Pot-Pourri

Gardening is mostly about the plants, but sometimes it's about the pots.  I have a growing collection of pottery that I absolutely love.  Today I would like share some pictures of some of that pottery.  Let me know if you see a favorite.

These cobalt blue pots are the perfect poolside accessory, but finding plants to live in them has been a little challenging due to the sunny and hot conditions they must endure.  I've tried different plants over the years, finally settling on these pineapple guavas back in 2011.  They looked okay at first, but slowly started to go down hill over time.  

I was stuck on what to do to freshen up these pots, so I called on my fellow bloggers for some suggestions.  They had so many great ideas that it was difficult to choose.  I finally settled on colorguard yucca, coreopsis, and asparagus fern.  I love the greens and yellows with the cobalt blue. 

So, what happened to the pineapple guava you might ask?  I found a spot for them nearby and they immediately rewarded me with some flowers.  I guess they are happier in their non-ceramic home.

My favorite containers are the colorful, glazed ceramic pots that cost a fortune.  Darn, I wish they weren't so expensive!  I add a few of these ceramic pots each year, but I'm always on the look out for less costly terracotta pots.  I love these novelty animals pots and plan to add more.  My little kitty has been with me for years, but I recently added the hen and the quail purchased at The Outdoor Marketplace in Bastrop.

Jewel of Opar (front), Pork and Beans Sedum (middle)

I pounced on a recent pottery sale at Hill Country Water Gardens.  The sale was 40% off for 2 door buster hours from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, May 25th.  The catch was that was the morning we had the rain storms.  Did that stop me?  Nope!  

The Hill Country staff were awesome as usual!  I can't say enough good things about this place. Their staff were out there in the rain helping me pull together my pottery selections and they even carefully packed all of the pottery into my vehicle.  I got some great deals and had a really good time.

My first selection from Hill Country was this trio of pots now housing 2 plumeria and an umbrella sedge.  My largest plumeria is so tall and top heavy that I couldn't keep it standing.  I'm hoping this big, heavy pot will keep it upright.  So far, so good. 

My second set of new comers are the beautiful turquoise pots below.  The larger pot in the back is planted with a foxtail fern, an acuba, and an umbrella sedge.  The smaller pot in the front is a coleus that jumps out and demands your attention amidst all of the green.

This little pot was purchased specifically for this pond crinum which was a pass-a-long from Pam at Digging.  Here's a link to her blog post, New Bloom in the Stock Tank Pond, so you can see what it will look like when it blooms.  

In my pond I usually use plain black pots for pond plants, but since this plant needs to sit out of the water a bit, I decided to look for something more attractive.  I think they look great together.

I love to find the perfect pot for a plant.  This moon cactus and this pot seem to be meant for each other.  Must be kismet. 

I like finding cool stuff to re-purpose as plant containers.  I think this box will make an excellent home for these ghost plants.

This planter is a re-purposed glass shade used for light fixtures.  How's that for a cool idea!  The shade came with a drainage hole already in place and all I had to do was add the plant.

Euphorbia graminea ‘Inneuphdia’ (Diamond Frost)

My Tonka truck planter is trucking along.  It may need to be replanted soon, but if you want to see it when it was first created, check out this old blog, Tonka Tour.

Galvanized stock tanks are very popular for use as containers.  I decided to paint this one to blend with my house and the orange ceramic pots that sit nearby.  

The galvanized stock tank above is a part of a growing collection of cactus that I've been lining up along the western wall of my house.  Nothing much ever wanted to grow there, but these cactus seem pretty happy. 

Turquoise pots are my favorites.  Can you tell?

I even found this turquoise mushroom.  Too cute.

Containers are a fun way to experiment with interesting plant combinations.  Here are three combinations that I think are particularly striking.  The first is a combination of Hawaiian ti and lime green potato vine.  This combination is so colorful, I don't even miss the lack of flowers.  

The second plant combination is the strappy variegated foliage of this cordyline combined with the leafy foliage of the coleus.  The not quite tone on tone color scheme really makes the yellow and green variegation pop.

The third plant combination came from an idea I saw during a garden tour.  The homeowner had combined bronze dyckia and silver ponyfoot in a planting bed.  This was so striking to me that I'm trying to duplicate the look in this pot.  The ponyfoot has a way to go yet to fill out the pot, but I think you can get the idea.

I love my ceramic pottery, but without plants adding interest to the shiny surfaces, I doubt I would like my pottery so well.  Sometimes it's about the plants and a simple pot will do.