems to me I will always have 4 in 'store', either winter or summer plants.
I think I have got it wrong? I will always have 'nice' plants in the front but at the rear I have 4 liners with plants having dead flowers in the winter and in the spring/summer, 4 with winter plants which would last 2 years. I could 'hide' the 4 liners out back.
Everybody's suggestions and advice so far all seem pretty good to me. Really helpful eh? it is kind of down to you to decide. And depends on what is available at the time at local plant emporiums. or if you are going to buy online.
@Bluejayway's Erigeron planted at the back of the pots would not necessarily spill to the front too much. Although they can make a 60 cm spread they are soft and frothy not like they will hurt anyone if they do brush past. The spread from a young plant won't get there in a hurry and once it does get larger can be totally or partially cut back they do not take long to recover and look good again for ages. If you consider that it may take you a week or two to get around to a replant of things, or swapping out liners. A quick trim back and off it goes again, might be less faff.
Armeria maritima (alba here but other colours are available) flowers from May to August here ( inland south coast-ish), caveat being we do cut off the flower stalks going over. But it makes neat mounds that stay green all winter.
I like @jennyj 's suggestion of sempervivums and other succulent types. And if they feel right they might even flower for you too. The forms and shapes you can get are very varied.
A nice little Hebe that has reddish stems and also has flowers so you get colour all year round, though as Fairygirl mentioned planting underneath them may be hard for bulbs to get through under once the Hebe has got bigger. But there are some varieties that will take a couple of years to get to full size. This is a nice little one others are available from other companies. But to give you an idea.
Although the eventual height and spread (In a couple of years) will be too much and you will need to cut it back. It is not going to get that big in a hurry. There is also one we have with burgundy leaves all year and purple and white flowers it might be Caledonia.
I chose that image as it seems to be in a pot size roughly similar to what you are contemplating, judging from the overlap fence panel behind. The place I linked to for the other one has it too. You can see the darker colouring of the leaf elsewhere too. Just a couple more things to help confuse. Best wishes and Good Luck.
Four pots won't look right - use three. Odd numbers always look better.
You would plant spring bulbs now, so you would also do whatever you ultimately choose as the winter plant. That will depend on the site more than anything. Many folk use things like Skimmia and Pieris for a temporary planting - but those will eventually need to be in the ground as they become fairly large shrubs, but it will take several years. Something like the conical Euonymus which are available, or those Hebes , or columnar yews will be happy for longer in pots.
Then - in spring, you can plant up the annuals. That is entirely dependent on where you get them and what they are. You can grow many yourself, and there are loads which will suit your conditions. People will be able to give you help with that if you fancy it rather than buying them when they appear in GCs etc. Most annuals will last right through until this time of year, or longer. You could use perennials instead, but those can actually be more work than many annuals - again depending on what they are. You would maybe need to do a bit of homework with varieties to see what you like, or don't like, and then try that at a later date. When you store the summer planting inserts, they can just go against a wall - somewhere you won't necessarily see them all the time. As it would only be bulbs, they only need minimal attention - a feed as they die back is about all, and just ensuring they don't get waterlogged or completely dried out. You can also top up the pot with some compost if you want. The annuals would be composted, so the new annuals [the following year] would just need some fresh compost and some slow release food when you put them in. When the summer pots are on display, the winter ones could be a feature somewhere else, especially if you tuck them behind other summer flowering plants. I often do that, and you can raise pots up on bricks to sit in behind something smaller to give it a green background.
Whatever you choose, the right food and watering regime is important to see that they thrive. Nothing is 'no maintenance' but lots of planting is low maintenance if you choose carefully.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
here are some perennial flowers that bloom in autumn and stay green in winter, and that are suitable for pots and containers: Heuchera (Coral bells), Liriope (Lilyturf), Platycodon (Balloon flower), Gaultheria (Wintergreen)
Posts
My abode: Essex, soon to be a desert!
My abode: Essex, soon to be a desert!
I have a heart stress test and an internal cancer biopsy within the month of October so unless I can still plant pots close to the end of October, it may have to wait until spring. I still have the pots to get and to prepare the site for them.
My abode: Essex, soon to be a desert!
Re keeping plants in a dark room - that's not ideal. It's ok for tubers/bulbs for a period of winter, but not for anything actively growing.
You can still plant anything out in a pot at that time as long as the plants are properly acclimatised, and there isn't a hard freeze on the way. Bulbs are fine to plant though.
Harsher weather isn't ideal unless it's a plant you already had, that was outside in a pot, and you weren't needing to water it in right away.
If you're buying something that's undercover, you'd need to be careful with getting it properly adjusted to going outside at that time of year, and that depends entirely on the plant and what your climactic conditions are
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Ok time to gather up the things I don't understand.
I started by suggesting 5 pots which may have to be 4, each with a 'liner' that I can take out.
Assuming it is Spring, first start by filling up all 4 liners and plant suitable spring bedding plants in each. At the end of spring when the plants start to wither, remove and compost them. Summer, freshen the soil and plant summer bedding plants in the liners, composting them later. In both periods I can plant bulbs with the bedding plants.
Now, here is where I stumble, Winter, I have 4 pots with bulbs in them and can plant winter plants in each liner alongside the bulbs. What do I do next Spring? I have to store some/all of winter plants in their liners but they need to be outside. I buy more liners and start the year as before. I end up with 8 liners, 4 out on show and 4 in 'storage' outside. I do have a patio area at the back and could place 4 there but it seems to me I will always have 4 in 'store', either winter or summer plants.
I think I have got it wrong? I will always have 'nice' plants in the front but at the rear I have 4 liners with plants having dead flowers in the winter and in the spring/summer, 4 with winter plants which would last 2 years. I could 'hide' the 4 liners out back.
My abode: Essex, soon to be a desert!
Really helpful eh?
And depends on what is available at the time at local plant emporiums. or if you are going to buy online.
@Bluejayway's Erigeron planted at the back of the pots would not necessarily spill to the front too much. Although they can make a 60 cm spread they are soft and frothy not like they will hurt anyone if they do brush past.
The spread from a young plant won't get there in a hurry and once it does get larger can be totally or partially cut back they do not take long to recover and look good again for ages.
If you consider that it may take you a week or two to get around to a replant of things, or swapping out liners. A quick trim back and off it goes again, might be less faff.
Armeria maritima (alba here but other colours are available) flowers from May to August here ( inland south coast-ish), caveat being we do cut off the flower stalks going over. But it makes neat mounds that stay green all winter.
I like @jennyj 's suggestion of sempervivums and other succulent types. And if they feel right they might even flower for you too.
The forms and shapes you can get are very varied.
A nice little Hebe that has reddish stems and also has flowers so you get colour all year round, though as Fairygirl mentioned planting underneath them may be hard for bulbs to get through under once the Hebe has got bigger.
But there are some varieties that will take a couple of years to get to full size.
This is a nice little one others are available from other companies.
But to give you an idea.
https://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/hebe-pascal/classid.2000020971/
Although the eventual height and spread (In a couple of years) will be too much and you will need to cut it back.
It is not going to get that big in a hurry.
There is also one we have with burgundy leaves all year and purple and white flowers it might be Caledonia.
https://garden-tags-live.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/50304_kez001uk_1530827428_1080.jpeg
I chose that image as it seems to be in a pot size roughly similar to what you are contemplating, judging from the overlap fence panel behind.
The place I linked to for the other one has it too. You can see the darker colouring of the leaf elsewhere too.
Just a couple more things to help confuse. Best wishes and Good Luck.
You would plant spring bulbs now, so you would also do whatever you ultimately choose as the winter plant. That will depend on the site more than anything. Many folk use things like Skimmia and Pieris for a temporary planting - but those will eventually need to be in the ground as they become fairly large shrubs, but it will take several years. Something like the conical Euonymus which are available, or those Hebes , or columnar yews will be happy for longer in pots.
Then - in spring, you can plant up the annuals. That is entirely dependent on where you get them and what they are. You can grow many yourself, and there are loads which will suit your conditions. People will be able to give you help with that if you fancy it rather than buying them when they appear in GCs etc. Most annuals will last right through until this time of year, or longer.
You could use perennials instead, but those can actually be more work than many annuals - again depending on what they are. You would maybe need to do a bit of homework with varieties to see what you like, or don't like, and then try that at a later date.
When you store the summer planting inserts, they can just go against a wall - somewhere you won't necessarily see them all the time. As it would only be bulbs, they only need minimal attention - a feed as they die back is about all, and just ensuring they don't get waterlogged or completely dried out. You can also top up the pot with some compost if you want. The annuals would be composted, so the new annuals [the following year] would just need some fresh compost and some slow release food when you put them in.
When the summer pots are on display, the winter ones could be a feature somewhere else, especially if you tuck them behind other summer flowering plants. I often do that, and you can raise pots up on bricks to sit in behind something smaller to give it a green background.
Whatever you choose, the right food and watering regime is important to see that they thrive. Nothing is 'no maintenance' but lots of planting is low maintenance if you choose carefully.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...