Hmmm, I can't decide on that Bev, I like both of them.

There's nothing wrong with having more than one favorite. I love them all.

Bev, I always love your arrangements. They always inspire me to try my hand.

But.... I have had no success with keeping succulents alive in these tiny containers. What is the key to having them stay looking great for more than a month or two?

I agree, Marilyn. I have made small succulent containers and they mostly get too big in less than a couple months. It was continual trimming and changing out plants.

Gee, I'm no expert but there's the basics to keep in mind...so just bear with me. I will focus on succulents only because that's all I plant now especially hardy sedums and semps.

First thing I noticed on some of the most interesting, perfect sized containers one might use is no drainage hole. Gotta have that especially for succulents.( Marilyn and Karen, you also know about need for drainage in the soil.)

Also gotta know which plants stay small as they grow. That will take experience and time. You both know that a small plant has potential to grow to be a big plant. For some reason some people think small semps won't grow to be big semps. That's why one needs to know which are the semps and sedums that grow in number/size but stay small. I have heard Sempervivium barbulatum 'Hookerii' mentioned as one of the smallest with the mini one as 1/2" and the small as 1/2"-21/2".


Also most Semp Rollers stay small. Marilyn, remember my "Jovibarba "casserole"?


Those of you who have collections of semps should be able to see which ones have been thru a couple of generations and still stay small. Those are the ones to consider for your small containers. Also if you don't have semps that small, just use a slight "bigger" small container to keep the scale of your desired plantings.

I have found that the Sedum album that I use has a mini one and a small one. Same with S. dashphyllum...a small one and a larger one. These sedums stay small but they grow out and over so that one needs to cut them back to the confines of one's aesthetics and one's container. But they don't need to be pulled out.

Remember that just because the small container has less plants doesn't mean less maintenance. One still has to know what the needs are for what's in the pot regardless what size pot they are in. I find that a small container can give a person satisfaction as much as a large garden can. The entire garden is just in a smaller "yard".

All the above sensibilities apply to any type of plants.

*edited to add database photo of Semp. b. 'Hookerii'

My favorite containers so far have nothing to show - I've planted caladium bulbs and begonias in a pink and white with a bit of green theme. I have a bunch of glad bulbs I may finally be able to plant now that I've had a cortisone shot in my a... I told the orthopedic dr. I don't care whether its my hip or my back I need to be pain free enough to get my bulbs and seeds planted - NOW! Therefore, shot. By the time I get the seeds in it will be as late as it was last year, which yielded loads of blooms into late fall. I really have to get acclimated to planting bulbs in the fall.

I'm finally getting caladiums potted up. Can't wait til they are all blooming again! I don't have ID's for most of them, so I just wait til they come up and then move them into appropriate containers.

webesemps said:
First thing I noticed on some of the most interesting, perfect sized containers one might use is no drainage hole. Gotta have that especially for succulents.( Marilyn and Karen, you also know about need for drainage in the soil.)

Also gotta know which plants stay small as they grow. That will take experience and time. You both know that a small plant has potential to grow to be a big plant.

Those of you who have collections of semps should be able to see which ones have been thru a couple of generations and still stay small. Those are the ones to consider for your small containers. Also if you don't have semps that small, just use a slight "bigger" small container to keep the scale of your desired plantings.

Remember that just because the small container has less plants doesn't mean less maintenance. One still has to know what the needs are for what's in the pot regardless what size pot they are in. I find that a small container can give a person satisfaction as much as a large garden can. The entire garden is just in a smaller "yard".

Great points, Bev. Thanks for the expnaded details. I will have to think some more on the subject and try again.

The point on Maintenance is especially needed.

Marilyn, it's been years of trial and error for me to learn the above. I think it's worth it to keep trying when you get to the one that gives you much self satisfaction/achievement and you can hardly wait to do the next one. Have Fun!

Finally days in the 60's. It rained last night so I removed old annuals from planters.Getting ready for May. I also pixed some of my semp containers.
I just LOVE Mary Ann what a great color now.

Here's a few of my containers from shade garden last summer.

Begonia Santa Cruz


Begonias








Some of my Petunias

I love your begonias... and that last photo, all I can say is WOW! It is a very pretty scene!

@j52, Really nice shade containers, and I love that last photo! It's so full of color, and I like using the ladder as a plant stand. I may have to buy a wooden ladder just to copy that! Thanks for sharing your photos!

That's quite an array of petunias you got there, J52.

Thanks so much. I grow all I can from seed. The bowl of Begonias not of course. But the Santa Cruz and the Begonias in the baskets seeds(I have forgotten their name) were germinated the Nov. prior.
I have a little garden business and the reason I have so many Petunias is because that and Tomato plants are my biggest sellers.
So I decided last fall not to spend so much money on seed and collected all my Petunia seeds. So far very healthy little seedlings and plants. Will find out later how they bloom.
Thanks again.

Beautiful , I get Bonfire Begonias that look just like your Santa Cruz.

I know what you mean. I worked in a nursery once and when it comes to mini petunias in a basket, there's no better people-magnet than that.

HollyAnnS said:Beautiful , I get Bonfire Begonias that look just like your Santa Cruz.

What I love about the Santa Cruz is that the space there gets a couple hours of intense sun in the late afternoons and it doesn't bother them at all.
I'm not sure but I think the Bonfire is sun tolerant as well.

They are all beautiful j52. And so many of them from seed. Love them.