Containers at the Office

 I was asked to join a 'facility beautification team' last fall to help tart things up for a group of visiting dignitaries. My mission was the exterior landscape--basically we needed a temporary solution for a vast expanse of ivy and Liquidambar . It was decided to have three 15 foot long redwood planters made that would be terraced into the ivy slope with a few dg steps to access them for planting and maintenance. The plantings would be done seasonally , twice a year. In spring of this year I selected the summer plants, arranged to have them delivered and planted them. Mind you, I normally sit at a computer all day and buy stuff so this was outside my normal duties , but very consistent with how I spend my time at home !

 This box had a couple of Acubas on either side of the Asparagus meyerii , however they burned up before the landscape dudes installed the drippers. The Acubas were supposed to add height.



This is all that's left of them-only viewable if you walk up the steps and peer into the box. Because I had the mow-blow guys limb up the Liquidambars, there was less shade than I expected.



 The center planter had 2 bright red Abutilons (red is prominent in the company logo) one of which mysteriously disappeared a couple weeks after I planted -there goes the balance ! The Ipomea has also engulfed the Japanese blood grass .


In retrospect , two Ipomeas would have been more than adequate.



More engulfed Imperata. I also planted fiber optic grass (Isolepsis cernua)  on the edges , which could not compete.


Kale-o-Rama is on tap for winter.


Comments

  1. Well done! And interesting the things that went "wrong" as well as watching the thugs that take over. What will you do with the perennials when it comes time to replant the boxes?

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    1. Something always goes wrong ! I'm going to dig out the Abutilon and plant it outside my office (which is across the street) where there is currently an patch of society garlic and a very pathetc splindly Nandina. I'll leave the Meyeriis and the Tradescantia in the planters and dig out and discard everything else.

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  2. The planters are a great idea - they break up the space and add interest without a massive investment of time and money. Now that irrigation is in place and you're able to assess light conditions, you can adjust the planting scheme for the next season.

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    Replies
    1. I'm hoping someday we can lose the Ivy , it is so awful !

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  3. I like the planters a lot. I wish more companies would do that.

    Sweet potato vine will eat the world if allowed. I use to plant it everywhere but got tired of its habits. I wish they'd develop a cute dwarf version.

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    Replies
    1. I only put it in pots now Gerhard..these were already cut back once to the edge of the planter after touching the ground.

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  4. It's a start. That darn learning curve...

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  5. It is the nature of Ipomoea to take over. We regularly have to wack at it to keep it in bounds.

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