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Published in Jacksonville's Times Union July 11, 2005

Troublesome Spot? Convert to Containers.
By Ginny Stibolt

The L-shaped bed next to the garage, one of the more visible gardens as you drive up to our house, was a mess—under the eaves, no sprinkler coverage, and no drainage.  The previous owner used a woven, low quality weed barrier with lava rocks and a questionable selection of plants. Every time it rained, the ground remained soaked and squishy for long periods, because the soil in the bed has such poor drainage. Worse, the old weed barrier became a medium for various unwanted plants and weeds to grow in from above. So this messy, ineffective garden did not enhance the first impression of the house, and it was a maintenance nightmare.

We already knew that this garden needed help and we'd placed a big pot of Geraniums (Pelargonium x hortorum) in the center of the front of this L-shaped bed.  Last fall we dug up the tropical Mandevilla (Mandevilla sanderi) from another bed to bring it in for the winter and placed its pot next to the trellis this spring. 

A trellis always looks better with a vine twining around it.  Having the pot attached to the trellis for the season did complicate this project, as we had to work around it.

After removing the plants, the rocks, and the old weed barrier, we considered raising the bed a few inches.  In the end, we decided that the lower level would actually work better, since containers add their own height. 

Lost Shrubs

The previous owner had planted four compact Gardenias (Gardenia jasminoides 'Radicans'), but these little shrubs were lost in the low bed and were hiding under all those Mexican Petunias (Ruellia brittoniana).   We were pleasantly surprised that with just a little pruning, they looked like bonsais—perfect for container gardening.  We put two into pots and the other two we used on either side of the back step. (See www.transplantedgardener.com for this project.)  The photo of the two Gardenias demonstrates the striking difference that potting these shrubs made.

Other problems

At the corner of the bed, a Blue Daze (Evolvulus glomeratus) hadn't been pruned properly and had a lot of die-back.  Putting this into a pot means that we can bring it in for the winter, but meanwhile it's not ready for prime time. (Note: A member of the Morning Glory family, this plant's genus name refers to its non-climbing habit—untwining in Latin.)

The worst problem, as noted in the opening paragraph, was the overall weediness.  Scoffing at the old weed barrier, the Mexican Petunias had taken over the whole side of this bed.  This aggressive species is considered an invasive.  Don't plant it in spaces shared with other desirable plants.  The plants removed from this bed were used behind the garage in a weedy area under the eavesdrop and in a low spot on the other side of the driveway where not much had been growing but weeds.  They produce lots of lovely, purple, trumpet-shaped flowers favored by hummingbirds and butterflies. 

Unlike the project with the French drains, removing all the plants made it easier to level and tamp down the whole bed.  We put down a layer of heavy, professional grade, non-woven YardTek weed barrier and covered it with a thick layer of mulch.  We considered reusing the lava rocks, but decided that since we'll be moving containers around the bed, that the sharp rocks would eventually compromise the weed barrier.  

We need a few more pots to complete the arrangement, but each season we'll have the flexibility of putting the most attractive plants on display.  

When working with containers here are several items to keep in mind:

• The weight of each pot needs to be heavy enough so it doesn't blow over in a storm, but light enough so that you can move it without a forklift.
• The plants must be able to tolerate hot soil and periodic drying.  You can regulate some of this—clay pots will retain more heat and lose more water.  The soil should be mixed with more or less organic material to suit the plant in that pot.  We used a clay pot with sandy soil for the Geraniums and a heavier soil and plastic pots for the Gardenias. 
• Do a deep watering each time you water—water until it runs out the bottom of the pot.  No matter what type of plant or pot, to prevent root rot always put a layer of rocks in the bottom of a pot.  I separate the soil from the rocks with a layer of leaves.
• If you plant more than one species in a pot, be sure they have similar needs for sun, soil, and water.

I have a big pot by the pond with two types of ferns  (Osmunda cinnamomea & Asplenium platyneuron) and Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana).  A lovely arrangement.  It works because these plants love the mostly shady location, and share their need for moisture. 

Look for more details and pictures of containers and other projects that are not included in my regular articles on www.transplantedgardener.com.   

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Ginny Stibolt is a naturalist and a gardener with a master's degree in plant taxonomy. She’d like to hear from readers who have suggestions and questions. After all, there are more than a few transplanted gardeners here in Northeast Florida trying to figure out what works and what doesn’t in planting zone 8/9. You may contact her or read more of her articles posted on her website: www.transplantedgardener.com.

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