Comments on: I’m Contained or For The Thrill Of It

By: Debra Lee Baldwin

Debra Lee Baldwin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:43:05 +0000

Germi, how did I manage to miss this? Such scrumptuous plants and pots! I’m feeling smug that I know what that gorgeous agave is—Agave attenuata ‘Variegata’. Very hard to find in nurseries because it seldom offsets and doesn’t tissue culture worth a dang. I’m surprised you haven’t been deluged with requests asking where to buy it. I’m impressed!

By: Nicole

Nicole — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:58:46 +0000

Love your dramatic container arrangements.
Well in the tropics I think that’s one thing people do well-dramatic single plants in containers. The thriller/spiller/filler look I think is good for short seasonal displays when people want something quick to look pretty.

By: Summer

Summer — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:50:05 +0000

… but I do love your ‘killer’ rule!

By: Summer

Summer — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:48:44 +0000

Oooh, I love papyrus. I tried to grow some and the cats loved it so much they pulled it off the pedestal and killed it. They loved it almost as much as they love lemongrass (I had to give my lemongrass plant to my mom because of this: http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/Creative_Cat/Feb08010.jpg )

As for the TFS rule… I don’t object, but then, I don’t think I’ve ever actually used it, so I guess I don’t take it seriously enough to trash it. It’s not a bad way to start if you want a ‘natural’ looking container.

By: Anarchy in the Garden

Anarchy in the Garden — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:44:33 +0000

I too love containers especially since my yard is mostly DG. Thank you for showing the beauty of drought tolerant plants. Many forget we live in a desert!

PS, I have the same tall Kalanchoe!

-Adriana

By: domesticgodess

domesticgodess — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:19:07 +0000

I love your posts, because I love your style. They basically make me look at what I have done in my garden and tweek it accordingly, as I think about it differently! Pots are a love of mine too, although pretty much all my pots are scavenged from here and there, and pretty much all the plants are scavenged to – it was a very proud moment when I realised that I COULD GROW SOMETHING FROM A CUTTING, yes even me! Some of my container plants are nearly twenty years old (geraniums and aloe) that I stole from my mother when I first moved out of home (ofcourse repotted now!) On inspection this afternoon, I seem to have parsley growing amongst pretty much all of them (and betwen all the cracks in the paving, I didnt know it was so hardy) – I guess that is my “filler”!

By: ESP

ESP — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:11:43 +0000

http://mitchieville.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/strange_cactus1.jpg

Sorry, I couldn’t resist!

By: ESP

ESP — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:53:52 +0000

Hi Ivette.

I for one most definitely do not see a “thriller” in that pot! Yikes! I won’t ask what the two rosette succulents represent! Germi…what are you like!!!

All your containers look great, and you have so many. My containers took a royal beating in this year’s summer drought and perishing heat. The only things still alive are my agaves, succulents and one oregano.

Interesting post, like you I like the more free-form approach to containers, it is always a lot more fun to break the rules anyway. That what makes growing things exciting, the unknown, no? I have had containers that have made me crack up laughing, they were so ridiculous!

Your papyrus is looking mighty grand, and I love that “purply” miscanthus? behind your large agave in the first shot. So many textures and funky shapes. Talking of funky…your wall!!!

Cheer Ivette.
ESP.

By: Denise

Denise — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:50:15 +0000

I’m still trying to absorb the shock of an outdoor tiled wall backdrop. Gorgeous!

About Silk’s catchy phrase, I’d venture a guess that’s more useful advice for cold-climate gardeners. My pot groupings are more “monopots,” and like you I use lots of succulents, because here in zone 10 the pots are features year-round and get shuffled, regrouped, and moved constantly. And plants get big here! as your pots will attest, and can quickly outgrow pots, so no need to crowd from the get-go And there’s so many cool specimen plants for pots in frost-free zones that working out extra spills and chills isn’t necessary. I say it’s a zonal thing…

Great input from the comments

(And love your standard Kalanchoe beharensis!)

By: germinatrix

germinatrix — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:01:39 +0000

Dearest Susan! I’m so glad you like my pots! Like I said, they are my favorites right now, because so much of my garden is in a funky sort of transition. I’m not having the usual fall color explosion, more of a little bang here and there. But the pots!
I LOVE that you love stupid catchphrases! That made me look at this in a whole new way – why not embrace the silliness of it?
I’ll bet next time I’m consulting with someone about a container garden I’m going to use the phrase and be a total hypocrite! It is so stuck in my head now it would be impossible not to refer to it!
Maybe I need a t-shirt – Thrillerfillerspiller.
I like that idea – when in doubt, turn it into a t-shirt!

Hi Kat! You are definitely NOT in the minority! I’m just a knee-jerk short cut avoider. I really like to get people exploring, and I think that usually that means avoiding “suggestions” that can stick in your head. I know people who would never plant a pot without something spilling over the side, for instance, because they think that is the only way to make a beautiful container. In reality, when I’m being a pragmatist and not an idealist, I understand that this catchy saying can get people started, and that is ALWAYS a good thing! I just hope that they can get crazy after they are comfortable, you know?

Michelle!!! I’m so glad you weighed in on this! And I would NEVER call you crazy and tasteless!!! (Unless it was Halloween, and you were wearing a costume that said “I am CRAZY and TASTELESS”)
On Pam’s (Digging) suggestion, I took a look at his stuff and he is super super talented. He DESERVES an awesome reputation! And FG highlights the best! I always want to support fantastic gardeners/designers/writers – but I also love dialog, and this is a good one! I am so happy that so many really smart, talented, thoughtful plant fiends have different opinions on this.
I think anything that gets anyone gardening is a SUPER good thing, so first off … GO Thrillerfillerspiller for getting people who may have been uncomfortable about making mistakes to put things in pots and feel good about it. I guess my way of thinking, which I like to advocate whenever I can with baby gardeners is that there really ARE NO mistakes – if plants can work together culturally, and you like what is happening, then you have a success on your hands. I am someone who loves the PROCESS of gardening so much, often the result is just a bonus! That is a weird thing for a garden designer to admit, I know… I guess I want to encourage play, especially from people who are intimidated to take that first step. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and do it … see what happens! I think that is the way we develop our eye, our sensitivity to balance and color … and it’s how we learn about what WE like.
But like you said, it’s truly about whatever gets people motivated to create something fabulous, and how could I be against that?
CRAZY Michelle!!! XO!