• Home
  • Meet Mary Schier
  • Speaking
  • Writing
  • Contact
  • Northern Gardener Book

My Northern Garden

December 1, 2008 · 2 Comments

Holiday Containers by the Numbers, Part 1

How to

I’ve always been in awe of people who are just naturally visual, who can pick the perfect color for an outfit or a room or place a knock-out plant in just the right spot in the garden. I need more guidance than that, so when I was interviewing floral designers about holiday containers for a recent issue of Northern Gardener, I fished around for some math to make the art work. Happily, Ardith Beveridge, director of Koehler & Dramm’s Institute of Floristry and an internationally known floral designer, and Corinnne du Preez, annual and perennial manager at Gertens in Inver Grove Heights, suggested a few proportions and other specific ideas for making holiday containers.

Yesterday, I put those ideas to work on a container for my front porch. But first, the theory. The first step in any container project is to find the container and what to put in it.  I had one left over from last year. Then, following the guides from Ardith and Corinne, I gathered my materials. A well-balanced container typically has 4 to 5 kinds of greens and 3 or 4 extras, like flowers, twigs or berries. Any less than that and it may look plain (although I’ve seen some very nice plain ones this year); any more and it will look chaotic.

I didn’t want to spend too much so I did a combination buy and scrounge for the materials for the pot. I bought a pack of spruce tips and a small bundle of fragrant cedar.  I cut greens from a large white pine in our yard and a mugo pine. For extras, I cut red-twig dogwood branches from the garden and found some fake poinsettia flowers and red berries that I picked up at a dollar store last summer for 50 cents each.

OK, now here comes the helpful math. First, think geometry — how will people look at your pot. Mine stands in the corner near our front door, so it has a definite front, and really only needs to look good for about 180 degrees. If people will look at it from all sides, you have to decorate 360 degrees.

graphic of holiday container proportionsSecond, think proportions. For a pot to look “full enough,” the top of the display should be at least 1.5 times the height of the pot. But it can be more, and Beveridge suggests the top of the display be two times the height of the pot, plus the width of the pot (2H + W = Pretty). My pot is 15 inches across and 12 inches high, so [ (2×12) + 15 = 39]. The top point on the container should be about 39 inches above the container.

That’s enough math to get me started.

No related posts.

« Someone Gave Me a Poinsettia—Now What?
Holiday Containers by the Numbers, Part 2 »

Trackbacks

  1. Holiday Containers by the Numbers, Part 2 « My Northern Garden says:
    December 1, 2008 at 12:01 pm

    […] 1, 2008 by mynortherngarden With the basics of container design in mind (see previous post), I set up shop in the mudroom and gathered the equipment and materials for making a holiday […]

  2. Garden Math for Container Fans « My Northern Garden says:
    February 3, 2009 at 1:21 pm

    […] I’m generally more of a words person, I like math when it comes to the garden. Sometimes knowing proportions and formulas really helps to direct my enthusiasms. So, I was excited to find another math solution […]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Connect

  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed for Posts

Grow it, Minnesota Podcast

Now Available!

My Northern Garden book

Follow on Instagram

mynortherngarden_mary

New plants. Gear. New zones (yikes!) The trends th New plants. Gear. New zones (yikes!) The trends that are driving what you’ll see at nurseries in 2024 is my topic next Tuesday, Dec. 5, in a webinar hosted by my friends at @mnhort.

It’s free for hort members, and only $5 for nonmembers. Sign up at northerngardener.org! 
.
.
#gardentrends #newplants #mnhort #mngarden #cutflowergarden #homesteading #gothgardening #barbieplants #northerngardener
The desert landscape could not be more different t The desert landscape could not be more different than Minnesota’s but so interesting to visit. Here it’s all about texture, size and drama. If you are ever in the Phoenix area, the Desert Botanical Garden is a must-see. 

#gardentravel #thanksgiving #desertgardens #cacti #sonomavalley
What’s your new plant zone? Be sure to check you What’s your new plant zone? Be sure to check your zip code over at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov because there are some portions of the Twin Cities and a whole lot of Minnesota that is still in zone 4 or zone 3. I have more on my blog. Find the link in bio or stories. 
.
.
#hardinesszones #zone5a #zone4b #zone5 #zone5 #mngardening
Lots of zone 5 in MN in this new USDA map. #hard Lots of zone 5 in MN in this new USDA map. 

#hardinesszones #needsmoreresearch #mngardening
RIP, Lola. First photo, 2013, when I was taking he RIP, Lola. First photo, 2013, when I was taking headshots of @resawithoutherspoon and Lola decided to pose, too. Second photo, August 2023, snoozing in the sunroom as an old dog should. She was 15 and spent 13.5 years of her life with us. We will miss you, old girl.
Northern gardeners love their daylilies, and none Northern gardeners love their daylilies, and none more than Wayne and Bonnie Johnson. I had a chance to visit their garden in Alexandria and Wayne shared his 40+ favorite daylilies for the north. Check out the blog post and video over at @mnhort or read the article in the latest issue of Northern Gardener. 📷: Wayne Johnson & me. Link in bio and stories. 

#daylilygarden #mngarden #coldclimateplants #dayliliesofinstagram
Both Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumberg Both Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera) bloom in response to lengthening periods of darkness. Street lights, lights in the house and other artificial light can interfere with bloom, so move them to a spot where they will get 12 to14 hours of darkness.

As to which is which, it’s in the leaves. The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) has a rounded tip on its leaves. The Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) has a pointed tip. The Thanksgiving cactus blooms sooner though I have had mine bloom in November, December and April! 

They are not desert plants but are native to the rainforests of Brazil. Water them when the potting mix is dry to the touch. Fertilize monthly from April to October for best growth and bloom, and let them get slightly pot-bound before even thinking about re-potting.

#Christmascactus #thanksgivingcactus #Schlumbergera #holidayplants #indoorplants #mynortherngarden
Most flowering plants sold in grocery stores and f Most flowering plants sold in grocery stores and florists are like bouquets. They’re beautiful but fade. But some of them can be kept growing in the garden. 

I believe this was a daisy mum (Chrysanthemum x morifolium) which is USDA Zone 5 hardy. It probably would not come back next year in zone 4, but it sure thrived in a container. Plants are forced into bloom to be sold as gifts — and I think this one was even dyed to give the bloom that more pure purple color it has in the before image. But, I love the magenta color of the second flush of blooms.

To get this to rebloom, I removed it from its original pot, cut off the blooms and put it in a larger container on my deck with fresh soil and occasional fertilizer. (A salvia grew in the same pot.) It didn’t start setting buds until October, so I knew it was touch and go on whether it would bloom before frost. I ended up putting the pot in the sunroom so it can finish its bloom and we can enjoy those amazing magenta flowers. 

What’s next? I may take a cutting of the plant to see if it will bloom again next year!
Are you a bonsai person? They’re not easy but I Are you a bonsai person? They’re not easy but I picked up a few tips from the bonsai curator at @longwoodgardens this fall. Link to blog post in bio and stories. #bonsai #gardentips #indoorgarden #mngardener
Why grow mint in a pot? To prevent it from taking Why grow mint in a pot? To prevent it from taking over your garden! Check out the roots one plant produced in one dry season in USDA Zone 4. If this had been in the ground, it would be mint everywhere. #mint #howtogrow #herbgarden #containergardening #mngardening
Rocks over black plastic — the worst. Here I rip Rocks over black plastic — the worst. Here I rip out four hostas by cutting the plastic in order to plant hydrangeas. The roots of the hostas were both above and below the plastic because when you give a plant a tough situation, it’s going to find away. The rocks are part of my HOA’s design aesthetic so I can only work around the edges to make things healthier for the plants around my townhouse. Wish me luck! 

#rockmulch #justsaynotorockmulch #replanting #hydrangeas #provenwinnerscolorchoiceshrubs #letsdancehydrangeas
Too many blooms weighing down your hydrangea? Clip Too many blooms weighing down your hydrangea? Clip a few off for dried arrangements. I follow the method from Laura of @GardenAnswer. Cut the branches at an angle between two nodes and put them in a vase with just 2 inches of water. That’s it! Don’t add more water. Just let them dry in the vase. You can leave them there for winter decor or use them in fall and winter decorating projects. Easy! 

#gardendecor #falldecorating #hydrangeas #FirstEditionsVanillaStrawberryHydrangea #driedflowers #easyproject
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Top Posts & Pages

  • How to Pollinate a Meyer Lemon Tree
  • Can You Eat a Sweet Potato Vine Tuber?
  • What to Do with Not-Quite-Ripe Winter Squash? Recipes Included
  • Northern Plants Deer Don't Like
  • Growing Lilies in Containers
  • Big Changes in Minnesota Hardiness Zone Map
  • Is Your Northern Garden Now Zone 5?
  • Mushrooms Growing in Straw Bales
  • Jams, Jellies, Preserves: What's the Difference?
  • 'Stairway to Heaven'

Post Categories

  • Books/Writing
  • Climate
  • How to
  • Plants
  • Recipes
  • Uncategorized
  • Why We Garden

Copyright © 2023 · captivating theme by Restored 316