The front porch garden is mostly containers – for now, so there aren’t a lot of ‘progress’ pictures. I’ll share what it looked like each year from 2019 – 2024.
2019: The gray concrete containers and the 2 blue and white ceramic planters were left by the previous owner.
2020.
I tried planting Zahara Raspberry Ripple Zinnias down the front of the porch in 2020, but they never did super great and the grass and weeds took over, so I mowed them down at some point.
In 2021, I added a bird feeder station. That window is my bedroom/office window, so I can take breaks to watch the birds.
Truthfully, I still haven’t found the right combination of flowers that ‘wow’ me on the front porch. There are always several plants that seem to not do well, and it dulls the appearance. Pansies are the exception though! The ones I grew in late fall 2021 overwintered well in the containers and looked gorgeous in April 2022.
Most of the containers on the ledge looked decent at one point in summer of 2022 – except that middle one.
I got the ‘recipe’ for that planter from Proven Winners website (not available anymore), and it never did good. Ladybird Lemonade Texas primrose, Angelface Perfectly Pink angelonia, and Cake Pops Pink verbena. The Texas primrose and verbena are in my pollinator garden now, but the verbena is doing terrible so I plan to pull before next year.
In 2023, I added a little flower bed underneath the bird pole to make it easier for cutting around it with a lawnmower.
A few pictures from 2023.
The pansies and violas I planted at the end of 2023 overwintered and bloomed out beautifully the beginning of March this year.
The picture below is from the beginning of August this year. Still looking for my ‘favorite’ container combinations for the front porch stuff. I haven’t been too crazy about anything I’ve planted in my front porch containers. A lot of stuff will look really good for a couple weeks, but there always seems to be something not performing as well as could be. In the picture below, L-R: Profusion Red zinnia / Supertunia Vista Bubblegum petunias with Limelite caladiums / Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Jet Black sweet potato vine with Meteor Showers verbena / Superbells Yellow calibrachoa, Superbells Holy Moly calibrachoa, Graceful Grasses Baby Tut. The other side mirrors the left side plant-wise.
I snapped this picture this morning. Last month I replaced the bird feeder pole and redid the flower bed around it. I’m not a big fan of using this type of edging, but I need something to keep the grass from creeping into it. We’ll see how it works out for next year.
A few sunflowers have sprouted and are growing nicely around the bird feeder pole. Too bad I more than likely won’t see them bloom.
I already have my containers planned out for next year, so I am hoping I will be more pleased with the plant combinations and things will do well. All things!