Everyone loves a good container garden. These containers are great for small spaces and provide focal points and seasonal interest in the garden. The problem is the plants in these containers are often annuals and can be costly to replace every season. Sometimes, you can spread a planting over two seasons if you’re lucky, but it will usually only last one season.
However, there is a solution to this problem that can save time and money. You can make your plants last longer by swapping out your plants in your planters when the seasons change. For example, evergreens are a great plant to swap out with the seasons. The size of your evergreen plant depends on the type of ornamental tree, topiary, or simple shrub you choose. You can use ornamental grass in warmer climates that looks good even during winter. Have fun with seasonal elements to spice up your container with these suggestions.
SPRING
Add spring flowering bulbs, flowing ivy, and cool-season annuals like petunias to your garden. If your winter annuals still look good, you can leave them in, remove the ones that aren’t blooming, and add your spring annuals.
SUMMER
Spring bloomers in summer heat tend to die off, so get rid of them as soon as possible. If you’re fortunate, you might get another month from those plants. But if you don’t, consider adding hot tropical flowers like verbena or vincas to your garden.
FALL
All your warm-to-hot-season plants will have been removed by the end of summer. You can also add cool-season annuals to your garden, depending on whether you live in a mild or cold climate.
WINTER
If you live in a mild climate, consider switching out fall flowers and decorative elements for holiday-hued annuals that are suitable for your area.
