DIY Patio Planter: Dark and Stormy Shades - Gardenista
Here’s a hardy mix of dark and moody perennials and grasses that needs little water and makes a dramatic statement at an entryway. Photographs by Meredith Swinehart. This all-foliage combo with purple millet, black mondo grass, and sweet potato vine was inspired by one that Gardenista editor Erin Boyle spotted in her Brooklyn neighborhood. Black mondo grass is one of the few truly black plants and it has a spidery look perfect for letting it creep over the front of a container... ...I started with mature plants in 1 gallon nursery pots but you can find a 2 5 quart pot of Black Mondo Grass for 8 99 from Lowe s Ornamental millet is one of my favorite plants and it was surprisingly hard to find this time I had to hit all... ...my local nurseries as well as some that are farther afield before I spotted Purple Baron Pennisetum glaucum and Vertigo Pennisetum purpureum I love this newer sweet potato vine–it’s called Sweet Caroline Bewitched ($5.99 from Home Depot), and has a fuller and less trailing habit than the more common types with deeply lobed leaves. If roots are matted, I gently loosen them before planting. Millet’s seed heads make gorgeous cut flowers, but you can also leave them intact to attract birds who will feast on the seeds. As a side note, a few friends asked if this millet is the same kind that many of us eat. If you’re interested in growing millet as an edible crop, you can find several types from the Sustainable Seed Company. This fall display will look good well into the season, though the sweet potato vine is an annual and will die back in climates where it freezes. The millet turns brown after cold weather arrives, but you can leave the grasses as they are through the winter months–they look beautiful after a dusting of snow. Finally, are you planning a Decks & Patios project?