Beyond Baskets

By Greenhouse Grower staff|June 13, 2008

Proven Winners has published a beautiful, 40-page booklet that helps growers capitalize on containers. While past books have been produced to inspire and educate gardeners and retail garden centers, “The Container Design Book” was produced specifically for growers.

“The popularity and versatility of container gardening is a trend that promises to pay big dividends for growers and retailers in 2007,” the book’s introduction states. “And Proven Winners is helping to set that trend by providing the plants and design savvy to inspire gardeners–and the resources to make it easier for growers to capitalize on containers.”

The guide illustrates how to create more than 90 professionally designed, portable beauties and contains growing tips for containers in general, as well as many specific varieties. A “Hanging Basket Compatibility” chart is a table that cross references varieties with each other in combination baskets. About 30 varieties are recommended for monoculture baskets. Attractive sample combinations are displayed with two varieties and three varieties along with planting diagrams. Grower tips are sprinkled throughout.

Ideas are also presented for neutral-colored containers for an understated elegant look. A section on ColorChoice Shrubs demonstrates how versatile the new designer shrubs can be for containers. Examples include the dwarf buddleia ‘Peacock,’ and weigelas ‘Wine and Roses’ and ‘My Monet.’