Friday, March 29, 2013

Roll Out the Barrel

Now that we've finally tamed the backyard again, we decided it needed a little color. Since we just finished laying new landscape paper to block the weeds, we didn't want to cut through it and give the suckers a chance to grow again. Instead, we added some half-barrel planters to the yard.


The original plan was to buy wooden whiskey barrels, but I went to the store by myself to get them, and wow - those things are heavy! So, I found these lightweight resin ones instead. They may not last more than few years, but they were much easier to move. I drilled a few holes in the bottom for better drainage first, and then added some organic potting soil.


Then came the fun part - adding the plants! I had picked up a bunch of calibrachoa and petunias on the Lowe's clearance racks a few weeks ago and hand't yet decided what to do with them. I wound up mixing them with some Agastache rupestris, sometimes called Rose Mint Hyssop, making for containers full of butterfly attractants.


Calibrachoa 'Coralberry Punch'

Petunia and Calibrachoa 'Coralberry Punch'

Plants in containers may require a little extra water, but fortunately we had some nice rains last weekend to fill up the rain barrel. This color and plant combination should be irresistible to butterflies now that our Florida weather has finally returned (what's up with 40-degree nights at the end of March, anyway?). These barrels give My Florida Backyard just the kick of color it needs to welcome spring!

5 comments:

  1. They look gorgeous! What a great splash of color!

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  2. Wonderful planters and plantings. I did not know that Agastache rupestris would grow here. Where did you buy these wonderful, colorful plants? I've not seen these at HD's garden center.

    Have a wonderful Easter and enjoy your beautiful flowers.

    FlowerLady

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  3. Everything in these planters came from Lowe's over the last month or so. The A. rupestris will do fine here until the heavy rains of summer come, at which point it usually gives up. I treat it like an annual here in Central Florida.

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  4. Thanks Jill ~ Lowe's is about a 30 minute drive from where I live. I guess I could drive out there and hit Jo Ann's Fabrics and then Michael's too. Better have some extra cash on hand also. :-)

    FlowerLady

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  5. Looks like barrels of fun! and color

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