A Cooler Container

We’ve all done it when autumn arrives: grabbed a couple mums, nestled them into pots by the front door, maybe added a pumpkin or two, and called our fall display complete. And there’s nothing wrong with going that easy, cheery route. However, if you’re willing to devote a little more energy to the project this season, you can design a planter for full sun that combines evergreens with annuals for beauty that lasts.

Start by selecting a container—about 14 inches high and 16 inches in diameter—that works with your home’s exterior. Add into it the bright yellow-leaved ‘Sunshine’ ligustrum (buy a one-gallon size). This noninvasive cultivar won’t reseed, and you can easily prune the evergreen branches into geometric shapes (like a cube, cone, or pyramid) if you’d like a more formal appearance.

To create a pleasing color contrast, look to the dark maroon foliage of ‘Purple Daydream’ dwarf loropetalum (select a one-gallon size). The compact, drought-tolerant shrub will set bright pink blooms in the spring. Then mix in the chartreuse-striped ‘Eversheen’ carex (a four-inch size) for a variation of texture and leaf pattern. It forms a tidy mound that requires very little maintenance but provides big visual impact.

Underplant this trifecta with coordinating annuals (four-inch sizes), letting the pot spill with the vigorous purple ‘Blushing Princess’ alyssum and ‘Magic White Flame’ mimulus. Look forward to choosing a new duo for spring.

When your evergreens outgrow the container (circa 2019), simply transplant them into the landscape, where you can enjoy them for years to come.

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