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The Gardener’s Guide To Choosing a Planter

  • Gardener's Guide
  • What's In Season

Selecting the right planter for your home is more than just a decorative choice; it’s essential for the health and growth of your plants. A well-chosen planter enhances the look and health of your plants. With so many options available, understanding what to look for can make a significant difference. Here’s your comprehensive guide to choosing the perfect planter for your space.

What to Look for When Choosing a Planter

Size

The size of your planter directly impacts your plant’s growth. Choosing a planter that’s too small can restrict root development, while one that’s too large may lead to overwatering. Ideally, your planter should allow for about an inch of space around the roots, giving them ample room to grow without drowning in excess soil.

Color

Color plays a key role in both aesthetics and functionality. Dark-colored planters absorb more heat, which may dry out the soil faster. Lighter colors reflect sunlight, maintaining cooler soil temperatures. Consider the color scheme of your home decor to select a planter that complements your space.

Shape

The shape of your planter can influence both its look and its functionality. Wide, shallow planters work well for succulents and herbs, while tall, narrow planters are ideal for deep-rooted plants like snake plants or ferns.

Volume

Volume is crucial for water retention and plant stability. Larger volumes allow more soil to hold moisture for longer periods, reducing the frequency of watering. Conversely, smaller planters may require more frequent maintenance.

Material

Planter materials affect weight, durability, and water retention. Common options include:

  • Ceramic: Elegant and durable but often heavy.
  • Terracotta: Classic and porous, perfect for plants that prefer dry soil.
  • Plastic: Lightweight and versatile but may not provide the best insulation.
  • Metal: Sleek and modern but prone to heat buildup in sunny areas.
  • Wood: Rustic and breathable but requires sealing to prevent rotting.

Choosing the right planter doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By considering size, color, shape, volume, and material, you can select a planter that not only complements your home’s design but also promotes plant health. Whether you prefer minimalist concrete styles or vibrant ceramic pots, the perfect planter is out there to elevate your indoor garden.

Best Plants for Transitional Spring Weather

  • Gardener's Guide
  • What's In Season
Salvia

As the days grow longer and the chill of winter fades, it’s time to welcome the season of renewal with a spring planter refresh! After months of dormancy, your planters and window boxes deserve a vibrant makeover with fresh, colorful blooms and lush greenery. In this blog, we’ll explore the best plants to revitalize your planters for the winter-to-spring climate.

Erysimum Brightside Magenta Glow

Erysimum 

Erysimum is a vibrant and hardy perennial wallflower that is perfect for early spring planters. This variety features stunning magenta-pink flowers with hints of purple, adding an intense pop of color to garden displays. It starts blooming early in the season, often from late winter to early spring, and continues well into summer. 

Erysimum thrives in cool temperatures and can withstand light frosts, making it an excellent choice for early-season plantings. It’s drought-tolerant once established and requires minimal care, perfect for busy gardeners. This Erysimum variety is a fantastic way to add bold color and life to early spring planters, ensuring your garden or patio bursts into bloom before the summer heat arrives.

 

Salvia

 

Salvia

Salvia is a standout in spring gardens, prized for its remarkable hardiness and impressive size. This resilient perennial boasts striking spires of vibrant blooms, bringing both color and texture to your landscape. Its upright growth habit adds a sense of verticality, making it an excellent choice for layered planting designs. 

Beyond its aesthetic appeal, salvia is also a magnet for pollinators, inviting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to your garden. Whether tucked into mixed borders or showcased in container arrangements, salvia’s bold presence and easy-care nature make it a favorite for gardeners seeking beauty and biodiversity.

 

Pansies

Pansies

Pansies are one of the most resilient and charming flowers for early spring planters, often overlooked in favor of flashier blooms. These cool-weather-loving plants thrive in the crisp temperatures of early spring, bringing vibrant color to gardens long before summer flowers begin to bloom—we work hard to cultivate a dizzying variety of gorgeous and unique pansies. 

What makes pansies exceptional for early spring is their remarkable cold tolerance. They can withstand light frosts, making them a reliable choice for adding color when many other plants are still dormant. Whether planted alone for a bold color statement or mixed with other cool-season flowers, pansies are the unsung heroes of spring arrangements—bringing cheer, elegance, and resilience to any garden space.

 

Blue Ice Cypress

Blue Cypress

Blue Cypress is a striking addition to spring garden designs, known for its distinctive pyramidal shape, smooth flaking reddish bark, and aromatic blue-gray foliage. Its ethereal blue-green color offers a stunning contrast against the varying shades of green found in surrounding plants, creating a captivating visual effect. The coarse, jagged texture of its foliage adds depth and dimension, making it a standout feature in any arrangement. 

We especially love Blue Cypress in spring plantings, where its unique hue and texture provide a perfect backdrop for vibrant, saturated blooms to truly shine. This combination brings a dynamic yet harmonious balance to garden displays.

 

Lambs ear

Lamb’s Ear

Lamb’s Ear is a beloved favorite among spring gardeners, and for good reason. Its soft, velvety texture and distinctively shaped leaves—resembling a lamb’s ear—make it a charming and practical addition to any garden. The silvery-green foliage not only adds a gentle, calming touch to arrangements but also provides excellent structure. Lamb’s Ear is especially effective at filling in the lower sections of planters and garden beds, offering lush coverage where gaps can be tricky to manage. 

This perennial is as easy to care for as it is beautiful, thriving with minimal attention while maintaining its timeless appeal. Whether used to complement bold blooms or as a soft visual anchor in mixed plantings, Lamb’s Ear is a go-to choice for adding texture, elegance, and effortless charm to your spring garden.

Cultivating Success: The Human Element of Spring Preparation

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  • What's In Season
Spring Planter Arrangement for Commercial Clients

Team Readiness and Training

While the technical and logistical aspects of preparing for spring planting are crucial, the human element plays an equally important role. As the season approaches, the return of our seasoned gardeners, designers, and nursery team, along with the welcome addition of new faces, brings a renewed energy to our operations.

Each segment of our team undergoes specific preparations to ensure the smooth execution of spring planting. The nursery team focuses on shop layout and plant care refreshers, ensuring that they are ready to receive and care for the incoming plants. Our design team reviews new plant cultivars and updates to design guidelines, ensuring that our creations remain innovative and appealing. Gardeners, the hands-on force behind our operations, refresh their skills with practical exercises and review essential protocols for driving and safety.

The Final Countdown to Planting

As preparations in the shop continue, our gardeners also begin the crucial task of spring cleanouts during March. This involves removing old winter arrangements, refreshing pots with new soil and fertilizer, and ensuring that our installations are primed for the new season. This period also allows for last-minute training and adjustments, ensuring that our team is fully prepared for the intensive planting period ahead.

The preparation for spring planting is a comprehensive process that combines long-term planning, detailed logistical arrangements, and the readiness of our dedicated team. By addressing both the practical and human elements of this preparation, we set the stage for a successful and visually stunning spring season.

This human touch transforms our meticulous planning into vibrant, living landscapes. As the final preparations are made, the excitement within our team is palpable. We’re not just planting flowers; we’re crafting experiences, memories, and the promise of seasonal renewal. It’s this dedication and passion that breathe life into our work, ensuring each project not only blooms but flourishes.

Heading Into Summer

As we close the chapter on preparing for the summer planting season, it’s evident that the lush landscapes and vibrant blooms of the coming season are born from a mix of diligent planning and a keen understanding of nature’s rhythm. This journey from pre-season to planting is a collective effort, involving everyone from nursery staff to gardeners, each playing a crucial role in transforming our shared vision into reality. It’s a meticulous process, from weather monitoring to selecting the perfect plants, all geared towards ensuring that the next season does so spectacularly, turning our spaces into living portraits of color and life. Here’s to the magic that hard work and passion brings, behind the scenes!

The Prelude to Spring Planting

  • Gardener's Guide
  • What's In Season

Preparation

As the anticipation for spring builds with the first unexpected warm day in February, our groundwork for the upcoming planting season is already well underway. This period of preparation is critical, blending meticulous planning with an understanding of the unpredictable nature of weather. Here, we delve into the rigorous process that precedes the bloom of spring, emphasizing the many steps taken to ensure a successful planting season!

When to Plant

The journey towards a vibrant spring landscape for Enliven begins almost a year in advance. This early start is not just about anticipation but a necessity driven by the complex nature of plant cultivation and design. Monitoring weather patterns plays a crucial role in this phase. Weather watching becomes our pastime because, despite the itch to plant the moment the sun peeks out, we’ve learned that patience pays off.

We wait for that golden 10-day forecast in April to really get going, especially around Philadelphia, where winter likes to linger with surprise frosts.

Plant Selection

Long-term planning extends to relationships with suppliers, ensuring access to unique plant varieties and consistent quality. We pre-book custom plants nearly a year in advance! By coordinating with growers from the Pacific Northwest, Canada, and Florida, we can bring in evergreens and ensure that annuals are colorful and ready to bloom upon installation.
Our goal is to deliver plants that are tight and budded, maximizing display time and enjoyment for our clients.

Pre-Season Prep

But it’s not all about the plants. Making sure our gear is in tip-top shape is just as crucial. From tuning up the trucks to sharpening our tools and fixing those pesky irrigation lines, we’re on it – particularly planning for cold snaps. We set up frost protection measures and organize the warehouse to accommodate plants during unexpectedly chilly nights, so your plants aren’t in any danger.

The Team

None of this would work without our fantastic crew. The nursery team focuses on shop layout and plant care refreshers, ensuring that they are ready to receive and care for the incoming plants. The Design team reviews new plant cultivars and updates to design guidelines, ensuring that our creations remain innovative and appealing. Gardeners, the hands-on force behind our operations, refresh their skills with practical exercises and review essential protocols for driving and safety.

The Final Countdown

Gardeners begin the crucial task of spring cleanouts during March. This involves removing old winter arrangements, refreshing pots with new soil and fertilizer, and ensuring that our installations are primed for the new season. We’re all about making sure when the planting season officially hits, we’re more than ready to bring some life and color back into the city and beyond.

​​This journey from pre-season to planting is a collective effort, involving everyone from nursery staff to gardeners, each playing a crucial role in transforming our shared vision into reality. It’s a meticulous process, from weather monitoring to selecting the perfect plants, all geared towards ensuring that when spring arrives, it does so spectacularly.

Schedule

A Free Phone Design Consultation

Please fill out the form below to set up a free design consultation. Consultations are done over the phone and typically last 10-15 minutes. During the call we will discuss your planting needs, gauge your design preferences, and explain how our process works.

Currently Serving the Greater Philadelphia Area