When the mercury drops and plants die back for the winter months, it's time to clean out those outdoor containers and store them away for next season. Or maybe not. Just because it's cold out doesn't mean you can't have eye-catching containers to liven up an otherwise drab winter landscape. Here's how.
Many garden centers and nurseries sell cut greens and other material used for wreath-making and other holiday decorations. These materials also work well for creating beautiful winter containers. Commonly supplied greenery includes juniper, noble fir, blue spruce, white pine, holly and boxwood. Select at least three different kinds of greens for a good mix of colors and textures. In addition, look for winterberry, pepperberry, dogwood twigs, and curly willow branches. Should you happen to grow any of these plants in your own garden, feel free to supplement with a few cuttings.
Use containers that are at least a foot deep. The bigger the container, the more of an impression it will make when finished. Some types of terra cotta or ceramic containers may crack in very cold conditions, but most other materials tolerate freezing temperatures well. Fill with potting mix to a few inches from the top rim and lightly water to give the soil some holding power.
Keep proportions in mind as you work. The longest pieces should not exceed the height of the pot, or else the arrangement will look top-heavy. Keep a pair of pruners handy to trim greenery to suit your needs.
Start with the larger and heavier pieces of greenery such as spruce and fir. Work from the outer edge inwards to the center of the container. Imagine a triangle on the surface of the soil with its points about an inch from the rim of the container. Place one type of greenery, such as blue spruce, at each point of the triangle. Push the stems into the soil at about a 45 degree angle so that the pieces lean out over the edge of the container a little bit. Bury each piece at least four or five inches down or until it feels secure.
Next, place a different type of greenery, such as noble fir, between these first three pieces. Continue placing the greenery in smaller and smaller triangles until you reach the center. Once you have the main structure, fill in with lighter materials such as pine and juniper. Boxwood also works great as a filler for any leftover holes or small spaces. The arrangement should look neither sparse nor jam-packed when finished, but nicely full and balanced. No soil should be showing.
Now for some embellishments. Add some dogwood twigs for their dramatic red or yellow color and vertical movement. For something more subtle in color but not in form, curly willow adds a bit of fun with its twisty growth habit. Use winterberry or pepperberry twigs for cheery red highlights. Frost can take its toll on both, so consider faux winterberry twigs which can be used from year to year. Variegated and regular holly adds a lovely holiday accent, but also is susceptible to frost burn. To add some woodsy interest, intersperse pinecones tied onto the tips of twigs hidden in the arrangement. Spray paint the pinecones gold or silver for a more festive look.
If you live where it freezes, the soil in the container will freeze and hold all the material quite tightly. This enables the arrangement to hold up under some snowfall, looking even more gorgeous with a soft blanket of white over it. If it does not freeze where you live, continue to lightly water the container to keep the material in place. Outdoor winter containers can last for a few months, and with a few replacements and touch-ups, even may last until spring.
Instead of storing them away this year, turn your containers into creative and colorful winter arrangements. They'll look fabulously festive on your doorstep, by the walk, or anywhere you want to put them. Don't be surprised when friends and neighbors start asking you to do some for them, too!
Any leftover material makes great centerpieces. Stick the extra bits and pieces into some floral foam or oasis just like miniature versions of your winter containers.
 | Window boxes also provide gardeners with limited space an opportunity to expand their gardens. They can take your garden quite literally to another level. |
 | With just a few minor changes to your gardening routine, seniors suffering from arthritis and other ailments can have the option to garden again. |
 | A window box is a great way to garden when you have limited yard space, like the convenience of reaching out the kitchen window to pick fresh herbs or are housebound. You can grow most small plants in a window box. |
Gardening: One of life's most simple pleasures. That is, until pain overrides the joy. For most Seniors living with arthritis, high blood pressure, or diabetes, gardening is often a fine past time left as a memory. |
Container gardening has been elevated to an art form, one that can easily be employed in gardens of every size. Whether you have a large yard or an apartment balcony at your disposal, there are plants that thrive in containers. |
