Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Wednesday Vignette, now there's an idea...

I've been a long time gravel top-dresser. Meaning I hate the look of bare soil in a container. It's like wearing a nice outfit and not bothering to put on appropriate shoes. Sort of. This vignette at Dancing Oaks Nursery got me to thinking...

I have an idea these might be weeds, but they still inspired me to think I could plant a little ground-cover in the gravel of some of my containers. Something not too aggressive. The mix of rocks and a second shade of green is nice, don't you think?

Wednesday Vignettes are hosted by Anna at Flutter & Hum. All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

21 comments:

  1. They're not weeds; they're true Getaniums. Avant Gardens in MA has a Pelargonium underplanted with a groundcover and it looks stunning. Image may atill be on their plant catalog online.

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    1. Ah, I wasn't clear. I see now there's a tree looking plant, the geraniums and then the tiny leaves which I thought of as weeds. It's the tiny leaves I was referring too. But actually this ups the ante!

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  2. Looks very nice and gives you an opportunity to get more plants. It's a win-win situation!

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  3. Very attractive. I've used golden babies' tears to similar effect.

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  4. I totally agree with OG! I have just started underplanting (impatiens under roses) in a couple of pots, but nothing is far enough along to judge the effect yet. I'm still trying to decide what I'm seeing in the picture? It looks like something under geranium under pelargonium?!

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    1. There is a lot going on in that photo, I'm not sure anymore either.

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  5. But if you do that, you'll be breaking your one pot/one plant rule.

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    1. Oh but rules are made to be broken! And it's not so much a rule as a preference.

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  6. I think it's a fantastic idea. And..because you use gravel..the drainage would be great, so you would have a wide variety of choices. Keep us posted!

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  7. I like it! I think you just kicked cramscaping up a notch, you trendsetter, you!

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  8. I like this! Most of the time, I try to fill pots with plants. But I'm still trying to figure out the Meyer Lemon. If I add rocks or other mulch, it promotes mold and bugs in the soil. It's a bit more of an issue with an indoor plant, but I'll figure it out. Maybe lava rocks would work... (Geraniums form a great groundcover--in pots or directly in the soil!)

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    1. "If I add rocks or other mulch, it promotes mold and bugs in the soil." well that's no good!

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  9. I like the idea of living top-dressing.

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  10. I have mixed views. My ordered side screa plants touching and mess hell no. My alpine side thinks there are some great slow moving creeping alpines that would set of the plants. I have no doubt with you creative and plant flair that you would make it work.

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    1. Since I'm an avowed plants-touching gardener I guess that's why I loved it.

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  11. AnonymousMay 05, 2016

    ice plants are great. They have very shallow roots and need little water if you are planting\ with other succulents, plus they are "spillers"!

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  12. Hardy Geraniums. Many species and varieties of this genus are adorable. I agree about bare soil in containers and elsewhere. I usually deal with the problem by planting closely. Still, there is that awkward period before everything fills in. I have never tried stones as a mulch in containers. Worth thinking about.

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