Master gardener shares how pots, plants and driftwood can brighten up your garden as leaves fade
Brian Minter says accent plants and lighting are some tricks to add pop
Adding some vibrance and some pop to plots, patios and pots can help keep the spaces fresh as fall colours start to drop away, according to B.C. Almanac's master gardener, Brian Minter.
"We do have ... that beautiful summer patio container we had out there that looks so good, well let's make it look good again." Minter told B.C. Almanac host Gloria Macarenko
The idea is to keep your garden going through pots, despite cooler temperatures.
Minter suggests using large containers and well-draining soil, to deal with increased rain.
In B.C. he says plants with a zone four hardiness are ideal.
'We're creating art here'
He suggests planting Sky Pencil holly trees because they are narrow, along with gold and Irish yews.
During the fall, Nandiana or Heavenly bamboo are also colourful because they are mostly red.
Minter says leucothoes are also good as some varieties, such as scarletta turn a brilliant red in the fall.
Berries also work well to inject a bit colour, such as Wintergreen, which is edible and serves as a spillover plant.
"The spillovers, you know things that just you know generally go over the edge of a container making it magic," said Minter. "We're creating art here."
For those who live in colder areas, Minter recommends adding these more weather resistant plants such as:
- Hardy bright green cedars.
- Blue hollies or deciduous holly.
- Dogwood shrub.
Pot flair
Minter says there are some creative flourishes that will also help show off fall and winter containers.
He suggests adding a contorted willow stem to a pot, a piece of driftwood or miniature LED lights.
Bird feeders can also help attract birds, which will bring energy to containers and the plants in them.
With files from CBC Radio's B.C. Almanac