It won’t be long before we’ll all be there with snow

Snow

I want to wash my hands, my face and hair with snow

 Actually, probably not.  Bing Crosby sang this song in the movie White Christmas, but if you’ve just been without power for 18 hours this is the last thing on your mind.  However, when the weather calms down, or as the snow begins to melt here are some tips for preserving your plants, containerized or otherwise:

•  If the large plants in your containers are weighted down with snow, it is not a bad idea to take a broom or rake and gently brush them off to keep them from breaking.
•  Sunscald is rarely a problem in winter in the Pacific Northwest (sometimes not even in summer!), but if the sun does reappear suddenly it is helpful to drop an old sheet or light blanket over the plants to protect them from sunscald.   
• Don’t try to water your pots until the soil thaws, but keep an eye on the weather this winter and try to water before snow or freezing temperatures hit again.

 Don’t worry.  The plants are reacting naturally to frigid temperatures.  Their leaves curl in order to protect the leaves from membrane damage that can occur with repeated freeze/thaw cycles.  It does not seem to be true, as was once thought, that the curling leaves protect the plant from the dessication of cold temperatures.  once the weather warms up a bit the plants will return to normal.

 Watering:  If the weather forecast is for freezing temperatures, it is important to pre-water your container plants before the temperature drops too far.  If you are maintaining your own containers and have been checking the moisture in your pots regularly (at least once every two weeks) and watering anything that seemed dry, you should be fine.  Just add some water as soon as the soil in the pots is workable.  However, if you have not attended to your pots as frequently as you hoped, you may see some damage on the plants.  Be sure to check the moisture in the pots and add some water as soon as the soil thaws, and do check more frequently this winter, especially if your containers are under an eave or on a covered porch.  These are the pots that are frequently forgotten over the winter and therefore the ones that receive the most damage.

 Grooming:  If you are maintaining your own containers this winter, be sure to pick any fallen leaves out of the pots and nip off any leaves that may have browned.  Seasonal Color Pots installs only hardy plants in your winter containers (except for a few pansies, which should also perk up).  While nothing is as hardy in a pot as in the ground, outside of unheard of conditions—-such as an extended period of near-zero weather—-your plants will be fine.

 When I planned this trip to California, I asked around to see how much time you should devote to The Huntington.  I settled on two days, but you could spend several days there and not see anything twice—-or at least I could.

 Henry Edwards Huntington was a businessman who made his fortune in railroads, utilities and real estate long before there were any income taxes to pay.  He and his second wife Arabella (he was a widower) were both avid collectors of European and American art and statuary, primarily from the 18th and 19th centuries.  They also loved gardens and created over many years much of what you see when you visit The Huntington.  In 1919, Henry Huntington turned his estate into a “private nonprofit collections-based research and educational institution” (quoting the visitors’ pamphlet) which is now open to the public.

 According to our docent, Henry Huntington originally wanted to begin with a traditional English-style garden.  His gardener, William Hertriech, convinced him that his soil and aspect were all wrong for that type of garden and began instead with a Desert Garden (my personal favorite).  The 120 acres of garden include, in addition, a Japanese Garden, a Chinese Garden, a Jungle Garden, a Palm Garden, a Rose Garden, and an Australian Garden—and this is just a partial list.  The Australian Garden was also a favorite, since I love Eucalyptus in all its forms.  As for the museums, we managed to spend an entire day in only one of them, so a return visit will certainly be part of future plans.

 The gardener, William Hertriech, who worked through the years with the Huntingtons is memorialized with a small stone tablet tucked under some tropical plants in the Jungle Garden.  In time perhaps a more fitting remembrance will be erected to the gardener who directed this marvelous garden along its brilliant path.

 The Huntington:  Don’t miss it if you go toPasadena.

Design Considerations: We hardly need to worry about too much sun during our Northwest winters, but you should still consider the light and exposure your containers will get and choose plants accordingly. Choose plants that work well with the color of your home. Most should be “evergreen;” that is, plants that have leaves all winter regardless of their color.

Fall/winter container plantings grow very little, so think big. Choose plants large enough (4-inch and gallon size plants and larger) and plant the containers fully enough to make them look “grown in,” i. e., the way your summer containers look by the end of the summer.

Plant Selection: When planting your containers, it’s not the “paint” that matters; it’s the “painter.” While keeping your planting conditions in mind, how you use the plants matters more than what plants you choose. Create contrast, movement and interest in your containers with whatever plants you select.

Bulbs/Annuals: We have limited choices for winter annuals in our Pacific Northwest climate—pansies in the fall and primroses in the late winter—so consider a strong mix of foliage plants with a lighter mix of flowers. Tuck a few bulbs in your containers as well as annual flowers.

Foliage Effects: Evergreen grasses, like Carex dipsacea (Autumn Sedge) and Carex flagillifera (Brown Sedge) take on golden brown colors in the winter. Variegated grasses like Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon,’ with its yellow variegation, and Acorus gramineus ‘Variegatus,’ featuring a cream/green mix, brighten shady pots. Blue grasses (Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’), dark red grasses (Ucinia uciniata), and even black grasses (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens) appear at reputable nurseries.

Contrast these fine-textured plants with bold plants like the many types of Heuchera (Coral Bells) now available in the trade. A study in contrasts, Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ is a beautiful warm butterscotch color while Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ is a rich black/brown. Bergenia (Elephant Ear), another big leaved perennial, can take on reddish tints in cold weather and blooms on a tall spike in late winter/early spring.

Euphorbias are often are sold as 4-inch or gallon plants in the fall as are new species of Hebe. Euphorbias are a medium-textured plant and include upright and trailing forms. Hebe has leaves similar to boxwood and comes in purple, variegated and blue-leaved forms. These medium-textured perennials and shrubs make wonderful foils for both fine-textured and broad-leaved plants.

Conifers and shrubby evergreens, like the winter-blooming Camellia sasanqua, often appear in gallon sizes in the fall and transplant easily to the garden later.

Groundcovers like the new cultivars of Ajuga reptans (Bugleweed) can be used as filler between other plants. Vinca major ‘Wojo’s Gem’ is a variegated trailing vinca and a great substitute for ivy. Your fall/winter containers can be as glorious as any planter full of spring flowers!