Spring has been extra fickle in New York this year – 80 degrees one week, 30 degrees many mornings, and crazy windy in-between! Dressing with all this unpredictability can be a challenge, which is why my wardrobe contains pieces that can layer up or down, depending on the weather. This is especially helpful at this time of year when, even if it’s unseasonably warm, I’m not quite ready for shorts and flip flops.
I like to strike the same balance with my planters – keeping some of the winter “feel” while gradually introducing some spring flavor.
Pictured above are what my entry pots looked like in December and the Spring. It was time to change them over but I decided to keep that pine in the back. It’s thriving, has good height and takes up about a third of the planter (which means less money and effort spent on filling up the pot with all new plants).
So I cleared out everything but the pine and popped in some fresh spring plants.The pine looks quite at home with its new pot mates and the overall effect clearly says “spring.”
The take-away here? Even in the smallest of planters I like to incorporate an evergreen or two. Other good choices are boxwood, juniper and euonymus. Most nurseries carry small versions of these plants, which are perfect for containers.
Enjoy your garden; the season has begun (even if it doesn’t feel like it)!
[blockquote class=blue]Sheri Silver owns fiori garden design (www.fiorigarden.com) in Irvington, and writes the blog donuts, dresses and dirt (www.sherisilver.com).[/blockquote]
