My daughter and I had a chance to visit the Carolina’s early this summer. After a wedding at the stunning Vanderbilt Mansion in Ashville, NC we hopped into our white Sahara Jeep Wrangler, grabbed a delicious tray bar~b~que at Luella’s and then bombed down the highway to Charleston. We loved soaking up all of the historical charm of this town. Today I’m excited to share with you some of the botanical beauty we found, starting with the 1-2-3 guide for their fabulous flower boxes and planters and finishing with a peak into style icon Carolyne Roehm’s entry garden {be ready for true blue and white bliss}.
While there, a friend took me on a bike tour to see the town, with a focus on architecture, which, of course, included some incredible window boxes and planters.
She taught me the local 1~2~3 guide of window box design {which reminds me of my 1~2~3 method for flower arranging} which of course can be applied to planting in pots as well. And as we peddled around I saw it in effect over and over again.
As we’re moving into Summer, many of us are thinking of filling our pots and window boxes with a stunning combination of plants and bloom, so I hope you’ll find these images inspiring. Here’s how you can create this look at your abode…
Number 1 is a thriller, a tall feature in the center of the box, in the box below it is a boxwood plant. Number 2 is the fillers, plants in a variety of textures and colors to fill out the box, here we have a coral colored geranium, a spiky purple flower, perhaps a Salvia or Blue False Indigo, and a chartreuse greenery {anyone? not sure what they are}. Number 3 is the spiller, plants that will soften the edges of the box, dripping down to create more visual interest and drama, here I spot Candytuft and a chartreuse dripping lovely, perhaps it’s a Golden Creeping Jenny. Quite an enticing combination, isn’t it?
Note that flowers are optional, I loved this version of T,F,S with all greens.
This is mostly green with just a few pale blooms.
Here grasses serve as both a thriller and spiller, along with some other trailing flowers {maybe petunias}.
Now let’s see how this method can be translated into pots. This bonsai was certainly thrilling and unexpected, white and purple Candy Tufts serve as filler and spiller.
You can’t go wrong with distinctive verdant topiaries surrounded by an ivy fill and spill.
Creeping fig has a prominent presence on many of the most beautiful walls and stairways of Charleston. This greenery growing on vertical surfaces frames the homes, softens the appearance and creates a deeply lush look.
The ever-tasteful Carolyne Roehm has it growing on her vertical surfaces, creating a lovely lush background for her signature blue and white pots.
I’ve been working through some technical difficulties, so I haven’t been able to post for awhile, but it seems everything is up and running again. I’m looking forward to bringing you more of the beauty and charm of Charleston soon!
