A delightful task was to search my favorite garden center for the plants that made up our first container arrangement of this new spring. I usually start with plants with which I am familiar, but inevitably my eye always seems to land on something new. The manager of the garden center and I are on first name basis. I am a regular, and Manager Bob is eager to point out new items for me to consider. My wife has opinions as well; in truth she really holds decision making rights over the two dozen plus pots we fill each spring and fall in our garden. So my choices for this project had to pass the “spouse approval test.”

The experts advise stuffing as many plants as pot will hold…to achieve a certain “lush look”…and I followed their direction. The star roles in the arrangement are taken by Hosta x ‘Empress Wu’ and Coral Bells Heuchera villosa ‘Citronelle.’ The supporting cast include Spotted Dead Nettle Lamium maculatum ‘Anne Greenway,’ Bugleweed Ajuga reptans ‘Mahogany,’ and Creeping Jenny Lysimachia nummularia.

The first container arrangement of spring

I am pleased with the results…and so is my wife. Who could ask for a better start? Only twenty-three more pots to go.