Let’s celebrate this Fourth of July with a fantastic container garden! Dazzle your outdoor space with fireworks of color and sun loving plants! Designing your own container garden is a great way to add color to your landscape, or even your porch or patio. The great thing about container gardening is that you do not need a yard. No matter where you live, you can create a beautiful garden. Before you get started, we would like to share a few key factors to keep in mind for your container garden’s success.
STEP 1: Supplies
Gather your supplies. This will vary depending on your creation, but here are the basic items you will need:
- Calloway’s Premium Potting Soil
- Sun loving color from Calloway’s or Cornelius
- Calloway’s Premium Pottery
- Calloway’s Natural Garden Food
STEP 2: Soil and Pottery
The soil you use is very important to the health and success of your container garden. First, never use the native soil from the ground, as it does not contain the nutrients and moisture-retaining properties of a proper potting soil.
Calloway’s Premium Potting Soil is formulated specifically for your containers. Calloway’s Potting Soil contains the perfect blend to retain moisture while allowing proper drainage. It is ideal for all potted plants and container gardens.
Pick out a great blue container to really get into the spirit! We have many to choose from in various sizes and styles. Your selection of Calloway’s Pottery or whatever container you are using must have a drain hole. If there is too much moisture, it will cause root rot and that can be easily avoided with the draining system in your pottery.
To get started, place a piece of bark or stones in the bottom of your container to help prevent the soil from leaking out, making sure water can still flow through. Then, fill your container with Calloway’s Premium Potting Soil.
STEP 3: Adding Your Plants
Pick your plants in shades of red and white and design a visually pleasing container garden. When it comes to the design, use the “Thriller, Filler, and Spiller” method. Choosing your plants based on “Thriller, Filler, and Spiller” selections will create an exciting creation with dimension and color.
Watch the video below for a quick tutorial on placement of your plants based on the “Thriller, Filler, and Spiller” design method for your Fourth of July container.
First, add your “Thriller” plant. Find a vibrant plant in red or white. Choose selections with big, bold blooms or gorgeous clusters of petite flowers that sparkle against the green foliage. For our creation, we selected showy white flowers with yellow eyes and fuzzy green foliage. A perfect selection for your “Thriller” plant because it resembles fireworks with its blooms.
Remember, the “Thriller” plant will be a large, dramatic, and taller option. It is the focal plant in your container. Depending on where your container will be displayed, you can either plant your “Thriller” in the center, if your container will be viewed from all sides, or in the back of the container.
Then, add your “Filler” plant. The “Filler” plants are medium-sized plants that tend to be a more rounded plant to make the container look full. Place your “Filler” around the “Thriller” or in front of the “Thriller” plant. In our design, we selected a fantastic plant for this time of year, Cora® Vinca.
Cora® Vinca’s showy, star-shaped blooms and medium texture make a great “Filler” plant while also providing shades of red for your patriotic container. Cora® Vinca loves the heat and will thrive throughout the season.
Finally, add your “Spiller” plant. The “Spiller” plants are trailing plants that hang over the edge of the container. They should be planted close to the edge of the container, in front of, or surrounding the “Filler” plant.
To complete our Fourth of July Container Garden, we decided to compliment the red and white hues with elegant foliage like Dusty Miller. Choose a selection that will spill over the edge of your container with attractive leaves that compliments your creation.
Your container garden will shine in your outdoor space and provide a pop of beautiful, natural color.
STEP 3: Feed and Decorate
Add in your Calloway’s Natural Garden Food as directed. This will help with the health of your plant for brighter, bolder blooms.
Water in thoroughly and add more potting soil as needed.
Finally, add your festive Fourth of July décor and compliment your creation with a Sassafras® Switchmat™ collection by Evergreen®. Check out the fabulous collection of inter-changeable designs at our store nearest you!
Happy Fourth of July!
