Thrillers, Chillers, & Spillers

By mid April, our greenhouse will be jam packed with hanging baskets and hundreds of trays of blooming annuals and tomato plants.  Our parking lot will be converted into a little garden center, with tables filled with blooming plants and the ground covered with blooming shrubs, perennials, tropicals, and roses.  We will answer a million questions about flower and vegetable gardening and landscaping by the time May has ended.   In this column I'll answer one of those questions, with the subject being container growing.

How do I choose plants to go in a mixed pot?  The plants that you put together in a container should be chosen for the reasons I'll list below.  And remember, that a container does not have to be a conventional pot, it can be a wagon or a box or an enamel ware bowl or a concrete trough or anything you can think of.
 1. Sun requirements.  All the plants should need full sun, or part sun or shade. i.e. Don't plant an impatien in the same pot with a lantana and a geranium.
 2. Water needs.  All the plants should require similar amounts of water.  i.e. Don't plant moss roses with lobelia. 
3.  Color.  Pick a color scheme you like.  Monochromatic is shades of one color.  Complimentary colors are purples and yellows, or reds and greens, or oranges and blues.  Aggressive colors are oranges, reds, and yellows.  Receding colors are blues, greens, and violets.  What colors do you like best?
4. Thrillers, chillers, and spillers.  This refers to the levels of plant growth that make an attractive container garden.  A "thriller" is the tallest plant in the pot.  The dracaena spike is commonly used, but don't be afraid to try something new.  For real drama in a large pot in full sun, plant a hibiscus or lantana tree in the center for height.  The "spiller" is the plant that will grow and drape over the side of the pot.  Wave petunias, Million Bells, and verbena are great choices for spillers in the sun.  The "chiller" is the plant that is of medium stature and upright and branched and fills in the space in the middle of the pot.  Good examples are geraniums, aryranthemum, vincas, or Bandana lantanas.

Always ask questions regarding plant choices when you visit our greenhouse.  We can give you information you can't always get at the big box stores.  Our staff includes 2 horticulturalists with a combined 35 years of experience with plants.

We get a lot of questions about rose plants.  The biggest selling rose is the Knockout Rose.  The great thing about Knockouts is that anyone can grow one!  They are disease resistant, insect resistant, and they bloom a lot!  They are a shrub rose, and they are grown on their own rootstock, instead of being grafted, which makes them hardier.
Also available this spring are David Austin roses, hybrid tea roses, climbing roses, and floribunda roses.
We are now currently adding the flowering shrubs, perennials, tropicals, and annuals that we will have to sell this spring on our website www.ravennagreenhouse.com.  You will be able to see pictures of flowers and plants and read about how to care for these plants.
 Our inventory this spring will include several varieties of Hydrangeas, including Pinky Winky, Limelight, Paris Cityline, Vienna Cityline, Incrediball, and Invinceable Spirit,  any of which would make a great Mother's Day gift!
Call us with your inquiries concerning availability of plants at 606-723-2175 or 1-866-408-2559.
Happy Gardening!!!!!!