Click for larger image.... (See that sticker? Bonded to the pot. I need a razor blade to get it off, and I just haven't mustered the energy to attack it)
Deborah Silver, of Dirt Simple, comments on formulas and breaking free of them. When you get comfortable with plants, thinking out of the box is fun. But formulas are useful for those starting out. The 'formula' for potted arrangements: A Thriller, a Spiller, and a Filler.
I’ve a three pot combo on my patio, it uses the formula, but breaks it into two or three plants in each pot, the thriller and spiller relating to each other across the boundaries. The whole thing is an experiment with the local climate. I’ve been horrible homesick for the lush container plantings of the midwest and am trialing these plants for hardiness and appearance. Most of them are new to me. (Save the pentas. Pentas are perennials down here, they just need to be protected during the handful of days we get to freezing temps. I love the pentas.)
