A few weeks ago, I wrote a column about how if you’re stressed about mixed container design, you should grow containers in a monoculture style and cluster containers to create a garden look. This week, take it up a notch and keep it going with the whole family. I think it should be kept in a genus to be taxonomically correct.
Sometimes this happens by chance, like a chance reunion. This week, my garden location was one such family gathering. That was the case with Supervena Verbenus, and I swear it was completely unplanned. All of these verbenas seemed to survive the winter and create a festive bouquet for spring. I hadn’t planned this, but they reminded me that they can certainly offer both ease and unusual beauty to grow together.
As I walked through the garden, I noticed Superbena Stormburst, a light blue verbena also known as silver and white stripes, clustered together with the hot new product Superbena Pink Cashmere and my favorite, the gorgeous Superbena Violet Ice. Ta. Over the winter, they mingled together, as if this should have been in the original plan. Although you won’t see Supervenus or other verbena series sold as a mix, it stands to reason that they work well together. This spring bouquet look is certainly possible, however, by choosing three or he four colors and planting them in clusters, moving them around during the growing season so they can blend together.
Last week’s column:Sparkling roses are more than just a summer drink, they make a great addition to any garden mix.
So if you are having trouble choosing a partner for your lantana, petunia, impatiens or salvia, remember that the simple solution is to stay within the family. The Super Bell Calibrachoa is one of the most fun to grow this way. If they survive the winter like they did at my house, you’ll be in for a special treat in the second season.
Over the last few years, I started having a plan in mind. That means planting varieties like Superbell’s Blackcurrant Punch, Grape Punch, and Magic Pink Lemonade in containers with Lemon Coral Sedum. Each variety has quadrants or sections within the container that behave in much the same way. A wonderful recipe will be created.
They are more cold hardy than many people think and mine came back. Now comes the real surprise. It is cut down in early autumn to survive the winter. They may seem dormant during the winter, but when the warm days of February arrive, they all grow together and blend together, so to speak, reminding us of old-fashioned gumball machines and Skittles candy packaging. Notice that you are creating an appearance.
You don’t have to do it this way because Proven Winners has plenty of recipes to create the same great look. For example, if you look at Superbell’s Grape Punch, you’ll see that there are 48 recipes. My favorite is called Summer Punch, which features Superbel’s Grape Punch, Tangerine Punch, and Pomegranate Punch for a dazzling color extravaganza. The recipe also introduces how to arrange the plants.
But now we are also seeing the idea of planting flowers of the same type together. 3 superbenas, 3 superbells, etc. These combinations will definitely work on supertunias as well. Supertunia Vista Bubblegum can be tricky as it goes from peaceful interaction to takeover, but we love it.
Supertunia Mini Vista petunias can be used with each other or combined with regular Supertunias to ensure you can perform this easy designer magic. His son James demonstrated this in a window box in Phenix City, Alabama. Kim Mixon, one of Chattahoochee Valley’s real estate experts, loves flowers, and the more the better. Last year, Her Window Her Box unveiled the new Super Tunia Hoopla Her Vivid Her Orchid and Saffron Finch, along with Super Tunia, Mini Her Vista Her Sweet Her Sangria, Yellow, Indigo. The exchange began in a box by the window.
So when you shop, you don’t want to grow a single variety or just one type, and you don’t want the stress of a combination of species. Choose his three colors as a member of the family: Super Bena Verbenus, Super Bell Calibrachoa, and Super Tunia Petunia. You’ll love how easy it is!
Follow Norman Winter on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy for more photos and garden inspiration. See more columns by Norman at SavannahNow.com/lifestyle/home-garden/.
