What to plant in a pot in September to survive the Winter and look pretty?!

I'm an inexperienced gardener without a garden! But I do have a pot of some sorts which I would like to fill with plants to place by the front door.

The position is south-east facing with protective walls and gets sun in the morning but not the afternoon. I'm not sure that September is the time to be planting but better now than never. I obviously need plants that will survive the winter frosts/ rain (I live in south east England so less rain than some parts of the country). I'd like them to look nice all year round, so well coloured leaves if/ when they don't flower. I was thinking along the lines of rosemary and lavendar, possibly heather too. What do you think? Any other suggestions?

 

Pansies will give you a nice bloom through the winter!

 

I have just added a lavender to a pot, not done it before and it looks nice with purple pansies. You could put some crocus or small daffs in a pot - perhaps a clump in the corner would look nice. Then plant on top.

 

I highly recommend Heuchera's for foliage colour, they could brighten up anywhere

 

I've had a Spotted Laurel in a pot for more than 10 years. Very little maintenance. Evergreen and some flowers late spring.

Unfortunately it's looking a little leggy now and, as the pot has cracked, I think it will have to go.

 

if you have a decent sized (large) pot, and the pot is in semi-shade .... plant a Fatsia in the centre and surround with 2 types of huechera (one with red leaves and one with yellow leaves)

 

You can plant almost anything in a pot depending on the size of the pot. Some stuff will out grow the pot eventually and will have to be removed. Mini conifers, bulbs, flowers, foliage plants, the list is endless. You could also think of buying a matching set of pots. They normally come in 3 different sizes. They would look nice planted up and grouped together.

 

Why not root trim, then give it a good pruning and replant in another container? Give it a year and it'll soon look good again

 

Certainly partial to a Heuchera....obsessed with the things at the moment....

Particularly the one below 'Electra' really striking in a display.

 

I have to say heucheras to for a nice show of winter

You can see some of my heucheras on my blog.

There is so much to choose heathers and violas are nice grasses and winter pansy ,helebores ,skimma.

Sometimes its just nice to go around garden centres at this time of year to see whats in bloom .


Trowels Blog: Heucheras - Coat of Many Colours
Look forward to seeing your container all planted up.

 

There was an offer for 4 heucheras of different verieties (some light some dark) last week on people's friend magazine. They were quite cheap but I don't remember exactly how much...

 

I bought a few heuchera's from a website they weren't as cheap as that but did come in 1 ltr tubs. There were loads of different types to choose from. I got purple frost, electra and autumn leaves. I've also got southern comfort, palace purple, berry smoothie, ginger ale, marvelous marble, electric lime and peach flambe. I've got those over the past couple of years. I guess I've really got into them You can move them around, and add them to other areas and completely change the way your garden looks



Found this of some of mine at the back. I move them around as and when, some of them are newly planted in this one.

 

I can see may have to swap heucheras

With you CG you have a nice selection there

 

One of my pots of violas

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if you like heucheras, there are 3 trailing ones that are suited to hanging baskets:

Huecherella Yellowstone falls (trails up to 3 feet)
Terra Nova Nurseries - Home Gardeners - Heucherella 'Yellowstone Falls'




another is Huecherella Redstone falls
Terra Nova Nurseries - Home Gardeners - Heucherella 'Redstone Falls'




and a new one for 2011 called heucherella sunrise falls (I like this one lots)
Terra Nova Nurseries - Home Gardeners - Heucherella 'Sunrise Falls'




not bad considering you can buy 2l pots of these for under £10, and they look good all year round, and the leaves colours change during the seasons ... all it needs is a good foiliar feed once a month during the growing season