Howdy folks! Spring is in full bloom here at the Crossroads, and I thought I'd show you my galvanized tub planter that's bursting with the happy, perky faces of pansies and violas! It's sitting on our deck, and it's the first thing anyone sees whenever they are coming to our back door.
You can't help but smile at such beauty at the back door. They have been blooming prolifically ever since it warmed up a few weeks ago and I gave them some fertilizer.
I know some of you are just now thinking about planting some pansies, but here in the South, we plant ours in October when it cools down just a bit.
So last fall, I took the top buckets off my topsy turvy galvanized bucket planter and filled the bottom oval-shaped tub with pansies and violas to have some fall color. Here you see one of the pine cones that I tucked in between some of the plants as a filler, but the pansies have spread so much this spring that I need to pull those out. I purchased my planter at a local agricultural supply store but here is a similar galvanized oval tub on Amazon (affiliate link.)
To give some height, I planted a small evergreen called arborvitae in the back of the tub, and if you look closely, you can see the black rod that holds the buckets when I'm using this as a topsy turvy planter. No way I could remove the rod from the bottom tub nor did I want to because I will be putting the topsy turvy planter back together soon. The rod is cemented in the bottom of the tub so I had to just work around it.
Here you can see one of the ornamental cabbages and some asparagus fern that I planted last fall. The cold does burn the asparagus fern but it sends up new shoots in the spring. Did you ever wonder why it's called asparagus fern? Technically, it's not really a fern but a member of the Lily family and is closely related to the vegetable asparagus, hence its name. Our asparagus in the garden is already sending up little ferns that look so similar to the ones in this spring galvanized tub planter.
I'm thinking that I will leave the asparagus ferns in the bottom bucket when I replant the planter with summer annuals because they will continue to grow and spill over the edges.
When I'm planting containers, I almost always adhere to the principle of using thrillers, spillers, and fillers. I'm not too thrilled with the visible black rod but I don't think anyone has actually noticed it! Now I'm telling all of you, though! Keep my secret, will ya? (wink, wink)
Another tip that I can pass along is to tuck some Spanish moss into your planted containers. It serves as a mulch to help retain moisture and softens the edges of the container. I'm just loving the blooms of these purple violas that greet me every time I'm coming or going. I do take the time to deadhead the spent blossoms so that I'll be rewarded with more blooms. I just use a pair of scissors to snip them quickly.
Sadly though, this pretty planting will not last much longer here when it warms up. Our heat is South Carolina will make them droop and dry out quickly. But when you think about it, this combination has lasted since last October and has given me smiles when nothing else was blooming outdoors.
If you're on Pinterest, I'd love it if you'd pin my spring galvanized tub planter on there. You may also want to follow along on Pinterest because I'm always pinning container gardening ideas on there!
And if you'd like to see how the same galvanized tub has been planted in other seasons, click the photos below.
Cindy
Jane I'm loving this look. We have two by our shed. We just put dwarf butterfly bushes in them.
Hoping you are willing to advise. Would love to a couple other plants. Since I have MS it needs to be low maintenance.
I would like to add plants that can winter in the buckets if possible. Can you offer suggestions?
Thanks
Cindy
JaneEllen
I have a container like yours from Walmart few years ago. Mostly gets "stuff " dumped into it but will get myself some plants and make container a planter finally. Just bought a nice Marigold plant at Walmart yesterday for $5, good size one. Usually have to keep plants in front on porch as our back deck faces due west and it's so hot out there in summer. Will be so nice to have some nice plants out on front porch, you sure have inspired me..
Love how all the pretty flowers in your galvanized container look so pretty. I might need to stencil something on my container, jazz it up little more.
Have great weekend
We live in Western CO on west side of Rockies. few miles west of Grand Junction.
Jane from KC
Do you put holes in the bottom of the galvanized container for drainage? Then, set them on blocks to get off the deck? Would like to try this with a container that has 3 compartments. Great idea!
Marsha
What a beautiful post, Jane. Your container is wonderful and the pictures were so nice, too. Happy Wednesday.
Libby Wilkie
Yes, I always buy lots of pansies in October (and Violas…) They do so well for weeks and weeks, then look totally down and out during the winter and I always think they will not come back. But yes indeed! They come back SO beautifully with warm weather. Such sweeties. But for us, also, their season is winding down/heating up. I replace some of them with petunias but in the hot hot sun even those don't do well in the intense heat. It's a tough summer around here!
Shirley@Housepitality Designs
Beautiful Jane!....and I still need to make one of those topsy turvy planters!
Dianne Stewart
Jane-- these are so pretty!! I have a project for you-- take an oval container. Get some plexi glass( lowes)
Cut the plexi glass to fit the top. Cut a hole in on one side. Use an old wine bottle and mount it so,that it tilts toward the hole. Get a fountain pump and cut a hole in the bottom of the bottle run the fountain hose up then the bottle almost to the the container with water and then fill in the top on the plexi glass with the plastic ice cubes(Michaels). The fountain looks like the wine continuously pours into ice. Guess you could put a glass on the side with the hole so that it appears to be over flowing.
One of my friends had one she made and I keep saying I am going to make one! I have a picture of hers somewhere --I will try to find it and send it. Would look good on the porch or inside.
Sandra
Gorgeous!! I love your pansies!
Jan
Thanks for your cheery post. I don't have a yard just yet so I get my jollies where I find them. Here in Front Range Colorado, pansies can be planted in the fall and when they receive some moisture in the winter, will bloom in the cold, be covered with snow, and bloom vigorously in the spring.
Jean Windham
Two of my favorite flowers for color are pansies and violas. This planter fits that bill doesn't. I love the look Jane. The galvanized tub with the combination of colors is just perfect. Can't wait to see what you come up with for summer. Jean
mary
Jane, I love the sweet smiling faces of your violas! Your galvanized spring planter is a beauty and I love the patina on it! I always plant violas in the fall. They are just starting to get their growth spurt on and could use some a little liquid fertilizer love, thanks for the reminder 🙂
Kathleen G
I love the pretty purple flowers and the greens for the background. Refreshing spring- like during the cooler months.
Kathleen in Az
Kim Nichols
Love it Jane and I need to add some plants to the deck and bring it back to life. I've been waiting for the pollen to subside and now all the messy maple tree things are covering the deck. Ugh!
Patty
This looks absolutely beautiful. My husband brought me two buckets like this that someone was throwing away at our dump. Unfortunately it snowed in Connecticut today and more is expected tonight so it will be awhile before I can plant mine. Thanks for sharing.
Stacey
Jane, this looks amazing! I love the little tree you put in for height and the pansies look so happy still. It's beginning to get a little too warm here already. Pinning.