Archive for container ideas

Window Box Ideas from Camden Maine

Posted in annuals, annuals, container gardening, container gardening, containers for shade, garden to visit, Garden Tour, How to, landscape design, Maine with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 31, 2015 by Carolyn @ Carolyns Shade Gardens

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 5-32-58 PMThis beautiful window box full of my favorite color flowers was outside a storefront in Camden, Maine.

As I mentioned in my last post, Michael and I recently visited Camden, Maine, to attend the Camden Garden Club House and Garden Tour.  The town is full of inspiring container ideas.  So many, in fact, that I split the photos into two posts.  This one covers window boxes, and the previous post pictured pots and hanging baskets.  To read it, click here.

Nursery News:  Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a retail nursery located in Bryn Mawr, PA, specializing in showy, colorful, and unusual plants for shade.  The only plants that we ship are snowdrops and miniature hostas.  For catalogues and announcements of events, please send your full name, location, and phone number (for back up use only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com.  Click here to get to the home page of our website for catalogues and information about our nursery and to subscribe to our blog.

.

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 5-33-46 PMIn containers, you can often use colors that wouldn’t necessarily go well together in the garden.

I was very impressed that most local businesses in Camden invested in flower-filled containers along the sidewalk.  It was very attractive and complemented all the plantings maintained by the Camden Garden Club.  The Camden Library grounds are especially beautiful.  Even if you are just passing through Camden, it is worth stopping to walk around.  The harbor is gorgeous, and there are lots of wonderful restaurants—more on that later.

.

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 5-45-52 PMThis display was particularly creative with the use of a wooden oar and driftwood in this seaside town.

.

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 6-02-03 PMIt is not necessary to get fancy: very traditional and very pretty.

.

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 5-51-28 PM.

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 5-52-04 PM.

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 5-51-40 PMThere is a tendency to go with bold colors in containers, and I do that myself.  However, this combination of yellow, white, and silver is quite elegant.

.

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 5-48-21 PMWe saw the chef from this restaurant collecting nasturtiums for culinary use.  Containers are not just for viewing.  I intend to put my basil and parsley in my window boxes next year.

.

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 5-53-34 PM.

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 5-53-45 PMUnlike plastic pots, baskets lined with moss or another organic material are aesthetically pleasing when first planted and the container is still visible.

.

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 5-47-09 PMThis restaurant down by the waterfront went all out with window boxes lining both stories.  All the remaining photos are of planting combinations from this location.

.

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 5-47-39 PMRestaurant patrons seated by the windows got not only a beautiful harbor view but also lovely flower arrangements.

.

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 5-46-46 PM .

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 5-46-35 PM.

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 5-46-17 PM

.

window boxes in Camden Maine 7-14-2015 5-46-07 PM

I hope you have gotten a few ideas from Camden’s flowers—I know I have!

Carolyn

Nursery Happenings: You can sign up to receive catalogues and emails about nursery events by sending your full name and phone number to carolynsshadegardens@verizon.net.  Subscribing to my blog does not sign you up to receive this information.

Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a local retail nursery in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S., zone 6b/7a. The only plants that we mail order are snowdrops and miniature hostas and only within the US.

Facebook: Carolyn’s Shade Gardens has a Facebook Page where I post single photos, garden tips, and other information that doesn’t fit into a blog post. You can look at my Facebook page here or click the Like button on my right sidebar here.

Notes: Every word that appears in orange on my blog is a link that you can click for more information. If you want to return to my blog’s homepage to access the sidebar information (catalogues, previous articles, etc.) or to subscribe to my blog, just click here.

17 Comments »

Container Planting Ideas from Camden Maine

Posted in annuals, annuals, container gardening, container gardening, containers for shade, garden to visit, Garden Tour, How to, landscape design, Maine with tags , , , , , , , on July 24, 2015 by Carolyn @ Carolyns Shade Gardens

Camden Containers 7-14-2015 5-35-55 PMThe display outside a storefront in Camden, Maine.

Michael and I visited Camden, Maine, for the third year in a row to attend the 68th Annual Camden Garden Club House and Garden Tour.  Readers love my posts from Maine so I took lots of photos while I was there.  The garden club maintains most of the public spaces in Camden and seems to have inspired the town to go wild with containers outside many of the homes and businesses.

Nursery News:  Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a retail nursery located in Bryn Mawr, PA, specializing in showy, colorful, and unusual plants for shade.  The only plants that we ship are snowdrops and miniature hostas.  For catalogues and announcements of events, please send your full name, location, and phone number (for back up use only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com.  Click here to get to the home page of our website for catalogues and information about our nursery and to subscribe to our blog.

.

Camden Containers 7-14-2015 5-34-06 PM.

I take lots of photos of creative containers over the summer.  I have been reluctant to post a lot of them because most people probably have their pots, window boxes, and hanging baskets filled by late July.  This year I am forging ahead though, hoping that readers will get some creative ideas for next year.  In fact, I found so many beautiful combinations in Camden that I have split the post into two parts:  this one will cover pots and hanging baskets and the next will be window boxes.  For some advice on container design techniques, click here and follow the links in the first paragraph to three other posts.

.

Camden Containers 7-14-2015 5-34-59 PM

.

Camden Containers 7-14-2015 5-35-08 PMIt is not necessary to get fancy: a container of ordinary pink petunias and blue annual lobelia is lush and beautiful.

.

Camden Containers 7-14-2015 5-21-39 PMHanging baskets echo the colors at this local bed and breakfast, The Blue Harbor Inn.

.

Camden Containers 7-14-2015 5-21-50 PMA close up, hanging baskets look the best when they are filled to overflowing and the pot is not visible.

.

Camden Containers 7-14-2015 6-17-38 PMThis more subtle and elegant combination was sitting on the top of a trash can in downtown Camden.

.

Camden Containers 7-14-2015 6-17-17 PMThe other side of the container on the trash can.  Petunias used to be somewhat boring, but there are so many elegant cultivars available now, here white with delicate yellow and pink shading.  The yellow blooms are double-flowered million bells.

.

Camden Containers 7-14-2015 6-15-01 PMIf you are looking for a tall, narrow effect, this container and another identical one flanked a store entrance.

.

Camden Containers 7-23-2015 10-54-27 AMA cheerful combination of red annual verbena, yellow million bells, and blue annual lobelia.

.

Camden Containers 7-14-2015 5-54-34 PM.

Camden Containers 7-14-2015 5-54-22 PMAnother pair of containers at a store entrance using verbena and double million bells.  The grasses give the the pots an added bit of interest and elegance.

.

Camden Containers 7-14-2015 5-36-08 PM This large display (also pictured in the first photo) was definitely my favorite.  The color combination is subtle yet eye-catching, the textures are interesting especially the kale in the back, and the rustic containers are very attractive.

.

Camden Containers 7-14-2015 5-36-22 PMA close up

.

Camden Containers 7-16-2015 11-12-35 AMThis pedestrian bridge was lined with containers of pink petunias, tomatoes, and squash, a utilitarian yet attractive combination.

.

Camden Containers 7-16-2015 11-14-03 AMI love the idea of walking out on my deck to harvest vegetables and may try this next year.

.

Camden Containers 7-23-2015 10-56-053This last photo shows a traditional Maine scene with a simple but beautiful combination of pink petunias, yellow million bells, and the less common and very lovely pale blue annual lobelia.

.

I hope you are enjoying summer!

Carolyn

Nursery Happenings: You can sign up to receive catalogues and emails about nursery events by sending your full name and phone number to carolynsshadegardens@verizon.net.  Subscribing to my blog does not sign you up to receive this information.

Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a local retail nursery in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S., zone 6b/7a. The only plants that we mail order are snowdrops and miniature hostas and only within the US.

Facebook: Carolyn’s Shade Gardens has a Facebook Page where I post single photos, garden tips, and other information that doesn’t fit into a blog post. You can look at my Facebook page here or click the Like button on my right sidebar here.

Notes: Every word that appears in orange on my blog is a link that you can click for more information. If you want to return to my blog’s homepage to access the sidebar information (catalogues, previous articles, etc.) or to subscribe to my blog, just click here.

20 Comments »