Monday, January 11, 2010

Exciting and Unusual Container Plant Combinations

 

 

 

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I’ve noticed a new trend towards unusual or found container plant arrangements in many nurseries, garden centers, private homes and have even started some new containers combinations of my own recently.

When I recently visited Flora Grub, one of my favorite garden centers in San Francisco. I was in awe of some of the amazing container vignettes that were set up there and went on a photo frenzy to keep as a reference and to create this post. You won’t believe some of these amazing vignettes.

Here’s one amazing vignette, an old Ford Edsel that was left over at Flora Grub (which used to be an old gas station). This amazing transformation is just out of this world with an amazing collection of unusual specimens and plant combinations that also add to the visual impact. Don’t you just love the Bamboo Palm sticking out through the roof of the car?

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Here’s How it looks at the front hood with a variety of bromeliads, succulents and this silver

leaf phormium like plant or maybe its a bromeliad, anyone know?

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One of my favorite planters was this wall of succulents with various echeverias, sempervivums,  graptopetalums and many other jeweled succulents. I would like to make one of these eventually, I’m sure a custom made wall like this would be a couple of thousand dollars, I think I’ll have to do it myself :)

 

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Here’s an great succulent collection housed in an old and rusting car part like it was just tossed

aside and re-purposed just for this vignette.

 

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Have an old used bicycle, why not turn it into a planter like this and put some spanish moss

and tillandsias and voila a living sculptural piece!

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This is a new exciting product that Flora Grub showcases. Its a tough canvass bag that is lined

and can be place on any wall environment and material. Since the fabric is lined, there is no

leakage involved with wall space.

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Here are some of my small forays into unusual containers, I collect some interesting blown glass

rejects and light globes that I have combined with some of my bromeliads and succulents.

 

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I’m sure if you look around at some of your discards, you can successfully re-purpose them into interesting container plants, then you can tell some amazing stories to your gardening friends when they come and visit your garden.

14 comments:

Noelle Johnson said...

Hello Noel,

What amazing photos of such interesting containers. I love it when people think outside of the box in terms of what makes a good container for plants. I absolutely love the vertical succulent planting!

Lona said...

Noel what fun planters. Good to see the old Edsel was good for something. It is amazing what ideas people can come up with to grow plants. A Fun post.

Unknown said...

These are mostly fabulous (I'm not sure about the Edsel). If you ever get to Toronto, about the most interesting thing at their botanical gardens is a very long wall of succulents. Mind you, it was three years ago that I was there and it was fairly newly planted, so it's hard to say how it has done since then. I love the one you took the photo of. And i'm envious of your glass rejects as containers. Very fun, almost Avataresque.

Ribbit said...

Very cool and imaginative!

Anonymous said...

Noel, the junk cars as planters are hilarious. My neighbor across the dirt road once had a tree growing up through a rusted truck hulk, but I don't think it was intentional. I adore that vertical tapestry wall of succulents. -Jean

Autumn Belle said...

These are certainly unusual planters. Your photos are large and very clear. I like it.

Liza said...

Really, really gorgeous pics, and inspiring as well. Thanks so much for sharing!

debsgarden said...

These are amazing! This reminds me of the photo my son Mark made of a a car he found at the airport in Honolulu when he visited some years ago. The car had been abandoned for a long time and had all sorts of plants, fungi and lichen growing in its floorboard and seats. We had fun speculating what had become of the owner!

Your photos are beautiful and inspiring. Thanks for a delightful post!

Rosie Nixon Fluerty said...

some great recycling ideas here. You're giving me some inspiration

Christine said...

Love those spiky globes! A perfect place for bromeliads and succulents. String of pearls would look fabulous spilling out of the top.

Steve Asbell said...

The succulent walls are awesome. I had seen it done in garden design magazine and dwell, but now I really want to make one. Thanks for the ideas...

Anonymous said...

"Shabby Chic" is what we call it around here. I've got an old bike, music stand and many rusty things. I think they make delightful containers. You've got some fabulous photos here. Fun.

Anonymous said...

You gotta love Flora Grubb. One of my friends duties was to groom the succulent wall with a tweezers this afternoon. You've been to a Union Street Glass sample sale I see :) I worked from them when I first moved to California. Beautiful!

John Jardin said...

Great shots. You are talented and I love the way you plant in unique 'containers.' Glad I found your blog!

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