Front Porch and Planters
Deck Planters
A tropical paradise and growing/staging area. We added string lights for a fun, relaxing space we all love.
Meanwhile, we grew lots of plants from seed all summer long and found volunteers such as crabapple.
Hardy Hibiscus
Sprouts about Memorial Day so don't panic. Planted two others in the front garden. Needed to be repotted as was much larger.
Care Tips:
Prune down to 3-6" in fall or spring.
Elephant Ears
Grew three different ones.
Acclimated and brought inside to overwinter when it gets below 50 (mid-October)
Repot when rootbound one size up.
Bonfire Peach Tree
2023 acquisition. Can keep on patio or plant inground. Contributes to tropical look.
Care Tips:
Move tree to garage in winter and keep moist when it goes dormant.
Tonto Crepe Myrtle
Summer 2023 purchase. Will be a tree if hardy.
Care Tips:
Put in garage for winter when dormant
Repot in spring to 15" pot
Canna Cleopatra
Grown from tuber
Pot: Needs >15" pot.
Care Tips:
Can bring outside when soil temp is consistently 60 degrees
Acclimated and brought inside for winter prior to freeze
Front Walk
Evergreens in colder months, flowers for the summer .
The pots are planted and we're growing them a bit.
Winter and Summer Plants
Dwarf Alberta Spruce
2023 mix
Sunset bells (purple plant)
Calla Lily Garden Grow
Matsumoto Aster
Petunias
Dill
We were able to bring in one sunset bells. Sunset bells actually don't like full sun and are good houseplants.
The caterpillars loved dill. Don't allow the dill to bolt.
Front Porch
This year we wanted taller planters with a trellis for our front porch where we have two pillars. I love to sit on the steps and take in all the gardens. It is so calming.
Fall Update
We planted Rieger begonias and polka dot plants. We cut down the morning glories in August as they were too vigorous for the trellis. Next year we'll try sweet peas or something more dwarf. In the fall, we took these inside. One pot did not make it - root rot as the holes got blocked. The other is still flourishing. The polka dot should be pruned and not allowed to flower or it may go dormant. The begonia is still flowering indoors.
We bought two replacement pots and planted for fall 2 Nandinas and 2 coral bells; planted tulip bulbs and dwarf daffodils in the pots to bloom in spring. I don't remember so we'll be surprised.
