Question:

Where will they be?

Will they be seen on all sides or just one (like down an isle or framing a gift table for example)opposed to a table top arrangement that is seen on all sides

Do you have any pictures : )

Keriann~

When making a potted arrangement you need all heights of flowers and some greenery too. You need something tall, something medium, something small and some trailing plants. You want different textures as well as colors that go together.

Colius works well for different shapes. As well you can raid a perennial garden for bits and pieces if you have one. A small chunk of grasses can give height. Lamium or other ground covers can fill in or drape down the sides. Other plants will add height or greenery even if they are not blooming.

I don't know how the dwarf sunflowers are, because I've never grown them. The tall ones have a massive root system. If they do have a big root system I wouldn't use them, They will crowd out the other plants.

When you arrange the pots consider how they will be used. If they are to be viewed from all sides then put the tall things in the center. If they are to be viewed from one angle then put the tall things in back.

A little trick I've learned is to fill the pot 3/4 of the way with soil and place the flowers in their pots on top. Stand back and have a look. Then you can rearrange them without digging them out

Good luck Sleepy. I hope I've helped a bit

I would make it the arrangements of all the different flowers that you have especially if they are to be grouped near each other. They do not necessarily have to be exactly the same just somewhat the same with the same flowers

Keriann- Most of them will be seen on all sides, as they will be on the ground. It's a very fun, casual, eclectic wedding. Some of the containers will be in galvanized metal tubs, some in old antique crates, etc.

Oilpainter- Sorry, I should have been a bit more specific. These varieties are the seeds that the bride chose and I sowed and have grown on. They are what we have and what she's chosen. I was sort of thinking, colorwise, that the zinnia and pansies would look good together, and then the sunflowers with the snapdragons. Here are a few pics:

Pansy
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Zinnia
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Then here's what the sunflowers are supposed to look like, as well as the snaps, as the blooms on mine aren't quite open yet.

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Ok Sleepy:

It doesn't look like those sunflowers have that big of roots, so they should be ok. The trouble with your plan is that you will have some tall pots with the sunflowers and shorter ones with the zinnias and pansies. If that's what you want then go for it.

I'm passing on my thoughts though. While the sunflowers and snaps may look good together on paper. You are putting mainly dark colors together. We have a saying in painting--you need the dark to show the light and vice versa--the same goes for flowers. If they are budding or flowering try the dark sunflower with the lighter snaps and the darker ones with with the lighter sunflowers and you can stick in the zinnias here and there according to color. The allyssum can edge the pot. If you plant it at an angle toward the pot edge it will ring it and spill over the edge. The Pansies would look good in a smaller pot on their own as would snaps.

Do you know that you can put many more plants in a pot than if you were planting in the ground. I assume you do know that being the savvy plant person you are.

This is just my opinion. You won't really know until you try arranging them. Do try setting them in their pots in the planter to get a general idea of how they will look. You can also group them together on the ground to see how they look together. Then you will have an idea about what you want to do, but leave the final decision until planting time. If they are to be viewed from all sides though the tall ones should be in the middle. When you are planting the pots walk around the planter and see how it looks from all andles

Not about the light and dark, you need that, but about some things. It occurred to me that you'll want some tall arrangements and some shorter ones. So go with your thoughts about the Zinnias and Pansies and the sunflowers and snaps, or mix them up. Maybe have the bride over to help you decide. There are no set rules--go with what looks good to you and hang opinions.

Ok, thanks oilpainter. I see what you're saying. I hadn't really considered that I could separate out the colors like that, that's a great idea. Basically, it seems like you're saying that everything will look more balanced if I use some of each plant in each container? And I get what you're saying too about more plants being able to go in the container. I have lots and lots of them, which is good since they aren't all that big, with it still being early in the year. I'm also trying to remember that it's more important what they look like for the wedding, so I can crowd them a bit more than I normally would; I can always pull some of them back out afterward if I think they are going to get too full as the plants grow.

I think maybe the issue I'm having is that the zinnia and sunflowers are more in the 'autumnal' color category, whereas the alyssum, pansies and snaps are more 'jewel tone' to me. I hadn't really even thought about doing some smaller containers, but that might be a perfect solution. I know she was going to do cut flowers for the tables, but there's a lot of spaces/areas to cover, and I have a LOT of flowers, so maybe I will talk to her and see what she thinks of doing the taller zinnia/sunflowers in big containers, and smaller ones elsewhere with pansies/snaps. And I could always run up to the garden center and grab a few things to tuck in here and there, for contrast, like you mentioned.

Thanks very much for your input, oilpainter; you've given me some great composition ideas. Now, if the rain would quit and the sun would come out, I would feel a lot better about everything blooming in time!

Oh, and btw Keriann- there are several buds on my biggest nonstop begonias now! They've come a long way from the puny, struggling little things that they were a few months ago. I'll take some pics when they open. :)

Hey Sleepy I am so excited about your begonias :) I can not wait to 'see' them.

Wedding: I think because it is fun and casual, your arrangements should have the same feeling. It is hard to get specific becuase every plant s different, some more mature, some blooming ect. I would wing it and put things together that visual look good. Make sure you take into consideration the height of the conatiner when planting. I have done some amazing pots with all of the same flower and then some mixed... just different looks.

You have a great eye, I would trust it on these arragements. Play around with them, it will come to you!

Keriann~