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A Sacramento restaurant shared video Sunday of a bizarre theft: Someone stealing plants off their patio. The owner of Colo’s Southern Café – who asked to be referred to as Mrs. T – said she arrived at work Saturday morning and realized something wasn’t right.“My plants that normally are against the gate over here and on the table were missing, along with table and chairs,” she said.Video from the security system shows someone inside their gated patio space, loading the large specialty plants into a recycling bin.“It’s crazy because we get so many plants and so many flowers, if they would have asked, hey, we would have shared,” she said.Mrs. T loves plants, caring for them and sharing them with her guests. She said the theft hurt knowing the time, resources and intention put into making the patio space a relaxing place for her and her customers. “It’s something for the community,” she said. “We work hard to make sure that our things are right.”She said they’ve had multiple issues with theft but that taking the plants hurt.
A Sacramento restaurant shared video Sunday of a bizarre theft: Someone stealing plants off their patio. The owner of Colo’s Southern Café – who asked to be referred to as Mrs. T – said she arrived at work Saturday morning and realized something wasn’t right.
“My plants that normally are against the gate over here and on the table were missing, along with table and chairs,” she said.
Video from the security system shows someone inside their gated patio space, loading the large specialty plants into a recycling bin.
“It’s crazy because we get so many plants and so many flowers, if they would have asked, hey, we would have shared,” she said.
Mrs. T loves plants, caring for them and sharing them with her guests. She said the theft hurt knowing the time, resources and intention put into making the patio space a relaxing place for her and her customers.
“It’s something for the community,” she said. “We work hard to make sure that our things are right.”
She said they’ve had multiple issues with theft but that taking the plants hurt.
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HARARE, Zimbabwe — From ancient fertilizer methods in Zimbabwe to new greenhouse technology in Somalia, farmers across the heavily agriculture-reliant African continent are looking to the past and future to respond to climate change.
Africa, with the world’s youngest population, faces the worst effects of a warming planet while contributing the least to the problem. Farmers are scrambling to make sure the booming population is fed.
With over 60% of the world’s uncultivated land, Africa should be able to feed itself, some experts say. And yet three in four people across the continent cannot afford a healthy diet, according to a report last year by the African Union and United Nations agencies. Reasons include conflict and lack of investment.
In Zimbabwe, where the El Nino phenomenon has worsened a drought, small-scale farmer James Tshuma has lost hope of harvesting anything from his fields. It’s a familiar story in much of the country, where the government has declared a $2 billion state of emergency and millions of people face hunger.
But a patch of green vegetables is thriving in a small garden the 65-year-old Tshuma is keeping alive with homemade organic manure and fertilizer. Previously discarded items have again become priceless.
“This is how our fathers and forefathers used to feed the earth and themselves before the introduction of chemicals and inorganic fertilizers,” Tshuma said.
He applies livestock droppings, grass, plant residue, remains of small animals, tree leaves and bark, food scraps and other biodegradable items like paper. Even the bones of animals that are dying in increasing numbers due to the drought are burned before being crushed into ash for their calcium.
Climate change is compounding much of sub-Saharan Africa’s longstanding problem of poor soil fertility, said Wonder Ngezimana, an associate professor of crop science at Zimbabwe’s Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.
“The combination is forcing people to re-look at how things were done in the past like nutrient recycling, but also blending these with modern methods,” said Ngezimana, whose institution is researching the combination of traditional practices with new technologies.
Apart from being rich in nitrogen, organic fertilizers help increase the soil’s carbon and ability to retain moisture, Ngezimana said. “Even if a farmer puts synthetic fertilizer into the soil, they are likely to suffer the consequences of poor moisture as long as there is a drought,” he said.
Other moves to traditional practices are under way. Drought-resistant millets, sorghum and legumes, staples until the early 20th century when they were overtaken by exotic white corn, have been taking up more land space in recent years.
Leaves of drought-resistant plants that were once a regular dish before being cast off as weeds are returning to dinner tables. They even appear on elite supermarket shelves and are served at classy restaurants, as are millet and sorghum.
This could create markets for the crops even beyond drought years, Ngezimana said.
In conflict-prone Somalia in East Africa, greenhouses are changing the way some people live, with shoppers filling up carts with locally produced vegetables and traditionally nomadic pastoralists under pressure to settle down and grow crops.
“They are organic, fresh and healthy,” shopper Sucdi Hassan said in the capital, Mogadishu. “Knowing that they come from our local farms makes us feel secure.”
Her new shopping experience is a sign of relative calm after three decades of conflict and the climate shocks of drought and flooding.
Urban customers are now assured of year-round supplies, with more than 250 greenhouses dotted across Mogadishu and its outskirts producing fruit and vegetables. It is a huge leap.
“In the past, even basic vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes were imported, causing logistical problems and added expenses,” said Somalia’s minister of youth and sports, Mohamed Barre.
The greenhouses also create employment in a country where about 75% of the population is people under 30 years old, many of them jobless.
About 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the capital, Mohamed Mahdi, an agriculture graduate, inspected produce in a greenhouse where he works.
“Given the high unemployment rate, we are grateful for the chance to work in our chosen field of expertise,” the 25-year-old said.
Meanwhile, some pastoralist herders are being forced to change their traditional ways after watching livestock die by the thousands.
“Transitioning to greenhouse farming provides pastoralists with a more resilient and sustainable livelihood option,” said Mohamed Okash, director of the Institute of Climate and Environment at SIMAD University in Mogadishu.
He called for larger investments in smart farming to combat food insecurity.
In Kenya, a new climate-smart bean variety is bringing hope to farmers in a region that had recorded reduced rainfall in six consecutive rainy seasons.
The variety, called “Nyota” or “star” in Swahili, is the result of a collaboration between scientists from the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, the Alliance of Bioversity International and research organization International Center for Tropical Agriculture.
The new bean variety is tailored for Kenya’s diverse climatic conditions. One focus is to make sure drought doesn’t kill them off before they have time to flourish.
The bean variety flowers and matures so quickly that it is ready for harvesting by the time rains disappear, said David Karanja, a bean breeder and national coordinator for grains and legumes at KALRO.
Hopes are that these varieties could bolster national bean production. The annual production of 600,000 metric tons falls short of meeting annual demand of 755,000 metric tons, Karanja said.
Farmer Benson Gitonga said his yield and profits are increasing because of the new bean variety. He harvests between nine and 12 bags from an acre of land, up from the previous five to seven bags.
One side benefit of the variety is a breath of fresh air.
“Customers particularly appreciate its qualities, as it boasts low flatulence levels, making it an appealing choice,” Gitonga said.
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Tiro reported from Nairobi, Kenya and Faruk reported from Mogadishu, Somalia.
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The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
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AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
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VILLA MADERO, Mexico — As a drought in Mexico drags on, angry subsistence farmers have begun taking direct action on thirsty avocado orchards and berry fields of commercial farms that are drying up streams in the mountains west of Mexico City.
Rivers and even whole lakes are disappearing in the once green and lush state of Michoacan, as the drought combines with a surge in the use of water for the country’s lucrative export crops, lead by avocados.
In recent days, subsistence farmers and activists from the Michoacan town of Villa Madero organized teams to go into the mountains and rip out illegal water pumps and breach unlicensed irrigation holding ponds.
A potential conflict looms with avocado growers — who are often sponsored by, or pay protection money to, drug cartels.
Last week, dozens of residents, farmworkers and small-scale farmers from Villa Madero hiked up into the hills to tear out irrigation equipment using mountain springs to water avocado orchards carved out of the pine-covered hills.
The week before, another group went up with picks and shovels and breached the walls of an illegal containment pond that sucked up water from a spring that had supplied local residents for hundreds of years.
“In the last 10 years, the streams, the springs, the rivers have been drying up and the water has been captured, mainly to be used for avocados and berries,” said local activist Julio Santoyo, one of the organizers of the effort. “There are hamlets in the lower part of the township that no longer have water.”
Santoyo estimated that about 850 of the plastic-lined, earthen containment ponds have sprung up in the hills around Villa Madero, usually soon after planters have illegally logged or burned the native pine forest. Pines help the soil retain water, while avocado trees deplete it.
Francisco Gómez Cortés said residents of his hamlet, El Sauz, had been asking the landowner for 15 years to allow the spring to flow downhill to their community.
After a year in which Mexico received only about half its normal rainfall, residents became desperate, and last week they worked up the courage to hike up the hill and rip out pumps and hoses for the avocado orchard.
“We don’t have enough water for human consumption,” Gómez Cortés said.
“It’s sad. It’s sad to walk down these trails that are now dry, when they once had trees and springs,” he said. “They haven’t even left any water for the (forest) animals that nest along the banks.”
In a sign of how seriously the local government is taking the potential threat, the group was accompanied by the mayor of Villa Madero, who blamed outsiders for the problem.
“There are people who aren’t from this town, who come to our township and are invading us,” Mayor Froylan Alcauter Ibarra said. “They are taking water away from the people who live downhill, and they don’t realize these are the poorest people.”
Residents say they don’t want to deny water entirely to the orchards and have proposed an agreement to give landowners 20% of the water from local streams, if they allow the remaining 80% to keep flowing. They say they haven’t gotten any response yet.
Drug cartels often make money from illegal logging and extorting money from avocado growers in Michoacan. The activists around Villa Madero have suffered threats, kidnappings and beatings in the past.
“We are running a serious risk of them killing us for protesting,” Gómez Cortés said. “Out of necessity, we are doing what the government should be doing.”
The government has long done little to limit the growers and combat deforestation and water takeovers. But it does seem to have developed a sudden interest in preventing the looming conflict.
In March, activists organized a meeting nearby at Patzcuaro Lake to demand authorities do something about the fast-declining water levels. Patzcuaro is a shallow but extensive lake in Michoacan with a beautiful colonial town on its shores and an island of fishermen perched in the middle.
The fishermen of Janitzio island with their shallow boats and hooped, figure-eight nets were made famous by photographers and filmmakers in the 1940s and 50s as a symbol of Mexico’s folk traditions. The town of Patzcuaro draws hundreds of thousands of tourists.
But due to the drought, deforestation, sediment buildup and the increased water demands from avocado and berry growers, Patzcuaro lake has been reduced to about half its size. You can now reach the Janitzio island by wading, and activist Juan Manuel Valenzuela estimates that 90% of the boats that used to fish and ferry tourists around are now out of service.
Nearby Lake Cuitzeo, one of the largest freshwater lakes in Mexico, is now nearly dried up.
“We cannot allow them to extinguish our lakes,” Valenzuela said. “It would be a tragedy for Michoacan.”
Alejandro Méndez, Michoacan’s state environment secretary, acknowledges that the problem has gotten out of hand. So scarce has water become in the once-lushly forested lake areas that orchard owners often send tanker trucks to suck thousands of gallons from the lake to water their groves.
“As many as 100 trucks could be seen taking water from the lake,” Méndez said of the situation in March.
So about a week ago, the state police began patrolling the lake shore and detaining any truck drivers they saw extracting water. And Méndez said the state has begun monitoring agricultural holding ponds to see if any are getting refilled from the lake.
While Lake Patzcuaro has grown and shrunk in the past, this time it may be terminal; farmers are starting to pasture livestock and plant crops on the lake bed.
“It will be difficult, because the humans and the livestock will survive, barely, but the animals and the plants will be gone — that will all be dried up and gone,” Gómez Cortés said.
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AP writer Mark Stevenson in Mexico City contributed to this report.
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Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
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RENO, Nev. — The Biden administration has taken a significant step in its expedited environmental review of what could become the third lithium mine in the U.S., amid anticipated legal challenges from conservationists over the threat they say it poses to an endangered Nevada wildflower.
The Bureau of Land Management released more than 2,000 pages of documents in a draft environmental impact statement last week for the Rhyolite Ridge mine. Lithium is a metal key to the manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles — a centerpiece of President Joe Biden’s “green energy” agenda.
Officials for the bureau and its parent Interior Department trumpeted the news, saying the progress in the review of the lithium-boron mine project “represents another step by the Biden-Harris administration to support the responsible, domestic development of critical minerals to power the clean energy economy.”
“Federal agencies cooperating to solve issues efficiently while protecting vulnerable species and other irreplaceable resources is exactly how we will need to move forward if we’re going to produce these critical minerals in the United States,” said Steve Feldgus, deputy assistant Interior secretary for land and minerals management.
Environmentalists vowing to fight the mine say it’s the latest example of the administration running roughshod over U.S. protections for native wildlife and rare species in the name of slowing climate change by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity, described it as “greenwashing extinction.” The nonprofit conservation group first petitioned in 2019 for federal protection of the rare flower, Tiehm’s buckwheat, which grows near the California line.
“We believe the current protection plan would violate the Endangered Species Act, so if BLM approves it as proposed, we almost certainly would challenge it,” he told The Associated Press last week.
Nevada is home to the only existing lithium mine in the U.S. and another is currently under construction near the Oregon line 220 miles (354 kilometers) north of Reno. By 2030, worldwide demand for lithium is projected to have grown six times compared to 2020.
The bureau said it published the draft review and opened public comment through June 3 for the new mine after Ioneer Ltd., the Australian mining company that’s been planning for years to dig for lithium at this site, adjusted its latest blueprint to reduce destruction of critical habitat for the plant, which exists nowhere else in the world.
Bernard Rowe, Ioneer’s managing director, said lithium production could begin as early as 2027. He said the company has spent six years adjusting their plans so the mine can co-exist with the plant, invested $2.5 million in conservation efforts and committed an additional $1 million annually to ensure the plant and its surrounding habitat are protected.
“Rhyolite Ridge will help accelerate the electric vehicle transition and secure a cleaner future for our children and grandchildren,” Ioneer Executive Chairman James Calaway said.
In addition to scaling back encroachment on the 6-inch-tall (15-centimeter-tall) wildflower with yellow and cream-colored blooms, the strategy includes a controversial propagation plan to grow and transplant flowers nearby — something conservationists say won’t work.
The plant grows in eight sub-populations that combined cover approximately 10 acres (4 hectares) — an area equal to the size of about eight football fields. They’re located halfway between Reno and Las Vegas in a high-desert oasis of sorts for the plants and the insects that pollinate them.
The Fish and Wildlife Service added the flower to the list of U.S. endangered species on Dec. 14, 2022, citing mining as the biggest threat to its survival.
Less than a week later, the government published a formal notice of intent to begin work on the draft environmental impact statement. Three weeks after that, the Energy Department announced a $700 million conditional loan to Ioneer for the mining project it said could produce enough lithium to support production of about 370,000 electric vehicles annually for four decades.
The Center for Biological Diversity said a series of internal documents it obtained from the Bureau of Land Management through a request under the Freedom of Information Act show the administration has rushed its review of the mine.
Scott Distell, BLM’s project manager in charge of the review, raised concerns about the expedited schedule in an email to his district boss when it suddenly was accelerated in December 2023.
“This is a very aggressive schedule that deviates from other project schedules on similar projects completed recently,” Distell wrote in the Dec. 22 email.
The draft environmental impact statement lays out three different options for the project, including a “no-action alternative” that would mean no mine would be built. The one the bureau said it prefers anticipates Ioneer’s protection plan would allow for direct destruction of about 22% of the plant’s habitat in the 910 acres (368 hectares) the Fish and Wildlife Service designated as critical habitat when it listed it as endangered. That’s down from an estimated 38% in an earlier version of the plan.
“For an extremely rare species confined to such a small area, no amount of destruction of its critical habitat is acceptable,” said Naomi Fraga, director of conservation at the California Botanic Garden.
Donnelly points to the Endangered Species Act’s requirement that federal agencies consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service whenever a project could affect a threatened or endangered species to ensure it won’t “result in the destruction or adverse modification of designated critical habitat.”
“Reducing the destruction of this rare plant’s habitat from 38% to 22% is like cutting off one leg instead of both,” Donnelly said. “They’re still dealing a fatal blow to this precious, rare wildflower.”
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RENO, Nev. — The Biden administration has taken a significant step in its expedited environmental review of what could become the third lithium mine in the U.S., amid anticipated legal challenges from conservationists over the threat they say it poses to an endangered Nevada wildflower.
The Bureau of Land Management released more than 2,000 pages of documents in a draft environmental impact statement last week for the Rhyolite Ridge mine. Lithium is a metal key to the manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles — a centerpiece of President Joe Biden’s “green energy” agenda.
Officials for the bureau and its parent Interior Department trumpeted the news, saying the progress in the review of the lithium-boron mine project “represents another step by the Biden-Harris administration to support the responsible, domestic development of critical minerals to power the clean energy economy.”
“Federal agencies cooperating to solve issues efficiently while protecting vulnerable species and other irreplaceable resources is exactly how we will need to move forward if we’re going to produce these critical minerals in the United States,” said Steve Feldgus, deputy assistant Interior secretary for land and minerals management.
Environmentalists vowing to fight the mine say it’s the latest example of the administration running roughshod over U.S. protections for native wildlife and rare species in the name of slowing climate change by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity, described it as “greenwashing extinction.” The nonprofit conservation group first petitioned in 2019 for federal protection of the rare flower, Tiehm’s buckwheat, which grows near the California line.
“We believe the current protection plan would violate the Endangered Species Act, so if BLM approves it as proposed, we almost certainly would challenge it,” he told The Associated Press last week.
Nevada is home to the only existing lithium mine in the U.S. and another is currently under construction near the Oregon line 220 miles (354 kilometers) north of Reno. By 2030, worldwide demand for lithium is projected to have grown six times compared to 2020.
The bureau said it published the draft review and opened public comment through June 3 for the new mine after Ioneer Ltd., the Australian mining company that’s been planning for years to dig for lithium at this site, adjusted its latest blueprint to reduce destruction of critical habitat for the plant, which exists nowhere else in the world.
Bernard Rowe, Ioneer’s managing director, said lithium production could begin as early as 2027. He said the company has spent six years adjusting their plans so the mine can co-exist with the plant, invested $2.5 million in conservation efforts and committed an additional $1 million annually to ensure the plant and its surrounding habitat are protected.
“Rhyolite Ridge will help accelerate the electric vehicle transition and secure a cleaner future for our children and grandchildren,” Ioneer Executive Chairman James Calaway said.
In addition to scaling back encroachment on the 6-inch-tall (15-centimeter-tall) wildflower with yellow and cream-colored blooms, the strategy includes a controversial propagation plan to grow and transplant flowers nearby — something conservationists say won’t work.
The plant grows in eight sub-populations that combined cover approximately 10 acres (4 hectares) — an area equal to the size of about eight football fields. They’re located halfway between Reno and Las Vegas in a high-desert oasis of sorts for the plants and the insects that pollinate them.
The Fish and Wildlife Service added the flower to the list of U.S. endangered species on Dec. 14, 2022, citing mining as the biggest threat to its survival.
Less than a week later, the government published a formal notice of intent to begin work on the draft environmental impact statement. Three weeks after that, the Energy Department announced a $700 million conditional loan to Ioneer for the mining project it said could produce enough lithium to support production of about 370,000 electric vehicles annually for four decades.
The Center for Biological Diversity said a series of internal documents it obtained from the Bureau of Land Management through a request under the Freedom of Information Act show the administration has rushed its review of the mine.
Scott Distell, BLM’s project manager in charge of the review, raised concerns about the expedited schedule in an email to his district boss when it suddenly was accelerated in December 2023.
“This is a very aggressive schedule that deviates from other project schedules on similar projects completed recently,” Distell wrote in the Dec. 22 email.
The draft environmental impact statement lays out three different options for the project, including a “no-action alternative” that would mean no mine would be built. The one the bureau said it prefers anticipates Ioneer’s protection plan would allow for direct destruction of about 22% of the plant’s habitat in the 910 acres (368 hectares) the Fish and Wildlife Service designated as critical habitat when it listed it as endangered. That’s down from an estimated 38% in an earlier version of the plan.
“For an extremely rare species confined to such a small area, no amount of destruction of its critical habitat is acceptable,” said Naomi Fraga, director of conservation at the California Botanic Garden.
Donnelly points to the Endangered Species Act’s requirement that federal agencies consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service whenever a project could affect a threatened or endangered species to ensure it won’t “result in the destruction or adverse modification of designated critical habitat.”
“Reducing the destruction of this rare plant’s habitat from 38% to 22% is like cutting off one leg instead of both,” Donnelly said. “They’re still dealing a fatal blow to this precious, rare wildflower.”
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Macrobiotic eating originated in Japan, and the idea behind it is to promote longevity and health through a balance of types of foods. Followers of a macrobiotic diet believe in foods being “hot” and “cold,” or rather yin and yang, as well as acidic and alkaline. A macrobiotic bowl represents an ideal balance of all of these elements. There’s typically a strong emphasis on grains, vegetables, and fermented foods. The best part of macrobiotic bowls is they’re easy to put together and you can save even more time by using pre-prepped components. Grains or cereals make up the base of a basic macrobiotic bowl, accounting for 40 to 50% of it, followed by vegetables, which make up another 25%, then lentils or legumes, seaweed, and finally fermented foods.
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“You can change your gut microbiome within about a week just by altering your diet,” award-winning microbiome expert, author of Food for Life: The New Science of Eating Well, and co-founder of ZOE, Tim Spector, M.D., shares on this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast. There are trillions of bacteria residing in your gut, which are constantly evolving based on your inputs. Feed them what they crave, and the community will thrive—quickly.
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Every year, the Philadelphia Flower Show seems to expire as quickly as a cheap bouquet in a discount vase after Valentine’s Day.
But the closing of the 195th installment of the massive horticultural event doesn’t mean an end of your opportunities to be one with nature. There are plenty of gardens, arboretums and greenhouses in the region to visit and celebrate the arrival of spring.
RELATED: New book explores how gardners in the region have transformed outdoor spaces
If you’re still looking to get a floral fix, here are six botanic gems in the Philly area.
Tyler Arboretum features multiple treehouses.
With 17 miles of trails through woodlands and meadows, fragrant and edible gardens, a butterfly house, a StoryWalk (pages from a children’s book placed along a path) and a gnome scavenger hunt, Tyler Arboretum is acres of adventures.
LOCATION: 515 Painter Road, Media, Delaware County
FEE: $10-$18 for general admission; $65-$300 for annual membership
BEST TIME TO GO: May 3-5 for the annual plant sale. The fundraising event, which includes a members-only day on Friday, has experts available to offer gardening advice and a wide range of flowers and plants for sale.
PHOTO OP: In 2008, artists and architects designed Totally Terrific Treehouses for an exhibit and a few wacky structures remain – including the Crooked Goblin Shack, Thoreau’s Cabin, Strummin’ and Drummin’, and Fort Tyler.
Courtesy of/Morris Arboretum
Morris Arboretum features gardens, sculptures and fountains.
Strolling through the 92-acre, 19th century Victorian arboretum is a walk through history. The grounds include a 100-year-old rose garden, an English Park fountain that dates back to 1916 and a six-foot wall made from Wissahickon schist filled with perennials that was built in 1924.
LOCATION: 100 E. Northwestern Ave., Philadelphia
FEE: $12-$20 for adults depending on the season, with discounted tickets and memberships available
BEST TIME TO GO: A warm spring day is the perfect time to sign up for a guided tour of Morris Arboretum or explore the 1.4-mile loop trail on your own, taking in the old trees and unusual plants from around the world. With all the gardens, sculptures and fountains, there’s something to see at every turn. During the holiday season, Morris builds a model train railway with thousands of lights on a third of a mile of tracks.
PHOTO OP: The white marble Love Temple on Swan Pond, an artificial lake that was made in 1905, is a fan favorite to snap pics, but just be warned that you might get photo bombed by Flora and Fauna, the swan sisters who call the pond home.
Jeff Tomik/PhillyVoice
Ott’s Exotic Plants in Schwenksville has a greenhouse with an indoor waterfall and koi pond.
Whether you’re looking to take a picture by the indoor two-story waterfall and koi pond, buy a massive fruit tree or start a succulent garden, Ott’s Exotic Plants is the perfect place for any gardening enthusiast — or anyone trying to find a spot for a cheap date.
LOCATION: 861 Gravel Pike, Schwenksville, Montgomery County
FEE: Free
BEST TIME TO GO: In autumn for “Mum Mountain.” In the 1960s, dirt excavated to build Ott’s parking lot was used to form a 40-foot hill behind the greenhouse. To avoid it looking like an eyesore, Ott’s owners began covering it entirely with chrysanthemums every fall, and the pile of dirt quickly transformed into a tourist attraction along Route 29. The only thing that cuts through the splashes of autumn colors are rocks that frame a cave-like underground tunnel and a meandering path to the top of the hill.
PHOTO OP: Climbing the few stairs to Mum Mountain’s “peak” provides you with a bird’s-eye view of the store’s whimsical cottage-like stone structure and its multicolored slate roof.
Jeff Douglass/PhillyVoice
Longwood Gardens’ annual Christmas display, including here in 2019, draws huge crowds.
Pierre S. du Pont purchased the land in 1906 to preserve trees on the farm, and in 1921 the entrepreneur opened the 1,100-acre estate to the public. Now more than 1.5 million people (about the population of Philadelphia) every year come to see the gardens, fountains, woodlands and meadows on the vast grounds.
LOCATION: 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, Chester County
FEE: $25 for adults
BEST TIME TO GO: The holiday season draws huge crowds to Longwood Gardens – and it’s totally worth fighting through the masses to see each year’s new theme. About a third of Longwood Gardens’ annual visitors come for the decorations, trees and lights of its elaborate Christmas display.
PHOTO OP: Longwood is endlessly instagrammable, but the challenge is all the people. The best spot to capture Longwood Gardens’ beauty – and not its crowds – is the main fountain. With 1,719 jets, including some the shoot water as high as 175 feet, it provides plenty of opportunities to take a picture that makes it seem like you’re in a secluded enchanted garden.
Source/Awbury Arboretum
The Francis Cope House at Awbury Arboretum was built in 1854.
The Germantown estate was formerly home to a wealthy Quaker family and has been open to the public for more than 100 years. The Victorian-style Francis Cope House, built in 1861 out of Wissahickon schist, is the epicenter of the grounds, which feature gardens, meadows, ponds, streams and wetlands. The Awbury Arboretum is across Washington Lane station on SEPTA’s Chestnut Hill East Line, so it’s easily accessible by public transit.
LOCATION: 1 Awbury Road, Philadelphia
FEE: Free
BEST TIME TO GO: On a late spring day, magnolias, tulip trees, orange-leaf hydrangeas and many more of Awbury’s blossoming beauties can be enjoyed in full bloom on a walk through Haines Field.
PHOTO OP: The wildflower meadow offers a backdrop of bright colors and an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the many feathered friends on the grounds.
The 48-acre botanical garden that’s built on the Rosengarten estate dates back to the early 20th century. The grounds, which are closed to the public during winter, will be open Wednesdays to Sundays from March 27 through Nov. 3. Seven horticulturists are each responsible for the design, planting and maintenance of an area, which can feature perennials and seasonal, tropical and subtropical plants.
LOCATION: 786 Church Road, Wayne, Chester County
FEE: $15 (13 and older)
BEST TIME TO GO: During the summer on Friday nights, guests to Chanticleer Garden are welcome to bring food and drinks and have picnics at the estate.
PHOTO OP: The Teacup Garden has a Mediterranean look, with olive trees that frame a fountain and white flowers of clary sage.
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Jeff Tomik
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Are you looking to create wow factor in your hanging basket or container garden displays? This list of the best trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots has twenty fantastic varieties to help you do just that.
In this post I’ve listed lots of outdoor trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots that will give your containers oomph and help to increase their overall impact. You’ll also find tips on planting and caring for your container garden, so you can keep it looking fantastic for months.
There are lots of good reasons why you should definitely consider trailing container plants for pots or a hanging basket arrangement.
First of all, trailing plants look great! There’s a wide range of different varieties to choose from, and you can use them to provide colour, texture, contrast, foliage and scent in your container displays – just like you would with a plant that doesn’t trail.
Another good reason to grow trailing container plants is all about volume. Because they spill over the sides, they allow you to ‘green up’ a larger area than the surface of the soil alone. This means you can create a bigger impact in a smaller space, which is great for small space gardening or compact pots and baskets.
Cascading plants are also brilliant when it comes to disguising a less-than-lovely basket or pot. You can use them to cover up a multitude of sins!
Many trailing plants for containers are ideal for helping you garden for wildlife too. You can use them to boost the amount of food and shelter available to local wildlife without taking up lots of room.
Before we get onto the best trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots, I want to share a super-simple but seriously clever trick for wow factor containers.
The “Thriller, Filler, Spiller” approach is loved by gardening professionals, and for good reason. Trailing container plants play a key role in this easy plant hack that creates show-stopping hanging baskets and containers.
Here’s how you can copy the pros and design amazing hanging displays.
1. Start with a Thriller plant. This is the main attraction in your container, so it tends to be bigger or taller than the other plants. Positioning your Thriller plant in the centre of your hanging basket or pot works well.
2. Next, you need some Filler plants to – you’ve guessed it – fill up your container. The aim with these is to deliver a splash of colour and interest closer to the soil. We’re not trying to compete with the Thriller plant here; instead think of your fillers as providing an interesting backdrop with colour, texture and shape.
3. Your Spiller plants are your trailing plants. These should be planted close to the edge of the container, so they can cascade over the sides easily. As well as increasing the size of your plant display, spillers are excellent for balancing out the height of other plants in your container.
If you’re hanging trailing plants outdoors, the ideal quantity you need depends on the size of your container.
It’s tempting to really pack the plants in for a big impact, but don’t forget that those plants will get bigger. Remember also that each plant relies on a limited amount of compost for nutrients, so the more plants you squeeze in, the quicker that compost will become exhausted and stop supporting the plants as well.
A sensible approach is to allow a little bit of room around each plant when you plant up your container. It’s also a very good idea to feed your plants regularly – more on that later.
Ready to dive into the world of cascading plants for hanging baskets and pots? Here are my favourite trailing plants for container gardens. I’ve included flowering hanging plants, foliage plants and edible plants, so it’s a one-stop shop for trailing plant inspiration.
When it comes to flowering trailing plants for window boxes, baskets and pots, you’ve got lots of fantastic options. Here’s my selection of the best trailing flowers for hanging baskets and container displays.
A favourite with many gardeners, fuchsia plants have beautiful bell-shaped, showy flowers that nod from the stems and last all summer. A trailing variety of this flowering plant will add froth and lots of colour to a hanging basket or pot. The flowers will dance in the breeze too, so you’ll also be able to enjoy a bit of movement.
I love using trailing lobelia in containers; I think it’s one of the best hanging basket plants you can choose. The tiny flowers are perfect for softening edges, and the plant will bloom for months. You don’t need to deadhead it either. It works well as a contrast to plants with larger flowers, or mixed in with trailing foliage plants.
Make sure you buy the trailing variety of lobelia, as it’s also available as an upright plant.
If you want an easy to grow plant that produces lots of flowers, go for trailing petunias (also known as Calibrachoa or million bells). You can get months of interest from these easy-going annuals, and there are some fabulous patterned and double varieties available if you like the idea of mixing things up a bit.
Another candidate for small flowers, Bacopa is covered in dainty blooms and will put on a show from late spring right through to autumn.
Geraniums (or pelargoniums) are a much-loved plant for pots and baskets, but did you know you can buy trailing varieties?
These are often referred to as ivy-leafed trailing geraniums, and are available in shades of pink, red, white and purple flowers. Use them to add a pop of colour to a mixed display, or combine them with standard geraniums for a more contemporary look.
Begonias are another firm favourite for pots, and the trailing varieties are extra-useful for turning up the volume on your displays. There are loads of colours to choose from too.
Black eyed Susan vine, or Thunbergia alata, is a less well-known trailing plant for hanging baskets and pots, but well worth considering. It’s a climber, but will be happy spilling over the edge of containers too. The flowers are quite big, so it works well in larger containers. Black-eyed Susans are native to east Africa so will enjoy warm conditions and a sheltered spot in the garden, or you can grow it in a conservatory.
These popular bedding plants are reliable and unfussy, producing an abundance of flowers on dense foliage. Trailing Verbena is great for bulking out your pots and will happily fill in any gaps.
Pansies are a go-to plant for winter and spring containers, and by including a trailing pansy variety you can get all the benefits of these hardy, colourful plants with the added cascade factor. ‘Cool Wave’ is a popular mix of trailing pansies which includes yellows, purples and white tones.
It’s a good idea to include foliage plants in any container display. They’re fantastic for adding texture and colour contrast, and work hard to showcase their flower neighbours.
If you’re wondering what to put in hanging baskets besides flowers, here are some great trailing hanging basket plants for foliage.
Creeping jenny is also known as Lysimachia. It’s an evergreen trailing plant, so it’s good for container displays at any time of year. Grow it for the lovely lime green foliage, but it also produces small yellow flowers. A great backdrop plant to showcase your flowers.
I don’t know whether this is strictly a trailing plant, but I often use Calocephalus as a spiller in my containers. It has lovely delicate silver stems that tumble over edges as the plant grows bigger. Combine this one with shades of purple and pink flowers for a cool, modern look.
Ivies are cheap, readily available evergreen trailing plants for hanging baskets. English ivy is also a fabulous source of shelter and food for garden wildlife. And trailing ivy is an extremely tough plant, so if you tend to neglect your containers it’s definitely one to consider.
You could go for a variegated variety to add interest, or an all-green variety for a subtle backdrop to your other plants.
If you grow trailing Vinca (also called trailing periwinkle) in the ground, it will scramble all over the place, and it’s this urge to spread that makes it a good trailing plant for hanging baskets and pots. You can avoid it taking over the garden too!
Another great evergreen plant for pots, Helichrysum petiolare (or liquorice plant) has pale stems and grey-green leaves. The leaves have a felt-like texture, so this is also a great plant for a tactile display.
The leaves on Tradescantia (which is also known as inch plant) are a thing of beauty. They’re striped on top and purple underneath, so you get an abundance of colour and interest. This foliage plant is often grown indoors, but you can get away with a warm, sheltered spot outside.
If you think of ferns as being solely upright plants, think again. Some types have a trailing habit and are well-suited to hanging baskets and pots. Popular varieties include Boston fern, maidenhair fern and lady fern.
If you’d like some silver-grey in the mix, Dichondra argentea, or silver nickel vine, is a brilliant tender perennial trailing foliage plant (take a look at my guide to annual vs. perennial plants if you’re not sure what perennials are). The unusually shaped leaves will complement shades of pink and purple, and work beautifully in white plant arrangements too.
Love your succulents? Go for a trailing variety of sedum such as ‘Redhead’, “Bluebubbles” or “Moss sedum’ in your containers. These hanging succulent plants provide foliage at soil level, and will happily creep over the edges of a pot too.
Your trailing pot plants can taste good as well as look good! Here are three great edible trailing plants for containers.
Strawberry plants work really well in hanging baskets and pots. By raising them off the ground you can protect the fruit from slugs and snails, plus it’s easier to pick the fruit. They look great too! Grow your plants in direct sunlight for best results – they love a sunny spot.
You don’t need a grow bag to grow tomatoes; they will be perfectly content in a pot or hanging basket. You need to go for a bush variety rather than a cordon variety; *Tumbling Tom and Balconi Red are both an excellent choice for cherry tomatoes.
This trailing plant could also sit very well in the flowering category. The bright orange flowers are great for making a statement, but they’re also edible, so you can pick them for salads and garnishes. Trailing nasturtiums are tough plants that grow quickly, and they will tolerate poor soil and a bit of neglect. Definitely a great contender for a low maintenance container garden.
Gardening in pots and hanging baskets is very straightforward, and you won’t need lots of fancy equipment and tools. Having said that, having a few basic pieces of kit will definitely make things easier.
Top of my list is a good *hand trowel. You’ll use this all the time to fill your containers with compost, and top up gaps around your plants. Go for a size that’s well-suited to your hanging basket or pot; you might find that child-sized tools work best if your containers are on the small side.
Next up is a decent pair of *gardening gloves to protect your hands. This is very much an area where personal preference is important, but don’t be too distracted by pretty designs! You need a pair that fit well and allow you to move your hands easily when you’re wearing them.
I also think a pair of *secateurs or *snips are a must-have to help you maintain your plants. In my experience snips are particularly good for small spaces and hanging baskets.
Finally, make sure you’ve got a *watering can. I use a *mini watering can for my hanging baskets; you can lift these up high more easily, plus they don’t provide a deluge of water that floods your basket too quickly.
You’re spoilt for choice with the range of hanging baskets and pots available for outdoor plant displays. Whatever style you’re after, you can probably find it. Just make sure you think about these key areas before you buy:
You can also upcycle household objects to make unique plant containers. Here are a few ideas for things that work well:
Whatever you go for, don’t forget those all-important drainage holes.
The compost you use is a really important part of gardening in hanging baskets and pots.
Plants grown in containers only have access to a limited amount of nutrients, because the compost itself is limited. This means at some point the plants will use up all the nutrients, and when this happens they start to struggle. We all tend to pack lots of plants into pots and hanging baskets, so your plants can reach this point quite quickly.
The best way to keep your plants happy is to choose a good quality *peat-free compost. A general-purpose compost will be fine for most container plants, but do check your plant labels as some are a bit fussier and need a particular type of compost. We’ve got a guide to the best compost for pots to help you choose the right product.
If you’re a bit nervous about looking after your plants, or want to be more hands-off with the maintenance, you could go for a compost which is specifically designed for hanging baskets and pots. This will usually contain some slow-release fertiliser plus water-retaining crystals to take care of your plants with minimum effort. You can of course make your own version of this by adding *slow-release fertiliser and *water-retaining granules to standard compost.
Here’s a quick guide to planting up a hanging basket.
We all want our hanging baskets and container displays to look lush and amazing straight away, don’t we? But this is one of those times when you need a little bit of patience!
Don’t be tempted to overfill your container for instant impact. Doing this gives the plants no room to grow, and is only a short-term gain.
Instead, give your plants a bit of space and wait for them to grow and fill out. If you take good care of them this won’t take long. You can help to speed things up by feeding and watering regularly.
If you’re using a wire hanging basket, you can also add plants around the sides to create fuller basket displays. To do this simply poke a hole in the liner, then carefully push your plant into the compost. Keep the hole small to minimise compost leakage.
So you’ve planted up your hanging basket or pot, and now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the results of your hard work, right? Sort of.
Container displays don’t need lots of maintenance, but there are a few things you can do to keep them looking good and get the maximum impact from your plants.
The most important of these is to position your container in the ideal spot for the plants inside it. This is known as ‘right plant, right place’ in the gardening world, and it’s a great way to make hanging flowers look good.
Every plant has a specific set of conditions that it prefers. That could be full sun, a sheltered spot, part shade, good drainage, or a specific type of compost. If you provide your plant with these conditions, it will do well. If you don’t, it will struggle.
As well as helping your plants grow strong, positioning them in the right place can also cut down on maintenance and make them less vulnerable to plant pests.
You can usually find the ideal conditions for a plant on the care label it comes with when you buy it. If this is missing or there’s not much information, you can look the plant up online, or use a plant identification app.
Once you’re armed with the best conditions for your plants, you can work out the ideal location for your hanging basket or pot. This works the other way around too; you can start with where you want to put your container, then buy plants that do well in the conditions provided there. This second approach is particularly useful if you’ve already installed your hanging basket bracket!
As I’ve already mentioned, plants grown in containers have limited access to nutrients. To stop them going hungry, you need to feed them regularly.
A general-purpose plant food is fine for most container grown plants, and you can buy this in a variety of formats.
A *concentrated liquid feed must be diluted before use, while *ready-to-pour liquid feed can be added to your container straight from the bottle. Plant food is also available as *granules, which need to be mixed with the compost before you start planting. The easiest option is ready-to-pour feed, but bear in mind it won’t be the cheapest; it also involves more packaging, so if you want to garden sustainably it’s not ideal.
It’s possible to overfeed any plant. Overfeeding can kill plants, so stick to the recommended intervals between feeds – check the packaging for this info.
Watering is really important when you’re growing foliage and flowering plants in pots and hanging baskets.
Plants grown in containers usually dry out much quicker than plants grown in the ground. This is because the compost can only retain a finite amount of water, but also because the sides of a container are exposed to warmer temperatures which speeds up evaporation.
To avoid a parched hanging planter full of crispy plants, you need to check them on a regular basis. If the top of the compost feels dry to the touch, your plants need a drink.
The answer to this question depends on the weather. In very warm conditions you may need to water every day, or even twice a day. Be guided by the weather where you live, and how dry the soil feels.
Watering hanging baskets can be a bit tricky, as they tend to overflow before the compost and roots can absorb the water. Try to water them as gradually as possible; you can even water them lightly, then come back in ten minutes and repeat the process.
Another good trick is to place a small plant saucer in the bottom of the basket before you plant it up. Doing this creates a little water reservoir and helps reduce leakage.
If you make sure the soil doesn’t really dry out between waterings this will help with water retention too. Water tends to simply pour over very dry soil, rather than soaking in.
Early morning is the best time of day to water any plants. Watering before the hottest time of the day minimises evaporation and gives plants a better chance of absorbing the water. The next best option is to water in the early evening, but don’t leave it too late; damp leaves overnight can lead to problems with mould and mildew.
As well as feeding and watering your hanging baskets and pots, there’s another quick and easy way to keep them looking good for as long as possible. Welcome to the world of deadheading!
Deadheading sounds like a serious business, but it’s actually super-simple. All you do is remove any drooping or dead flower heads, plus any seed heads that the plant has formed. When you do this, you stop the plant setting seed, which in turn stimulates it to make more lovely flowers.
You can use your fingers or a pair of *snips to deadhead your plants. Try to do it on a regular basis; as well as keeping the time required to a minimum, this will help to keep your containers looking neat and tidy.
I hope this guide to the most popular trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots helps you to create some amazing container displays. If you’ve got any top tips for container gardening please do share them in the comments 🙂
Here are some more container gardening blog resources that you might find useful.
If you’re interested in the best outdoor plants for pots in general, my post on low maintenance outdoor potted plants is packed with ideas for gardening in pots all year round. Make sure you take a look at my roundup of drought tolerant plants too, and my lists of great outdoor plants for shallow pots and climbing plants for pots.
I’ve also got a spring-focused list of spring flowers for pots and hanging baskets, a list of summer plants for pots, and a roundup of fall flowers for pots, plus a guide to creating wow factor hanging flower baskets.
If you’re planting pots and hanging baskets for winter interest, make sure you also check out my posts on the best winter plants for pots and the best plants for winter hanging baskets.
Containers are ideal for growing lots of edible plants too. My post on easy vegetables to grow in pots has ten brilliant crops to try.
Gardening in hanging baskets and pots is also perfect for kids because of the small scale. I’ve got posts on growing sunflowers in pots, growing salad, making mini gardens and growing micro greens. Another favourite of ours is making a bulb lasagne, this one’s a brilliant autumn gardening project.
And finally, my gardening jobs for each month series is brilliant for beginner gardening and generally getting you organised!
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Catherine
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Hanging baskets are a versatile and visually captivating way to bring greenery into any outdoor space. While seasonal blooms offer bursts of colour, evergreen plants for hanging baskets provide interest that lasts throughout the year. From cascading, lush foliage to delicate textures and colourful flowers, evergreens bring life to vertical spaces, offering a dynamic backdrop that complements any garden.
In this article, we’ll explore the world of evergreen plants suitable for hanging baskets. Whether you’re an experienced gardener looking to expand your repertoire, or a novice seeking low-maintenance greenery, there’s an evergreen plant to suit every taste and skill level.
Absolutely. If you choose evergreen plants for hanging baskets as your base, and swap in a few seasonal plants throughout the year, you can create a lovely year-round display.
Just make sure you provide your hanging basket plants with a regular *feed, as a container plant will quickly exhaust the nutrients in the compost. Keep an eye on moisture levels too, especially in the warmer months when baskets and pots can quickly dry out.
As well as looking great, there are lots of other benefits to choosing evergreen plants for hanging baskets:
Ready to give your hanging planters year-round appeal? Take your pick from these fantastic evergreen plants for hanging baskets.
Heucheras (also known as coral bells) really earn their space in a container display. Their foliage is the main attraction, but they also produce small flowers in summer that will attract pollinators. These evergreen perennial plants for hanging baskets are available in a wide range of colours, from deep reds right through to zingy greens.
Depending on the variety you choose, you can use evergreen ferns in a hanging basket to add height, structure, or a trailing element. Good evergreen varieties for containers include Japanese Tassel Fern (Polystichum polyblepharum), and Hart’s tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium).
Japanese skimmia boasts shiny leaves, and in colder months there are interesting berries to add a splash of colour. A compact variety such as ‘Rubella’ will be fantastic for hanging baskets.
Carex is a compact evergreen grass that is also known as ornamental sedge. It’s a perfect plant for hanging baskets and there’s a range of different colours to choose from.
An absolute must for a hanging basket with a cool colour scheme, cineraria has gorgeous silvery foliage. Pair it with deeper greens and shades of pink and purple flowers for a wow factor display.
Another excellent choice for silver tones, calocephalus has coral-like stems that look delicate but are actually quite robust.
Creeping jenny has bright yellow-green foliage and can be a real stunner when it comes to evergreen trailing plants for hanging baskets.
Tough, low maintenance and with a fabulous trailing habit, English ivy is one of the best plants for evergreen hanging baskets. These hardy perennials are also an important source of shelter and food for garden wildlife. Choose from variegated or single colour leaves.
Ajuga will happily cover the surface of a hanging basket, providing foliage interest and helping to maintain moist soil.
Also known as liquorice plant, Helichrysum has tactile grey-green leaves and long stems that will happily trail over the edges of a hanging basket.
These evergreen shrubs are usually associated with garden borders, but if you choose a compact variety they will be great in a hanging basket. As well as evergreen foliage, you can look forward to fragrant flowers and lots of visits from pollinating insects in summer. Hebes tend to form a mound shape, so they work well in the centre of a hanging planter.
Vinca is quite an invasive plant and will run riot if you let it, but in a hanging basket you can limit the spread. In addition to the evergreen leaves you can enjoy pretty purple or white flowers in late summer.
If succulents are your thing, consider hardy sedums for an evergreen hanging basket. These plants are a good idea for low-level interest and will do a good job of covering up the soil. ‘Redhead’ and ‘Moss sedum’ are great varieties to try.
This variety of Tradescantia has silver and purple striped foliage and a trailing habit which makes it an ideal evergreen plant for hanging baskets.
Heathers are super-tough evergreens. You might think of them as a popular choice for winter plants, but there are flowering varieties for spring, summer, autumn and winter. And bees love them!
In conclusion, evergreen plants present an exciting opportunity to enhance the charm and longevity of your hanging baskets. By selecting the right varieties and implementing proper care techniques, you can create stunning displays that captivate the eye all year round.
Whether you opt for trailing evergreen ivy, lush ferns, or compact heuchera, the versatility of evergreen plants provides you with lots of options. You can experiment with different combinations, textures, and container styles to create a display that reflects your unique taste and garden style.
With a bit of planning and attention, your evergreen-filled hanging baskets will continue to thrive, providing year-round beauty and enjoyment for years to come. So embrace the greenery and let your hanging baskets flourish with the timeless allure of evergreen plants.
Head this way for more container gardening advice and plant inspiration:
Pin for later: best low maintenance evergreen plants for hanging baskets
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MEXICO CITY — The number of monarch butterflies at their wintering areas in Mexico dropped by 59% this year to the second lowest level since record keeping began, experts said Wednesday, blaming heat, drought and loss of habitat.
The butterflies’ migration from Canada and the United States to Mexico and back again is considered a marvel of nature. No single butterfly lives to complete the entire journey.
The annual butterfly count doesn’t calculate the individual number of butterflies, but rather the number of acres they cover when they clump together on tree branches in the mountain pine and fir forests west of Mexico City. Monarchs from east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada overwinter there.
Mexico’s Commission for National Protected Areas said the butterflies covered an area equivalent to 2.2 acres (0.9 hectares), down from 5.4 acres (2.21 hectares) last year.
The lowest level was in 2013 at 1.65 acres (0.67 hectares).
Experts said heat and drought appeared to be the main culprits in this year’s drought.
“It has a lot to do with climate change,” said Gloria Tavera, the commission’s conservation director.
Experts noted there were almost no butterflies at some traditional wintering grounds, because the monarchs appeared to have moved to higher, cooler mountain tops nearby. About two-thirds of the butterflies counted this year were found outside the traditional reserves.
“The monarchs looked for other sites … they are looking for lower temperatures,” Tavera said. Because some of the newer wintering sites aren’t included in the population count, there may have been more monarchs this year than the numbers suggest.
But the number of a smaller population, the western monarch butterflies that overwinter in California, has dropped, too.
Ryan Drum, a biologist with the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, said “these low numbers we see here are a challenge for all of us.” He said the new data would be taken into account when U.S. experts make their recommendation on whether to list the migratory monarchs as endangered or threatened species. A decision on that recommendation is due in October.
The butterflies themselves aren’t at risk of disappearing, but the monarchs’ migration is. It’s the longest migration of any insect species known to science.
After wintering in Mexico, the butterflies fly north, breeding multiple generations along the way for thousands of miles. The offspring that reach southern Canada begin the trip back to Mexico at the end of summer.
Drought, severe weather and loss of habitat north of the border — especially of the milkweed where the monarchs lay their eggs — as well as pesticide and herbicide use all pose threats to the species’ migration. Illegal logging and loss of tree cover because of disease, drought and storms plague the reserves in Mexico.
Gregory Mitchell, a researcher for Environment and Climate Change Canada, called the decline “very sobering,” but noted that ”we have the drive, we have the tools, we have the people” to address humans’ impact on the monarch migration.
Mitchell said that this year there were “very few monarchs up in Canada,” adding that “it really does seem driven by climate this year.”
Humberto Peña, the head of Mexico’s protected areas, proposed creating a “safe corridor” for migrating butterflies with reduced herbicide and pesticide use and stricter measures against deforestation.
There was some good news.
Deforestation in the Mexican forests where the butterflies spend the winter fell this year to about 10 acres (four hectares). Almost all was lost to illegal logging.
That was a large reduction from last year, when 145 acres (about 60 hectares) of forest cover was lost.
Illegal logging has been a major threat, because the butterflies gather in clumps on the trees to keep warm.
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Are you looking for advice on the best plants for outdoor pots?
Whether you’re a beginner gardener who’d like to start small with plants in containers, or a seasoned pro who’s keen on planting outdoor pots, there’s lots here to inspire you.
This post on the best plants for pots lists over 30 fantastic low maintenance plants for outdoor pots. I’ve also included simple tips for taking care of your plants so that they thrive and provide you with a gorgeous display, and a quick guide to the basic tools you need for planting containers.
Growing plants in pots has lots of advantages.
If you’re new to gardening, growing plants in pots is a great way to get started. You can keep things small-scale, moving onto larger displays as you learn and become more confident.
The other element of container gardening that suits new gardeners is the low maintenance aspect. It’s easier and quicker to take care of a plant in a pot than it is to keep on top of a whole garden border. In addition, containers are relatively portable, so if your plant is struggling you can easily move it to a different location before it’s too late.
That portability is a big plus for renters too, because you can take your plants with you when you move.
Containers are also perfect for gardening in small spaces. You don’t even need a garden; you can tuck a pot onto a balcony, outside a front door, or on a window ledge. This makes growing plants in pots a super-easy way to green up your outdoor space regardless of its size.
Gardening in pots, baskets and containers allows you to adjust the height of your garden too. This is particularly helpful if your movement is restricted, or you struggle to garden at ground level. Being able to play with height is also a fantastic way to create a bigger display of plants and flowers in a small space by using a range of pot sizes, trellis or even shelving.
Container gardening is also ideal for children. Kids love having their very own pot to take care of, and it’s easy for them to plant in a smaller space. You can introduce some fun crafting too, by decorating their pot or making plant markers.
Finally, if you don’t have lots of time for gardening, concentrating on growing plants in pots is a good compromise. The smaller scale translates into less time dealing with watering, weeding and pests – and you won’t have to do any digging!
It’s not hard to see why container gardening is so popular, is it?
Some plants are better suited to growing in the ground, and some will be more than happy growing in a pot. Choose plants that are well-suited to growing in container planters, and you stand a much better chance of creating a healthy and beautiful container garden. In the gardening world this if often referred to as ‘right plant, right place’.
You might have come across the saying ‘right plant, right place’ already; it’s a key element of good garden design, and is often mentioned in gardening programmes and magazines. It’s a simple but powerful approach to helping your plants thrive, and it’s well worth taking a little bit of time to understand the concept.
All plants – regardless of what you grow them in – have their own set of conditions that they will thrive in. Put your plant somewhere that provides these conditions, and you’re already well on the way to making it happy.
The flip side of this idea is that by forcing a plant to grow in conditions it doesn’t naturally enjoy, you will automatically limit how well it does.
The ‘right plant, right place’ concept goes a long way towards explaining why you might have lost plants in the past, and also gives you a simple framework for growing your plants going forward.
So how do you work out the conditions that your plants need? First of all, check the care label. If you don’t have one, look the plant up online, or use a plant identification app. Some plants need full sun, while others are happy growing in full shade. Your plant may need a high humidity level, or love to bake in dry heat. Once you’re armed with this information, you can choose the perfect spot for your container and make sure you’ve given your plants the best possible chance of doing well.
If you’re relatively new to gardening, here’s a quick guide to the difference between annual and perennial plants. This will come in handy when you’re choosing your plants and setting your budget.
Annual plants grow, flower and die in one growing season, or year. As a result, you will usually need to replace them with new plants every year.
Perennial plants will grow year after year. They might die back in winter and grow again in spring, or be evergreen. Either way, you shouldn’t need to replace them on a regular basis.
The majority of plants sold in garden centres and online for container planting are annual plants. They’re often labelled as ‘bedding plants’ and common varieties include begonia, pansies, petunia, lobelia and marigolds.
My annual vs. perennial plants post covers the pros and cons of each plant category in more detail.
Absolutely. If your perennial plant is suited to growing in a pot, there’s no reason not to. In fact, growing perennial plants in containers is a much more cost-effective way of gardening. It also opens up the range of plants available to you significantly. You can grow flowering plants, shrubs and even small trees perfectly well in pots, if you choose the right variety. Read on to find out what perennials do well in pots.
So you’re raring to go with container gardening, and now it’s time to choose your plants. Here are my top picks for low maintenance plants for outdoor pots that will help you create stunning container displays.
A standard shrub is a shrub that has been grown into a specific shape. This is often a lollipop-shape that resembles the structure of a small tree. Standard shrubs are ideal plants to grow in containers, and can be used to create a big impact. They also make ideal tall plants for pots.
Great low-maintenance standard shrubs for outdoor pots include bay, photinia, wisteria, holly and ornamental cherries. I have a miniature ornamental cherry called Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-mai’ which is an absolute stunner in springtime.
There are many varieties of roses which are well-suited to growing in pots. As the name suggests, a patio rose variety is a perfect choice. I love the white simplicity of ‘Bianco’, but there’s a wide range of colours to choose from.
You probably associate succulents with indoor plants, but many varieties are ideal for outdoor pots. You can plant several varieties together to create a desert garden effect, or stick to one type for a more contemporary look. Succulents look fantastic against a gravel background, this is a great way to stop soil splashing onto the leaves too.
Succulents are very low maintenance outdoor potted plants, but they don’t enjoy sitting in soggy soil. Make sure you give them plenty of drainage.
If you’d like to introduce an evergreen shrub to your container display, consider a camellia. Their deep green glossy leaves provide interest all year round, and they put on a stunning flower display in early spring. You do need to plant camellias in ericaceous compost and grow them in a sheltered position, but if you get both of these things right they don’t need much in the way of maintenance.
The restrictive nature of a pot works in your favour when it comes to agapanthus, because it makes the plant produce more flowers. Agapanthus will provide height and showy blooms during summer months, and shades range from white to deep blue. I think they work particularly well in a contemporary setting, and also against a dark backdrop which makes the colour sing out.
If you’d like a formal, sleek look for your container, a clipped box plant is the way to go. These plants are slow-growing, so they’re not cheap to buy, but you can go for a small plant to keep costs down. Having said that, if it’s large plants for pots you’re after, a large box in a lovely pot can make a fabulous focal point.
Because box is slow-growing, you’ll only need to give it a trim every year or so. The rest of the time all it needs is water. Do check whether you live in an area that has a problem with box blight or box tree caterpillar before you buy; if you’re concerned you could go for an alternative evergreen such as yew or bay.
Dwarf buddlejas are designed to be grown in pots, and offer the low maintenance floral impact of a traditional buddleja plant in a much more compact area. They’re also a fantastic plant for pollinating insects, and particularly loved by butterflies.
This is another traditionally large plant that has recently been introduced as a dwarf variety for container gardeners. Dwarf lavatera (or mallow) is a tough plant that will cope with a bit of neglect, and produces masses of pale pink blooms on tall stems. It’s another great plant for pollinating insects too.
Lavender is a traditional cottage garden plant, but it also looks amazing in a more contemporary setting. You can also plant lavender in pots. Choose a hardy English variety and you will keep the maintenance to a minimum. Lavender enjoys good drainage, so don’t overwater it. It’s a good idea to plant lavender companion plants alongside to boost wow factor.
*Bulbs are well-suited to growing in pots, and you can create a lovely display in spring before your other plants get going. A particularly clever way of doing this is to plant a bulb lasagne, which involves layering your bulbs up in a pot to extend the flowering period. My post on planting a bulb lasagne shows you how to do this.
Hardy geraniums are really low-maintenance, unfussy flowers for pots. They will happily grow in containers, where they will produce masses of flowers for very little effort. You can also divide them when they get bigger and make new plants for free!
You don’t have to have flowers to make a big impact in a container. With their large, textured leaves, hostas are perfect specimen plants for containers, providing an impressive foliage display. An added bonus of growing them in pots is that you can keep the slugs and snails off them much more easily.
Another great option for foliage, heucheras are available in many colours from deep purples through to golden bronzes. They work really nicely alongside flowering plants, but also look great on their own or as several different colours grouped together in their own pots.
We tend to think of hydrangeas as great big garden border plants, but they will also be happy to grow on a smaller scale in a container. Hydrangeas bloom for months, so you can create real wow factor over a long period of time from just one pot. Do check water levels regularly, as they are thirsty plants.
Ornamental grasses are fantastic plants for outdoor pots. Use them to add height, texture and movement to a display. I love using grasses as a foliage backdrop with annual flowering plants. Grasses are also brilliant for providing structure and interest over the winter months; some are evergreen, but even the ones that die back can look stunning if you leave the dead stems intact.
When it comes to annual plants for outdoor pots, there’s a wide range to choose from. Here are my favourite low-maintenance annuals for containers.
Also known as African Daisies, Osteospermum have lots of cheery daisy-like flowers and are available in a range of colours. I like using them alongside smaller-flowered plants such as lobelia.
Lobelia is a great plant for bulking out a container display. It’s covered in tiny little blue, white or purple flowers, and just keeps on going. You can buy standard or trailing lobelia varieties; I think the trailing ones are particularly useful in containers, as they allow you to soften edges and continue the display over a larger area. They’re one of the best plants for hanging flower baskets too.
Petunias are hugely popular container plants, and for good reason. They’re easy to grow, produce masses of flowers, and come in a wide range of colours. If you deadhead them regularly, they will flower for months too.
Annual verbena is another versatile bedding plant that you can combine with other plants to create a colourful display. I like to use white varieties of verbena in combination with stronger colours to provide contrast, but there are shades of pink and purple if you’d prefer more ‘oomph’.
Another great low-maintenance annual, pansies and violas will grow pretty much anywhere. They’re happy to flower in colder months too, making them perfect for adding winter interest to your garden.
Not all sunflowers are six foot giants! There are lots of smaller varieties that are well-suited to containers, including our favourite *Teddy Bear which as you might imagine is wonderfully fluffy.
As well as being real showstoppers, sunflowers will provide your local birds and pollinating insects with a source of food. Sunflowers are perfect plants to grow with kids too. My step-by-step guide to growing sunflowers in pots includes planting advice, care tips and good varieties to grow.
Nigella is a truly low-maintenance plant for outdoor pots. You literally scatter the *seeds on the soil, and leave them to grow. Nigella likes to seed itself around the garden, so you may well find more plants growing next year with zero effort from you.
*Nasturtiums are ideal plants for hanging baskets and pots, providing a bright shot of colour throughout summer. They will tolerate poor soil and cope with whatever space you give them, and as an added bonus the flowers are edible.
Don’t assume that you need a huge meadow to grow wildflowers. Even a small pot of *wildflowers can provide a rich habitat for local wildlife and a beautiful cottage-garden style display of blooms. Wildflowers are ridiculously low-maintenance too; scatter the seeds, rake them in lightly, water, and that’s it. If you’d like to grow them with the kids, check out my post on growing wildflowers.
For striking foliage, you can’t beat coleus. They look brilliant planted together, or used as accents in a mixed container. Some varieties prefer sun and some prefer shade, so check the label before you buy. You can have a go at turning coleus into a houseplant over winter, moving it back into the garden once all chance of frost has gone.
Another fantastic foliage plant for containers, cineraria has beautiful silvery leaves that work really well against pink and purple flowers. Pretty much every container in my garden has cineraria in it! If your garden is in a sheltered spot, the plants may well survive over winter.
Last on my list is good old ivy. It’s a trailing plant, so you can use it to extend a display over the edges of your pot, and you can choose from varieties with all-green or variegated leaves to suit your finished look. Growing ivy in containers also means you avoid the problem of it getting out of hand and taking over!
Getting the right low maintenance plants for outdoor pots is a big part of making a success of container gardens, but there are also a few other factors which will have an impact. Take a look at these simple tips for taking care of outdoor plants in pots, and you’ll be well on the way to becoming a container gardening pro.
When it comes to the actual pots you grow your plants in, there are only a couple of rules. The most important one is to make sure your pot has drainage holes in the bottom. Most plants hate to have their roots sitting in a puddle, and you can quickly kill a plant this way. If your pot doesn’t have holes, you need to either make some (a hammer and a nail do the job nicely on plastic and metal pots), or add an inner plant pot which does have drainage holes before planting.
The other key area to consider is the size of your container. Think about the number of plants you want to grow in it, and the eventual size they will reach. The plant’s label should tell you the size, or you can look it up online. Choose a size that will suit your plants for at least a year, to give them plenty of room to thrive and avoid the need to repot them regularly.
Other than that, it’s really up to you when it comes to the shape, colour, material and style of your pots. You can match the style to your existing outdoor space, or mix things up a bit. There’s also tonnes of potential to upcycle and recycle containers; old teapots, sinks, chimney pots, wellies and storage crates all work well. Just remember to add those drainage holes.
Compost matters more than ever when plants are grown in pots. If you grow plants in the ground, their roots have easy access to nutrients in the soil, and aren’t restricted by the limits of a pot. In contrast, plants that are grown in containers will quickly exhaust the nutrients available to them from the compost.
For this reason, it’s always a good idea to use a good quality, *peat-free compost for your container plants. A general-purpose compost will be fine for most plants, but some plants require specific compost to help them thrive. Check your plant label for this information.
You can also buy compost that’s designed specifically to support plants grown in containers and hanging baskets. This usually has water-retaining crystals and slow-release fertiliser added. It’s not essential to use this when planting your pots, but it can help reduce the amount of plant maintenance required. If you don’t have lots of time, or tend to neglect your plants, I think it’s a good option.
For more advice on compost and container plants, head over to my guide to the best compost for pots.
Generally, you should aim to repot your plants into your own containers as soon as you get them home. Ease the pot away from the plant, and you will probably find that the roots are quite compacted. This means the plant will benefit from a larger pot with more compost.
The exception to this rule is when you buy plants that are already potted into an ornamental pot, or a pre-planted container display such as a hanging basket. In both these situations, the plants should already have been provided with the right sized container.
As your container plants will use up the nutrients in the compost, you should feed them regularly to help them thrive. A general purpose plant food is a simple option, but if you’re growing fruit and veg in containers make sure you go for a plant food designed specifically for these.
Plant food is available in a few different formats. The most common is a *concentrated liquid, which you dilute according to the pack instructions and use to water your plants. You can also buy *granules which should be scattered on the surface of the soil and lightly raked in, and *ready-to-use liquid feed which you just pour into the pot. This last option is great if you’re a bit daunted by the idea of getting the feeding right, but it’s not the cheapest or most recycling-friendly choice.
If you like the idea of being self-sufficient, or are gardening on a budget, you can also make your own natural plant feed from comfrey or nettle leaves. This is a great option for organic gardening. Here’s how to do it:
I’ve already talked about drainage in terms of holes in the bottom of your container. It’s also a good idea to pop a few stones or broken pieces of terracotta pot into the bottom before you add your compost.
If you’re thinking ‘why do I need to put rocks in the bottom of a planter?’, here’s the answer. Adding a layer of stones will increase the container’s ability to drain away excess water, which in turn helps to provide a more balanced growing environment. This is particularly important in the colder months of the year.
When it comes to water, a container plant is more reliant on you than a plant that’s grown in the ground. A container will generally dry out much quicker than a garden bed, and not just because there’s a limit on the water in there. The sides of a pot are more exposed to warmer temperatures, which heats up the soil and in turn speeds up evaporation.
In warmer months, check the soil in your containers regularly. If it feels dry to touch, you need to water them. Another telltale sign is drooping plants, but ideally you should move in with the watering can before this stage.
Try to avoid watering your containers at the warmest part of the day, so you don’t lose as much water to evaporation. Watering in the early morning is ideal, and the next best option is early evening.
You could also add some *watering retaining crystals to your compost when potting up your containers. This will help to keep moisture levels more steady, and should mean you need to water your pots less frequently.
In colder months, you may not need to water your containers at all, but it’s still worth checking the soil regularly.
Having invested time and money in your plants for outdoor pots, it makes sense to try and get the best display out of them for as long as possible. Deadheading is a simple way to do just that.
Deadheading involves removing any flowers that are drooping, dead, or forming seed heads. Doing this stops the plant setting seed, and makes it produce more flowers instead.
To deadhead your plants, you simply pinch or snip off the old flower heads. You can use your fingers, but a pair of *snips will make the job a lot quicker.
Try to deadhead your plants regularly for the best results.
Container gardening doesn’t require much in the way of garden tools and equipment. Having said that, there are a few items that will make life easier.
As well as containers, it’s a good idea to buy a *hand trowel. You can use this for the majority of your planting and re-potting jobs, and it’s also handy for weeding.
I’d also recommend a decent pair of *gardening gloves to protect your hands. Look for a pair that you can move properly in while wearing them – it sounds obvious, but not every pair will be a good fit.
I think a *watering can is also an essential piece of kit. Choose one with a ‘rose’ head attachment, this will help to avoid washing away the top layer of compost in your pots with a big gush of water. I actually like to use my daughter’s *mini watering can for my smaller containers, because it makes it even easier to control the flow.
Finally, a pair of *secateurs will come in handy for pruning and deadheading.
This is really all the kit you need to grow plants in containers. You are of course more than welcome to get carried away with all manner of extra gadgets if you’d like to!
Here’s a quick checklist to help you grow beautiful outdoor plants in pots:
If you’d like to explore some other gardening projects and ideas, take a look at these posts.
Drought tolerant plants for hot, dry weather
Outdoor plants for shallow pots
12 easy flowers to grow from seed
How to deal with ants in plant pots
How to grow a windowsill herb garden
The best tools for growing seeds
Easy ways to get your garden ready for summer
You might also like to check out my Container Gardening Pinterest board, and my blog posts on the best winter plants for pots, spring flowers for pots and hanging baskets, great summer plants for pots, and fall flowers for pots. I’ve also got a useful list of trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots.
I hope this guide to the best low-maintenance plants for outdoor pots has given you lots of container gardening ideas and inspiration, and helps you to create a beautiful container display. What container plants are top of your wish list?
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What to do in the garden in February–is this some kind of a joke? Here’s a thing I like to do in February: sit by the fire and look at the garden through a window.
However. If you (or I) can find the motivation to throw on a coat, a hat, gloves, a heavy woolen scarf, thick socks, boots, and lip balm–this is what I wear to brave the chilly weather in Northern California; if you live in New England or Colorado, you might want to add a layer of thermal underwear and a second coat–we will be well rewarded for our efforts in springtime.
If you live in a warmer climate, your to-do list for February garden chores will be different from what you can accomplish in colder regions. (For instance, in my USDA zone 10a garden, where the ground does not freeze, I can weed even in cold months. In winter, before weeds spread, is an ideal time to get rid of them.)
Here are a few things we all can do in the garden this month.
Winter is the best time to prune deciduous trees. After trees lose their leaves in late autumn, their structure and shape are revealed. It’s easier to see which branches are growing inward (get rid of those) or crossing others (get rid of those too). Winter pruning will encourage new growth in spring. During this dormant period, insects and diseases that could harm fresh-cut trunks or branches also are dormant.
An exception to this rule is spring-flowering trees. Wait to prune those in late spring after their flowers fade. If you prune them now, you’ll be cutting off this spring’s blossoms.
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If you’re searching for plant puns and plant jokes to raise a giggle, you’re in the right place.
I’ve got over one hundred family-friendly plant puns and plant-themed jokes here, all designed to help you crack a joke or use as plant captions for photos. Whether you’re sharing snaps on social media and need an insta caption, want a green thumb joke for a greetings card to a plant-loving friend, or just like to enjoy some silly plant jokes and puns, I’ve got you covered.
As well as a list of plant puns and plant jokes, I’ve included a bunch of leaf puns, cactus puns, succulent puns and herb puns for even more laughs.
If you’re using these plant captions for instagram photos, make sure you check out my nature hashtags copy and paste lists – they’ll save you lots of time searching for an insta caption.
Indulge your silly side and your green fingers with these funny plant puns.
That’s plant-tastic
Have a little fern
All things must grass
Ants in your plants
One-trick peony
Let me in-tree-duce myself
You grow girl
Get a twiggle on
I’m rooting for you
Sorry, I have plants this weekend
All clover the world
Plant one on me
An orchid situation (check out our orchid care tips)
Take stalk of your life
Don’t stop the beetroot
Hey, how’s it growing?
Flower of strength
Plants are my soil-mates
Just pollen your leg
What’s up bud?
Cutting it vine
Today’s good seed
Have you botany plants?
I’m very frond of you
Don’t moss around
A peony for your thoughts
One of rose things
Thistle do
Oopsie daisy
You’re my best bud
A budding romance
Romaine calm
Lawn-distance relationships
I beg your garden?
You can find more funny gardening puns and gardening jokes in my garden puns post. My list of garden gnome puns might tickle your funny bone too.
These plant jokes will put a smile on your face and make a great caption for plants photography.
What do you call a flower that runs on electricity? A power plant.
What garden plant is always cold? A chilli.
Why can’t you iron a four leaf clover? Because you shouldn’t press your luck.
What did the baby corn say to the mother corn? Where’s popcorn?
What’s an amnesiac’s favourite plant? Forget-me-nots.
Where did the plant want to travel? All clover the world.
What new plant did the gardener sow? Beets me.
How do plants keep things under control? They weed out unnecessary drama and ask troublemakers to leaf.
What type of plant sneaks up on you? An ambush.
What advice can you give a plant that’s having a hard day? Just green and bear it.
Why was the gardener embarrassed? He wet his plants.
What do plants do when they first meet each other? They in-tree-duce themselves.
Sherlock Holmes was doing some gardening, Watson asked what he was planting. He replied “A lemon tree, my dear Watson”.
Head over to my tree jokes and tree puns post for more tree-themed fun.
Raise a laugh with these unbe-leaf-able leaf puns and leaf jokes. They make great green leaf captions for instagram too.
Take it or leaf it
I’ll never leaf you
Take a leaf of faith
A day in the leaf
I be-leaf in you
I was worried that the plants were fake, but they weren’t. That’s a real leaf!
How do plants contact each other? They use the te-leaf-one.
Why did the leaf go to the doctor? It was feeling green.
How do plants make themselves heard? With amp-leaf-ication.
I never used to like plants, but I turned over a new leaf!
Knock knock. Who’s there? Leaf. Leaf who? Leaf me alone!
Still hungry for more plant puns? Grab your gardening gloves and check these out!
What did Princess Leia say after she planted some trees? “May the forest be with you“.
What’s the scariest plant? Bam-boo.
If a plant is sad, do other plants photo-sympathise with it?
What’s a baby chick’s favourite type of plant? An egg-plant.
How do you clone a plant? Stem cells.
What makes some plants better at math than others? Square roots.
Where do flowers go when they need to recharge after a long day? The power plant.
What’s the saddest plant? A weeping widow.
What do you call a nervous tree? A sweaty palm.
Why did the tomato plant blush? Because it saw the salad dressing. (more vegetable jokes here)
What does a gardener do if they have a fear of roses? Not sure, it’s a thorny issue.
What’s the fiercest type of flower? A dandelion.
What’s a plant’s favourite drink? Root beer.
What do you call a nosey pepper plant? Jalapeño business.
What did the young plant say to the old plant? “Hey bloomer.”
What’s the highest number that a plant can count to? Tree.
What did one plant lady say to another plant lady? “Botany plants lately?”.
There was once a girl that only ate plants. You’ve probably never heard of herbivore.
Does anyone know a good place where I can buy a fern? Asking for a frond.
Why do plants go to therapy? To get to the root of their problems.
I wasn’t all that interested in gardening, but I planted a few seeds and it grew on me.
Why couldn’t the gardener plant any flowers? He hadn’t botany.
You’ll find lots more floral jokes in my flower puns post.
Look sharp with these cactus jokes and cactus puns.
Cactus makes perfect
As far as the cacti can see
Feeling a bit prickly today
What a cactastrophe
I’m stuck on you
You prickle my fancy
Cactus if you can
In a prickle
What did one cactus say to the other cactus? You’re looking sharp.
What did the porcupine say to the cactus? Is that you, Dad?
Why is it so hard to come up with a cactus joke? Because it’s a really thorny problem.
What’s the worst thing about dropping a cactus? Catching it.
What did the happy cactus say to the grumpy cactus? Don’t be so prickly.
I know there’s something wrong with my cactus, but I just can’t put my finger on it.
Love your succulent plants? Take a look at these succulent puns and succulent jokes.
Aloe, is it me you’re looking for?
I’m a succa for plants
Aloe beautiful
You’re so suc-cute-lent
Aloe from the other side
Succ it up
Aloe-lujah!
Life would succ without you
Aloe you vera much
A big succ-sess
You had me at aloe
Say aloe to my little friend
How does a plant answer the phone? “Aloe?”
Someone stole my succulent plant. That was aloe move.
How about some plant puns with an edible theme? Check out these tasty herb garden puns.
That’s sage advice
I just don’t have the thyme
Do you need some encourage-mint?
Bay-leaf in yourself
Parsley the test
Eat, drink and be rosemary
Party thyme!
We’re mint to be
Good chives only
Kind of a big dill
I hope you’ve enjoyed these silly jokes about plants and plant puns. Is your favourite plant pun on the list? 🌿
If the kids have enjoyed this list of plant humour and you’d like to explore nature with them some more, my books *A Year of Nature Craft & Play and *A Year of Nature Walks and Games are perfect. It’s packed with a whole year’s worth of nature-themed crafts, games, gardening projects and science experiments, all with step-by-step instructions and colourful pictures. You can read about it and take a peek inside in my nature play blog post.
If the whole family is loving the silly nature jokes, you’ll find the perfect clever pun on a nature theme in these other roundups: sunflower puns, bird jokes, fish jokes, cat puns, fruit jokes, vegetable jokes, bean jokes, potato jokes, water puns, ice puns, skull puns, bee jokes, pumpkin puns, spring puns, summer jokes, fall puns, nature puns, art puns and Halloween jokes for kids.
Make sure you bookmark my Easter jokes for kids and Christmas jokes for kids for a funny pun during festive season too.
My inspirational nature quotes series is also definitely worth a look. You can use these as a daily dose of motivation, or to caption your photos and greetings cards. Take your pick from gardening quotes, flower quotes, nature quotes and nature captions, tree quotes, waterfall quotes and quotes about sunflowers.
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The colors chosen in the planning of a garden are very much a matter of personal taste but there are particularly pleasing combinations.
Nature seldom, if ever, makes mistakes with color. Every hue seems to have full value and expression, not only to its advantage but also to that of the others surrounding it. Color clashes seldom occur in nature.
The foliage has as important a part to play as flowers in garden decoration; color variation in foliage is wide and of the utmost significance, vital to be borne in mind, especially where all-the year-round decoration is the aim. Deciduous and evergreen leaves, therefore, should be allowed to play their full part, and not only through choice of plantings, but also by intelligent positioning in order, say, Santolinathe sun in certain seasons, or to match and contrast with other plantings nearby.
This applies also to the wide and vivid range of ornamental berries and barks, so useful especially during the later and winter months when blossom is scarce. Let the many winter-flowering plants, trees, and shrubs be given their proper role. If planted in the right proportion show, pink goes well with a variety of silver tones; admirably demonstrated by its foliage. There are many other forms of silver foliage among plants, trees, and shrubs and these could be made a good deal more use of to very great advantage.
Almost any other color goes well with it, for example, Senecio laxifolius, a charming small shrub whose golden-yellow, summer-borne daisies contrast perfectly with its silvery-green leaves. The same effect can be seen in another small shrub, Sontolina incana, and in Potentilla fruticosa whose blossoms extend through quite a wide range of yellow and gold and also include some whites. The silvery leaves of Pyrus salicifolia pendula contrast richly with the plum-purple foliage of Cotinus coggygria foliis purpureis, where this tree and shrub (both of fair size when full-grown) have been wisely sited near Bedding plants, particularly those used in summer schemes, provide scope for brilliant color weaving. Senecio maritima ‘Diamond’, bright with silver leaves, is outstanding for providing contrast with, say, pink antirrhinums, or the purplish-mauve Verbena venosa. A mixture of all three is remarkably striking.
Yellow is one of the loveliest colors of all. And it has the ability to give the utmost life to any border without ever tending to harshness. It can become monotonous if usede xcessively—especially in its darker tones—though, pale, can be superb as anthemis and annual chrysanthemum in some of its varieties can show. Superb with blue, as Platystemon californicus with Echium ‘Blue Bedder’ will demonstrate in any annual border, it is equally so when in company with mauve, as a further example: Clematis x jackmanii grown near climbing rose ‘Mermaid’ will prove.
Any comprehensively stocked border of hemerocallis, or day lily, will make it clear how well yellow tones with orange; together, a rich mixture to be remembered. Orange, though brilliant in itself, can become tedious if used too liberally, though vibrant in the extreme where used in correct contrast, blue and orange and white and orange are superb. Arrange them by growing love-in-a-mist and calendula, and sweet alyssum with Ursinia anethoides, for instance; all among the loveliest of annuals.
Green is everywhere, nearly always precisely where it is wanted from a color point of view and just the right shade. It is so acceptable that it may be taken for granted, though less so during the spring where deciduous trees and shrubs are concerned, for it is then that they are at their brightest.
But green comes into its own where conifers are concerned, combining with foliage textures and character to yield remarkable beauty. Appearing in an infinite number of shades, it extends in one direction into various golds and bronzes, and in another into shades of blue and silver-blue that are classic. Cedrus atlantica glauca and Picea pungens kosteriana, for example.
Where space permits, conifers are almost essential for helping to ensure color-interest throughout the twelve months of the year. Clearly, they come into their own during autumn and winter months, though can make wonderful backgrounds for spring and summer blossoms and foliage if planted thoughtfully.
Evergreens in general, carefully them offer foliage in several different hues in addition to their flowers.
Several factors come to bear when selecting planting material for stocking a garden with the intention of providing as much color as possible. One of these is that of size and it is one of the most important. It should be remembered that sharp color contrasts are rendered more so in confined areas. Sometimes this is acceptable, but may also produce too bright an effect at close quarters; wiser, perhaps, to reduce the number of violent colors in small gardens unless adequate white is used to soften them.
Larger gardens obviously afford greater scope and even the brightest array of flowers will appear to have less individual impact, even though they retain their proper significance. It is, of course, under these circumstances that large herbaceous borders come into their own where there is ample space to accommodate them. Vivid as the constituent colors may be, the overall picture is one of tasteful blending.
And it is in larger gardens that additional scope arises for self-colored borders. Not, perhaps, to everyone’s taste, they can nevertheless be most attractive, though certain colors are more suitable than others. A completely blue border would, perhaps, be the easiest to look at. Blue is a restful hue and there are a great many shades, sufficient to avoid any suggestion of selected from the wonderfully wide range, can yield gold, silver, dark green, light green and a host of brilliantly variegated leaves, some almost vying with blossom. Sometimes dismissed as dull and uninteresting, evergreens are anything but, and of course many of them bear some of the loveliest blossom in cultivation .
Deciduous foliage effects should come high on the list of garden adornments, making as they do a major contribution to the continuity of color. The Japanese acers could scarcely be more brilliant in this respect, nor could liquidambar, lindera and that charming little shrub or small tree—Amelanchier canadensis, foaming with white blossom in May, bright with purple berries in June, and aflame with autumn fire as its leaves make a final flourish before falling as the year draws to its close.
Though deciduous, beech will retain its dead leaves, crisp and richly brown, throughout winter, when clipped as a hedge. Their effect can be greatly enhanced where dark evergreens have been planted close by. Chamaecyparis lawsoniana is first rate, here, and if planted in company with a clipped beech will make as handsome a combination of green and brown as anyone could wish to see.
So it can be seen that by a degree of prior thought, hardly a day need see an absence of effective color of some kind in the garden. And color planning can be great fun as well as vastly rewarding, with foliage and flower, berry and bark making their own special contribution.
And barks are, perhaps, the most neglected of all the sources of garden decoration. There is little justification for this, and it seems a pity to forego for example the magnificent red of Cornus alba sibirica, the green of Leycesteria formosa and the orange-gold of Salix vitellina britzensis during the dormant season in particular.
The color year has no beginning and no ending where the shrewd gardener has been at work. He has his traditional spring flowers in masses, allied to spring-flowering shrubs such as chaenomeles, forsythia and ribes (and how magnificent Ribes sanguineum looks in company with daffodils and narcissi), not to mention the hosts of ornamental cherries, plums and apples.
Summer is filled with blossom and foliage of every conceivable kind. Autumn has sufficient attraction where late blossoms have been grown and where fruiting trees and shrubs have thoughtfully been provided (the ornamental crab apples really come into
monotony. Twelve herbaceous plants to form a sound basis would be: Anchusa azurea, Lupinus Russell Strain `Gladys Cooper’ ; Salvia uliginosa; campanula in variety; Polemonium caeruleum; delphiniums in many blue varieties; Geranium grandiflorum; blue flag iris; Echinops ritro ; Penstemon heterophyllus; Linum perenne and Platycodon grandiflorum. Such a border could be effectively backed by flowering shrubs to include ceanothus in some of its forms; Hibiscus syriacus coeleste and Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Blue Wave’, kept adequately blued.
A solely yellow border might well prove too much of a good thing, though perhaps not if kept to reasonable proportions. The same goes for orange, even though there could be a remarkably striking effect with, perhaps, certain kniphofias, alstroemerias, hemerocallis, lilies of various kinds, Ligularia clivorum and Geum ‘Prince of Orange’, as a basic half dozen. Better, however, or so it would seem, to blend orange with yellow, with maybe the occasional dash of white; in all producing considerable richness. This would certainly allow the full range of hemerocallis varieties to be brought into play, worthwhile under any circumstances.
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Frederick Leeth
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Creating a stunning garden display doesn’t always require vast expanses of space at ground level. You can bring the thrill of vertical greenery right to your doorstep with climbing plants for pots.
Whether you have a balcony, a patio, or a small porch, these versatile plants will bring colour, texture and interest to any space.
In this article we’ll explore 19 fantastic climbing plants for pots, including fast growers, perfumed delights, shade lovers and edible plants.
Get ready to elevate your gardening experience with these compact yet powerful vertical wonders!
Before you start to browse climbing plants, take some time to think about the following:
Considering these areas will put you in a great position to choose the right plant for your outdoor space.
Ready to find your perfect climbing plant for a pot? Here are our top picks for common garden conditions.
Clematis Montana boasts an abundance of pink or white flowers from April to June, and flourishes in a sunny or partial shade location.
This rapidly growing climbing plant can reach 30 feet in height, but if you grow it in a container you can keep it under control.
Other great clematis varieties for pots include ‘Nelly Moser’, ‘Jackmanii’ and ‘Prince Charles’.
Honeysuckle has twining vines with very fragrant flowers, and will attract hummingbirds and butterflies all through the summer months.
Although these plants prefer a sunny spot, they will also tolerate partial shade in a sheltered area. If you grow Honeysuckle in a pot it needs regular watering and *plant food to keep it happy.
Honeysuckle is a fast-growing climber and should not be planted to grow up a tree, as it can strangle it.
If you like the idea of growing from seed, this is a great option when it comes to annual climbers. Morning glory will produce masses of flowers in summer and early autumn, and has a vigorous growth habit.
Morning glories like to grow in a sheltered spot in full sun. A *trellis or *obelisk will keep them happy in a pot.
With its cheerful flowers and perennial nature, this perennial plant is an excellent choice for a container garden. You can train it up a trellis or let it spill over pots and hanging baskets.
Plant black-eyed Susans in full sun and away from strong winds for best results. You also need to provide frost protection in colder months.
This plant is perfect for adding interest to your container garden in winter and early spring. Winter jasmine produces delicate yellow flowers and when grown in a pot will trail over the edges.
Winter jasmine needs full sun and soil that drains well.
Virginia Creeper will give you a stunning show of warm red and burgundy leaves in the autumn months.
It’s a tough plant and happy with shade or sunny spots; it’s also a drought tolerant plant. Growing it in a pot keeps this vigorous climber under control.
Do bear in mind that Virginia Creeper’s sap contains oxalate crystals that can cause a skin rash in people that are sensitive.
Passion flowers grow fast and big, so make sure you choose a suitably large container. They will reward you with highly unusual blooms that are ideal if you want to complement tropical plants.
Passiflora needs a warm position and winter protection when temperatures drop.
English ivy (Hedera helix) is an evergreen climber that thrives in pots. It’s a useful trailing plant for a hanging basket, where it can cascade over the edge of the container.
Plant ivy in a potting medium with good drainage, and provide it with plenty of water.
This fast-growing perennial vine has trumpet shaped, showy flowers throughout summer and into autumn.
Trumpet vine will thrive in full sun and is also a great plant for making your garden wildlife-friendly. It can get out of control when grown in the ground, so a pot is an easy way to keep it in check.
Climbing roses are plants that do double duty with their lovely rose scent and beautiful full blooms. They’re the perfect choice for a wall or fence with solid support where they can spread out and cover the area in flowers.
There are many varieties of climbing rose in a variety of colours. Good options for pots include ‘Strawberry Hill’, ‘Bathsheba’ and ‘Open Arms’.
This compact climbing rose variety is well-suited to a pot. The stunning deep pink double blooms will fill a patio with wonderful scent from July to September.
Wisteria is a popular choice for gardeners looking to add beauty and fragrance with warm-weather perennials to their outdoor spaces. This flowering vine is known for its large and fragrant white or blue-purple hanging flowers.
If you grow wisteria in a pot, make sure you *feed it regularly.
With their delicate scent, sweet peas are beautiful flowers available in an array of colours. Picking the blooms for indoor use only encourages a greater number of them to grow on the climbing plant.
Sweet peas can grow to a height of six feet and are easy flowers to grow from seed, making them ideal if you’re gardening on a budget.
Climbing hydrangea has heart-shaped green leaves, making for a very appealing plant even when not in bloom. It boasts lacy white blossoms in summer, and can cope with a shady or sunny location.
Climbing hydrangeas are vigorous growers, so they will need support. Prune immediately after flowering to give the plant enough time to develop new growth for next year’s flowers.
Also know as common jasmine and confederate jasmine, star Jasmine has small, dark, shiny leaves and produces highly scented flowers in mid to late summer. It thrives in light shade.
These low maintenance evergreen climbing plants work well in pots in a small space, more for ornamental use than as a privacy barrier. It will work well on a trellis or pergola; to make the most of the scent position it somewhere that you walk past or sit near.
Another speedy annual, Canary creeper can reach twelve feet tall and is related to the nasturtium. The flowers resemble yellow birds, hence the name.
This climbing plant can cope with shade, but still needs plenty of indirect light.
In the warmer months, tomatoes and cucumbers thrive well in pots with *stakes. Plant these vegetables in large containers at least 12 inches in diameter in fertile, well-draining soil.
Good tomato varieties for pots include ‘Sungold’, ‘Micro Tom’ and ‘Tumbling Tom’ (this last one is great for hanging baskets).
Cucumber varieties likely to succeed with limited space include ‘Salad’, ‘Picklebush’ and ‘Hybrid’.
Robust grape varieties, such as ‘Muscat Bleu’ and ‘Ortega’, do quite well as potted patio plants. Plant these potted vines in containers 14 to 16 inches in diameter and add a sturdy stake to the pot.
It’s a good idea to re-pot vines every two years.
There are several reasons to grow a climbing plant in a pot in your garden or yard.
As will all plants, you can categorise climbing plants into the following categories:
Annual plants typically grow, flower and die in one growing season. They will usually need to be replaced every year.
Perennial plants grow year after year, and usually don’t need to be replaced for several years. They can be evergreen, which means they retain their leaves throughout the year, or deciduous, which means they die back in colder months.
Take a look at our guide to perennial vs. annual plants for more information.
The support available for climbing container plants plays a key role in how well the plant can grow and how good it looks.
You can grow flowering vines and climbing plants in pots using stakes or poles. Smaller climbing plants may only need some canes or a small trellis in the pot, while larger climbers will need a more significant support structure.
If your climbing plant is growing against a fence, wire and vine eyes work well. In more open areas you could use wooden stakes and wire, or a sturdy *obelisk.
From cascading blooms to lush greenery, the versatility of potted climbers can add a touch of magic to any corner of your outdoor space. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a novice with a penchant for greenery, the charm and versatility of growing climbing plants in pots makes them a must-have for plant lovers of all kinds.
For more tips and advice on gardening in pots, take a look at these articles:
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Catherine
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Several years ago, I made a New Year’s resolution to eat more plants. Doing so, I assumed, would be better for my health, for animals, and for the planet. Besides, it would be easy: The rise of plant-based meat alternatives, offered by companies such as Impossible Meat and Beyond Meat, made it a breeze to eat less meat but still satisfy the occasional carnivorous urge. I could have my burger and eat it too.
Or so I thought. Meat alternatives, I found, cost more than their conventional counterparts and are made with complicated ingredients that raise doubts about their healthiness—and even then, taste just okay. Other people have had similar concerns, part of the reason the popularity of those products has declined in recent years to such a degree that Beyond Meat is reportedly now in “survival mode.” But beyond the meat aisle, the “plant-based” label lives on in virtually every food product imaginable: instant ramen, boxed mac and cheese, Kraft singles, KitKat bars, even queso. You can now buy plant-based peanut butter. You can also wash your hair with plant-based shampoo and puff on a plant-based vape.
Queso made from cauliflower instead of milk is correctly described as plant-based. But if peanut butter is vegan to begin with, then what is the point of the label? And who asked for plant-based liquor? On packaging and ad copy, plant-based has been applied to so many items—including foods that are highly processed, or those that have never contained animal ingredients—that it has gotten “diluted to nothing,” Mark Lang, a marketing professor at the University of Tampa who studies food, told me.
Technically, plant-based does have a clear definition. The Cornell University biochemist Thomas Colin Campbell is often credited for coining the term in the 1980s as a neutral, less fraught descriptor for diets considered “vegan” or “vegetarian.” That is what made plant-based a popular term for companies eager to sell their meat replacements to a wide range of eaters. The Plant Based Foods Association uses essentially the same criteria—foods made from plants that do not contain animal products—to determine which products can bear its “Certified Plant Based Seal.”
Some companies describe products as “plant-based,” however, even if they don’t meet these criteria. Items sold as such include foods that have always been vegan, such as prepackaged jackfruit, and those mixed in with some animal products, such as Wahlburgers’ “Flex Blend” patties. But even a product that is properly described as “plant-based” might mean different things to different people, because there is no one reason to try and avoid the consequences of animal rearing and consumption. Health is the leading one, followed by environmental and ethical concerns, Emma Ignaszewski, the associate director of industry intelligence and initiatives at the Good Food Institute, told me.
The label’s vagueness has been a marketer’s dream, creating an enormous opportunity to capitalize on the perceived virtuousness and healthiness of eating plant-based. Brands use the “plant-based” label to “draw people’s attention to the aggregate goodness of a particular product” and simultaneously “deflect attention” from any less appealing attributes, Joe Árvai, a professor of psychology and biological sciences at the University of Southern California, told me. Some, like coconut water, are relatively good for you; others, like booze, are probably not. And their environmental benefits remain murky: Using fewer animal ingredients generally decreases emissions, but the climate impacts are not always straightforward.
In this way, the evolution of plant-based mirrors that of organic or gluten-free. These terms have specific meanings that are legitimately useful for helping people make choices about their food, but they have been overused into oblivion. You can now buy organic marijuana and gluten-free water along with your plant-based energy drinks. With multiple labels, including gluten-free, plant-based, GMO-free, Earth-friendly, and Fair Trade, “some products look like a NASCAR” vehicle, Lang said. “You’re just putting buttons all over the place, trying to get my attention.”
We may have already hit peak “plant-based.” According to a recent survey from the Food Industry Association, there is substantial confusion about what the label means—and that could be discouraging people from buying plant-based products. Some are now outright skeptical of the label. A 2023 study co-authored by Árvai suggested that people are less likely to go for foods described as “plant-based” (or “vegan”) compared with those called “healthy” or “sustainable.” One reason may be negative associations with plant-based meat alternatives, which are seen as “artificial” because of their ultra-processed nature, co-author Patrycja Sleboda, an assistant professor of psychology at Baruch College, City University of New York, told me.
Another may be that consumers are not sure whether “plant-based” foods are healthy. Americans may respond better when the actual benefits of the food are highlighted, she said. Similarly, market research conducted by Meati, a company that sells meat alternatives made of mushrooms, found that the “plant-based” label, applied to food, signaled “bad eating experience, bad flavor, bad texture, poor nutrition, too many ingredients, and overprocessing,” Christina Ra, Meati’s vice president of marketing and communications, told me.
Some good may still come out of the messiness of “plant-based” everything. Meati deliberately avoids the label altogether, opting instead to highlight the contents of its products (“95 percent mushroom root”). A recent Whole Foods report predicted that in 2024, consumers will want to “put the ‘plant’ back in ‘plant-based’” by replacing “complex meat alternatives” with recognizable ingredients such as walnuts and legumes. In a particular literal interpretation of this prediction, the company Actual Veggies sells a greens-and-grains patty called “The Actual Green Burger.” And some milk alternatives are also now skipping “plant-based” and simplifying their ingredient lists to just two items (nuts and water).
Shoppers just want to know what’s in their food without having to think too hard about it. Plant-based hasn’t helped with that. Even Campbell, after he coined the term, acknowledged that it was a limiting, potentially misleading phrase that left too much room for unhealthy ingredients, such as sugar and flour. Perhaps shoppers’ exasperation with the vagueness of “plant-based” eating may eventually lead brands to promote more plant-based eating: that is, just eating plants.
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Yasmin Tayag
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Forbes forecasts that by 2025, around 32.6 million Americans will work remotely. If you’re an entrepreneur among those clocking in from home, your workspace could likely use some sprucing up. Adding some plants is a great place to start, and now you don’t need to worry about having a green thumb, thanks to Plantum.
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You can diagnose conditions straight from the app and find out how to help. And if you’ve got enough on your plate as a busy entrepreneur, the app can also help you remember when and how to tend to your plants with a reminder feature.
Get a green thumb with this Plantum – AI Plant Identifier Premium Plan lifetime subscription for just $14.97 (reg. $59), the best price online, now through January 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Prices subject to change.
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