The good man is the friend of all living things - Gandhi.

Imagination in a Container

Some imagination can lead to unexpected combinations. Here we have foliage stars like Japanese painted fern, Carex ‘Ice Dance’, ‘Tasmanian Tiger’ Euphorbia and red mustard combined with pink snapdragons and white violas for maximum contrast.

Matching Plants to Container

Often, the container itself can help determine your planting scheme. Black mondo grass echoes the dark tones of the pot, the red glaze is duplicated by the red pansy and bronze winter tones of the ajuga. A gaultheria shrub is an unusual addition that helps perk things up.

A little bit of Heavenly bamboo

Heavenly bamboo (Nandina) makes an unusual centerpiece encircled by pansies interspersed with lettuces in various colors and leaf shapes.

A Birdhouse for Succulents

Planting container gardens in random objects is a huge garden trend. If there’s room for soil and a drainage hole then you have a winner! A combination of easy-care succulents have made this pretty purple birdhouse home.

Bold Houseplants

Winter is the perfect time to play in the dirt inside. The strappy foliage of orchids and bromeliads complement each other and the combination of these plants treats you with multiple pops of color. Go bold with a bright orange bromeliad and a white and purple patterned orchid. Play with different colored bromeliads and orchids to get the look that suits your personality.

Add a Southwestern touch with this succulent container

This pot transports you to another place—the Southwest. Brightly painted, glazed pots are the perfect choice to hold architectural sedums, hens n’ chicks, and Euphorbia. Use it as a focal point or in a dry corner of the garden.

Winter Bedding Color

Silver or grey foliage looks especially nice with cyclamen. The silver dusty miller foliage complements the flower color and ties in with the silver in the foliage. It also gives a nice lacy relief to the solid clumps of cyclamen leaves.

Festive and fun cyclamen bowl

Here’s a novel idea! Plant a bird bath or low bowl with colorful, low-growing flowers. (Cyclamens here, but pansies would work just as well.) Then add some driftwood and glass balls (or ornaments). Clip some stems of your favorite berried shrub, like beautyberry (Callicarpa) and stand them straight up in the pot—in a clump or like a mini-forest in this photo. Festive and fun!

Cool Season Edibles Container

Edibles don’t need to be confined to the veggie garden—feature them in a pot! Rosemary, thyme, tricolor sage, purple cabbage and (edible) lavender pansies complete the edible but beautiful theme.