I love my woods garden.  In spring and fall it is something to see (brag…brag).  But this time of year there’s almost no color under my trees.  I’m always looking for ways to get blooms into the shade. 

Pots work best because there’s no root competition from the trees.  The pots need to be large enough to make an impact.   I like to group them.  That helps with the watering chores too. 

So here’s a pair of pots that are fun to look at–cheap to put together and easy to grow.  You can find these plants anywhere. 

The tall spikes are sword plants–a tropical you can find in any windowless office growing under lights.  I think I paid 10 dollars for a big pot at the Home Depot one year.  In winter, I dig them up and bring them inside.  Is that super-thrifty or what?

The blooms are pink impatients–the best shade annual in the south.  I always buy a flat and stick them in shady pots around my bird bath.  They bloom non-stop til frost.

The trailing plant is Creeping Jenny.  It’s a perennial ground cover.  Keep it out of the ground unless you want to spend a lot time digger it up.  Still, it is lovely and delicate in pots. 

If you don’t have any big pots, look for them on sale now.  They are great way to garden in places where you could never dig a whole (like under trees).  And a great way to add color and interest to your southern garden. 

Ps.  Make sure your pots have ample drainage holes.   Pots with no drainage result in disasters.  There should be a law.

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