Container gardens offer simplicity, variety and year-long beauty

(NAPSI) - Container gardening is growing in popularity, and the newest designs take advantage of exciting new varieties of plants, especially flowering shrubs.

Creating a beautiful container garden doesn't require a lot of time, space or know-how. Gardeners also appreciate the ease of container gardening compared to the hard work of creating a traditional landscape bed. There's no need to remove sod or dig out old tree roots; just buy a container, potting soil and plants, and you're in business. By choosing one of the new, compact varieties of flowering shrubs, you can still enjoy your favorite landscape plant - in a container.

Some gardeners are unsure of what to plant and are more confident when provided with a "recipe." Most

Gardening

garden centers are happy to help, and there are many online resources available. One is the Proven Winners' Web site, www.provenwinners.com/smn. It offers online recipes for planting a beautiful container garden, as well as a free idea book of container designs.

While traditional container gardens have been limited to annual flowers, Proven Winners' new designs add a modern twist by incorporating shrubs, too. Flowering shrubs add height and structure to containers. Many newer varieties offer colorful foliage in addition to flowers and look great all season.

Flowering shrubs and evergreens are a great choice for gardeners who love to travel; durable shrubs do not need to be watered as frequently as annuals. Many will last up to a week without watering. Finally, flowering shrubs are a real value for homeowners. After you've enjoyed shrubs in container gardens all season, plant them in your permanent landscape in the fall. But don't feel like you have to; part of the fun of container gardens is the ability to start fresh each spring. If you've tired of a plant, simply toss it in the compost pile and try something else next spring.

To keep a container garden from looking tired, use plants of different heights. Mixing tall plants in with smaller ones is a quick, easy way to make your yard more attractive. Taller plants are especially good for formal settings, such as an entryway, or for narrow areas like courtyards. 'Fine Line' buckthorn and 'Castle Spire' holly are elegant plants that complement many flowering annuals. Place these dramatic plants on either side of your entryway for a classic look or add one to your backyard seating area.

By adding flowering shrubs and evergreens to your spring containers, you can discover a whole new world of easy-to-grow and easy-to-maintain plants.

(This column was provided by the North American Precis Syndicate.)