Winter Containers
Annuals in pots will be finished soon as frosts are rapidly approaching. It is time to replace those plants with winter hardy selections. When selecting plants for containers, consider using a variety of textures and colors for maximum impact. The “Thriller – Filler – Spiller” concept is a good way to begin.
“Thriller” plants provide a vertical element and height to your container. Choices include Lemon Cypress (pictured), Alberta Spruce, Yew, Holly and Phormium.
“Filler” plants are the mid-sized plants that create the main focal point in the container. Choices include Huechera (pictured), Pansy, Ornamental Cabbage, Ornamental Peppers, Euphorbia, Boxwood, Sarcococca, Heather, Fern, Sedum, Bergenia and Hellebore.
“Spiller” plants include those that trail over the side of the pot. This could be Vinca (pictured), Ivy, Juniper or Cotoneaster,
Check out our selection of smaller potted evergreens in the greenhouse.
Evergreen grasses like Liriope and Carex make excellent container plants for winter.
We have a large selection of ferns in both large and small pots.
Leuchothoe are colorful shrubs that would make a nice filler selection.
Plants with berries like Creeping Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) look great in winter containers.
Heathers remain green throughout the winter and provide colorful flowers.
Pansies are one of the most popular winter plants for containers. Keep them fertilized with a liquid fertilizer to keep them blooming all winter.
Ornamental Cabbage gets more colorful as temperatures drop.
Photos by Phillip Oliver
