Time For Spring Baskets!

Sshhhh, don’t anyone tell my Elantra sedan that it’s not a pick up truck! I hauled home more flowers today than I ever have before in one trip!

Back seats folded down to hold four 12” hanging baskets, the front passenger seat and truck full of flats!

This post may well bore anyone who isn’t a gardener. I know my DearHusband’s eyes glazed over when I was telling him all of what I bought, name of flowers and quantities, what will go where. Remember the “blah blah blah blah…” sound the kids from Peanuts heard when their teacher or any adult spoke? Yeah, I think that’s what he was hearing as he watched my mouth moving.

Seeing as I have been using this blog to remember what I do from year to year in the garden, I am going to detail my purchases today. Feel free to yawn and look bored, if so inclined.

For my window boxes, deck planters and pots for the front walk I bought (in order of importance):

1 flat of 4 packs (48 plants) “Midnight Dreams” Petunias - fragrant dark purple

1 flat of jumbo 6-packs (36 plants) “Vintage Red” Stock - I especially love to put this in the back row of my window boxes so I can enjoy their spicy clove scent.

1 flat of jumbo 6-packs (36 plants) of Red Verbena

1 flat of 2.5” pots (32 plants) of White Bucopa to trail over the edges of the pots

1 flat of jumbo 6-packs (36 plants) of “Regata Mix” Trailing Lobelia

1 flat of 4-packs (48 plants) of Yellow Marigolds

And 20 Zonal Geraniums of assorted colors for the center of each pot or window box.







For landscaping use I also bought:

1 flat of 4” pots (18 plants) of “Giant Purple Empress” Salvia - hummingbirds love this plant!

1 flat of jumbo 6-packs (36 plants) of Ganzia in assorted colors. I’ve actually had this ‘annual’ come back for a second year!

I also bought two 4” pots of “Jack Be Little” pumpkin starts. One pot has 3 young starts and one pot has 4 starts. I am thinking of training these to climb up the two (accidentally dwarfed) flowering cherry trees in the front yard. Won’t it be fun to see mini pumpkins hanging from a tree?!








I have been going to this nursery for 15 springs now (I have watched their children go from riding their Big Wheels through the greenhouses to the oldest now holding her own sweet baby). I have always bought their 12” mocha colored pots that are nice and deep with lots of room for root growth but I didn’t like the color and plant combinations this year so I bought the more shallow 12” pulp pots. It looks like the are trying something new as these pots were labeled with “Inspired by Design” tags that listed the plants in the pots. I saw 6 differently titled baskets and I think I showed considerable restraint on only bringing home four.

For the front porch I picked out a basket titled Blueberry Sorbet. It has Blue Petunia with Dark Blue Vein, Dark Blue Petunia, Lavender Verbena and White Bucopa.

Between the front bedroom windows hangs Raspberry Sorbet: Pink Petunia, Dark Fuschia Petunia, Dark Fuschia Verbena and White Bocopa.

On the far end of the back deck I hung up Jazzy: Supertunia Raspberry Blast, Deep Burgandy Verbena and Lime Ipomoea (Sweet Potato Vine).

In the coveted position in front of the immobile side of the dining room sliding glass door is Blue Ribbon: Dark Blue Petunia (so they say, I call it a dark purple-my favorite), Petunia Glow in Lavender Shades, Light Blue Lobelia and Lavender Calebrochoa. This is where I put my favorite basket as it’s the one I look at all day long when I’m in the house. It is easily viewable from living room, dining room and kitchen.

Keeping my fingers crossed for a rain-less day tomorrow so I get busy potting these beauties!