A mixed container or hanging basket of sumptuous autumn flowers and foliage will bring this season’s splendour into your outdoor living space.
There is nothing more gorgeous than the orange, gold, red and burgundy shades of autumn. Even if the leaves have fallen, a mixed container or hanging basket of flowers and foliage extends this magical season.
Thrillers, fillers and spillers
Thrillers, fillers and spillers is the term coined for mixes in containers or hanging baskets. The thriller is the central feature plant, like a pelargonium, petunia, or other eye-catching plant. The filler provides the bulk and is usually compact, either flowers or foliage. Spillers are planted around the edge and are trailing or cascading plants.
Thrillers
BeautiCal ‘Sunset Orange’ is the ideal feature plant because it flowers abundantly like a calibrachoa but with large petunia sized flowers that are highly weather resistant. The mounded plant grows 30 cm high and 40cm wide. Make sure it gets plenty of morning sun and bright light throughout the day.
Pelargonium ‘Champion’ has large double flowers in various shades of red and flamingo pink. This robust plant flowers for longer than most other pelargoniums and combines the best characteristics of both trailing and upright pelargonium’s.
For a light delicate fragrance, consider the bright yellow and orange nemesia Nesia ‘Tangerine.’ The large blooms are set off by shiny green foliage. This upright but compact plant does best in semi-shade.
Good to know
- Select a container with good drainage holes and broad enough to accommodate the roots of the various plants.
- Use good quality potting soil and mix in a slow-release fertiliser.
Fillers
For contrasting texture nothing beats ornamental grasses, and other colourful foliage as fillers. Plant the fillers on either side of the thriller plant.
For dramatically coloured foliage you can’t do better than the burgundy foliage of Heuchera ‘Melting Fire.’ Also known as Coral Bells, this spreading plant likes soft shade. It’s easy to grow and needs little care except trimming to keep it in shape.
Compact Carex varieties like ‘Bronze Curls’, and ‘, ‘Bronco’ don’t crowd out other plants by overgrowing their space. Their arching bronze growth softens a mixed planting. They grow in full sun or partial shade.
Sedum Atlantis is a variegated sun-loving groundcover that is extremely drought tolerant and needs very little care. The leaves form small perfect rosettes, and each leaf is deep green in the centre with a wide creamy yellow margin that is its most noticeable feature. It will also cascade out of hanging baskets and containers.
Good to know: Plants in containers and hanging baskets do best in a sheltered position that receives at least four to six hours of sun daily, if possible, with morning sun and afternoon shade.
Spillers
Calibrachoa are semi- trailing plants that produce masses of tiny single flowers. Calibrachoa ‘Cha-Cha Diva’ has large cascading blooms and is a vigorous grower, quick to spill over the edge of the container. They do best in a sunny container, with regular watering and feeding. Look out for Cha-Cha Diva Apricot and Hot Pink.
Lobelia ‘Curacao Blue’ is a semi-trailing lobelia with a spread of 20 to 30cm. It is fast growing and can be kept tidy with a light trimming, which also helps to generate new growth and flowers. It likes evenly moist but not soggy soil and grows in partial shade.
Verbena ‘Firehouse’ forms a mound of flowers that easily fills a hanging basket or patio planter. New flowers are opening as the old ones die. The foliage is tough and disease resistant. Place in a position that receives morning sun and afternoon shade.
Good to know
- Keep the soil consistently moist. As temperatures drop watering can be reduced.
- With so many plants in one pot, fertilising twice a month with a liquid fertiliser is essential.
Details: www.ballstraathof.co.za
Article and images by Alice Coetzee.
