Create a transitional,  "winter to spring" garden vignette using potted plants while you wait for the sun to shine.

I appeared on "Good Things Utah" recently to present some container garden ideas that are realistic for cold winter areas.

 

Container gardens are the answer to space-challenged yards and urban patios and balconies with tiny square footage.

Instead of just setting out a mishmash of potted plants, create a "garden vignette" or a grouped collection that tells a cohesive story.

 

 

 

Garden Vignette 101

A vignette should start with  a decorative focal point.

 

I employed a metal trellis as a background and covered it with spagnum moss decorated in a checkerboard pattern.

 

You will need a small tree to anchor your container garden.

I elevated a leafless Corylus 'Contorta' (Harry Lauder walking stick) tree to sculpture status!

 "Harry" is planted in a shiny, ochre colored ceramic pot and propped on top of a copper planter.

 

 

 

Two, topiary  Blue Star Junipers  flank the small tree and contribute more structure to the vignette.

Narcissus and Hyacinths round out the ensemble, bringing a welcomed jolt of color and fragrance to the winter patio.

 

Did You Know?

Junipers are the extreme survivors in nature and are able to withstand extreme heat, drought and cold temperatures!

 

There are hundreds of juniper varieties with growth habits that range from  prostate, mounding, twisting,spreading, spiraling and more.

You can also find Junipers in every hue of  gold, blue, green and silver!

 

Junipers are very common plants, consequentlly, they don't receive the adulation they  deserve.

 

Let's take a moment to contemplate their amazing characteristics!

 

Enjoy the video and get started on your winter garden vignette!

 

So what's thriving in your container garden right now?

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I’m a huge fan of gardening and I’m a huge fan of eating, that’s why I created an edible landscape at home.

You can’t walk 2 feet in my yard without being able to snag some kind of fruit, herb or vegetable!

continue reading..

 

The Lechuza, "Self Watering" Plant containers were a hit at the Independent Garden Center Show, Chicago.

 

Garden Center TV: Post #5

 

The reason why I have failed with some of my container plants is because of improper watering.

Sometimes I over-watered my plants and "killed them with kindness" and other times I didn't give them enough water and they died a slow, thirsty death.

Sound familiar?

 

I was intrigued when I saw an ad in a garden trade magazine for "self-watering" plant containers by Lechuza.

I wasn't paying attention to the  self watering feature at first, I just liked the way they looked.

 

Once I noticed that the planters were designed with a sub-irrigation system, I was curious to see them  up close.

Take a look at this short video where I interview Anton Van Zevenbergen, of Lechuza.  

 Anton explains how the planter works.

 

When used correctly, the planter can maintain a plant for up to 12 weeks with no human intervention!

 

The Lechuza self watering containers come in different styles, sizes and shapes and are available at your independent garden centers throughout the country.

 

 The planters are lightweight and very convenient to use.

 

Watch the whole video series of  Garden Center TV posts!

Post #1: "Monrovia Growers: Would You Like Some Design Inspiration to go with that Plant?"

Post #2: "Hort Couture Plants for the Plantonista?"

Post #3: "An Indoor Plant Named "Tweed that Looks Like Weed!"

Come visit me again at Eden Makers Blog,

 

Visit the Garden Center TV website and community to preview new garden products from around the world and share your opinion about them!

 

 

Garden in Santa Monica, California

I've heard people say, "I can't have a garden because I live in an apartment with no patio or balcony."

Ok, here is the proof that when there is a will, there is a way to enjoy even the smallest garden.

Hang those plants!

 

On the subject of hanging plants from whatever vertical wall or railing you have, do you know about the Greenbo Planter?

Designed to fit on top of a balcony railing, the Greenbo planter is stylish, space efficient and doesn't need any screws or nails to attach to your railing!

The Greenbo planter self mounts onto your railing- up to 6" inches wide.

Read more about these planters on my Garden Center TV site!

 

  

Garden designer Shirley Bovshow preparing her display for the CBS Early Show

When you’re a professional garden designer and appear on television as a garden expert, you have to be ready to create beautiful gardens at a moments notice and in any season, weather its prime gardening time or not!  So when I got the call to do the CBS Early Show last week, I jumped at the challenge!

  My mission was to create “themed container gardens” using decor and colorful finishing touches to stand in the gap when plants have little color to offer. The task was a lot more challenging than I had imagined! Doing the show itself was a piece of cake and lots of fun and the four-and-a-half minutes went by in a flash. The television hosts and their production team were fantastic to work with and very helpful.  The problem was, “where was I going to find camera-ready plants in the middle of NYC in the wintertime in just a few hours?”  I was the plant expert  after all, but I needed help!

 To protect myself from utter failure, I made a call to the national plant grower, Monrovia, the “Horticultural Craftsmen” company  before leaving Los Angeles and left a ”cry for help” message on Nicholas Staddon’s voice mail. Nicholas is in charge of new plant introductions for the company and probably not the person who could help me out, but his was the only contact information I had. I jumped on the plane to New York before I could hear back from him. I felt like a blind person without a cane when I arrived in New York.

The day before my television appearance, I  worked with Al DeLuca, art director for the show and some of his assistants. They provided me with pots, soil, decor, and detailing materials. I was almost ready, but I had no plants for the container gardens. ”No plants, no garden,” I thought. 

Nicholas Staddon from Monrovia called me back just as I was starting to feel doomed. Nicholas got in touch with the one Monrovia’s northeastern sales managers, Chris Rubino and  arranged to have Chris help me out. Chris came through like a hero!

Plants from Monrovia  were used by Shirley Bovshow on the CBS Early Show.

Chris Rubino of Monrovia personally visited a few of his territory stores in New Jersey and brought a car full of beautiful plants into the city for me to choose from!  Chris canvassed his stores in the rain and drove through Manhattan city traffic to get them to me with no promise that he or his company would get any credit. The generous-spirit that is the hallmark of gardeners everywhere was alive and active in Chris and all the professionals who made my presentation possible.

There was one  another gentleman, Rob, who feeling compassion for me, opened his store, (Empire Cut Flower on West 28th Street), after hours  and let me in to buy some very important curly willow and red twig dogwood that were central in one of my potted designs. Berkeley Booth of American Specialty Glass was another hero, who sent me on overnight delivery,  a box-full of recycled and tumbled glass in a rainbow of colors that I used to bring color to the container gardens!

On the morning of the television appearance,  I was filled with joy when I saw the potted arrangements handsomely displayed on the set of the Early Show.  I stood before the camera smiling and excited because the gardens were ready for their close-up thanks to the many hands that brought the pieces together for me.

 

 

Watch Shirley Bovshow on the CBS Early Show