How to Plant Containers the Magic Formula

As promised here and here, I thought it was time to share some pictures of the work I have been doing on the landscaping. I've spent some long days spreading bark and rocks and doing my best to plant plants.

I actually just heard the best rule for planting planters. It's got three steps: Thrill, Fill, and Spill. If you remember those, you can't go wrong!

The thrill in my planters is the big flax, the spill is the white plant called Bacopa and the other fillers are Petunias, Pansies and Kalanchoe. I placed one pot on either side of my garage door.

I'm pretty sure the previous owners didn't spend a whole lot of time on their yard, so we spruced up the garden beds by adding 3-5 inches of beauty bark in the beds. It not only cuts down on the weeds, it helps the plants retain moisture so you don't have to water as often.

There was a small bed on the front side yard that got planted with two azaleas and a Pieris plant. Remember the rule of thumb is to always plant in threes.

I also took the time to edge the gardens with several inches of rock.

Most of the plants in this area were here, I just pulled out a few of the dead plants and put in a few peonies, another azalea (they love our weather) and some lilies.

Remember, we just put the side fence in not too long ago. The perimeter of the yard is flanked with garden beds but most of the plants were dead so we had to start from scratch. I picked up five day lilies at a garage sale for $5 (yep, you can even get plants at garage sales!) and planted them on this side next to a large Rhododendron that I found left for dead on the side of the road.

I dug up some of my hens and chicks from my old house and brought them to the new house in this .

Along the fence I planted in a pattern.

I used dwarf boxwood, flax, juniper and some small decorative grasses to complete the garden.

Eventually, they will grow and spread and not look so sparse.

And on the other side of the yard, I planted a few hostas, and some more decorative grasses.

There was an empty patch along the house, so I planted a few lavender plants that were in the half off bin.

There were a few beds by the steps to the back patio that were already planted. While I don't necessarily love the plants that are in them, they are there, so I worked around them.

I also filled these particular beds with rocks because when it rains our back yard gets really soggy and this area in particular starts to from a nice little pond. So, I thought if we added the rocks, it would keep the water from forming too much, and then the dog wouldn't get quite so muddy when she spends time outside.

And that's it! Lot's of plants, lots of bark and lots of rocks made for lots of long hours of work outside, but I know that in a few years as the plants start to grow in, we will be happy with the results. Don't forget to enter the Three Munchkins giveaway for your chance to win a $25 credit!