It's very nice! I agree, Al... I think it could have used a touch of lighter colored balance toward the left side of the photo... chartreuse coleus would have been a really nice addition. But all in all, a lovely container arrangement. I wish I could get my Agapanthus to bloom like that!

I wasn't there to see how things went when you planted. I only mentioned what my opinion was as to probable problem. My reasoning: Soggy soil doesn't kill plants inside of 2 days unless it's soo hot they nearly cook. It's doubtful that with new plantings, nearly devoid of roots, that they could have used all the moisture in the mix you described. so I discounted drying out as the probable cause. You said you added the 10-10-10 to the top layer of soil. My first thought, as soon as I read your post was that it was fertilizer related. I still believe that. In a half whiskey barrel, you could probably use 1/3 cup of 10-10-10 if it was fully incorporated in the soil & mixed thoroughly. I wouldn't have used it as a top dressing, which is essentially what you did, and if I had, I would have limited the application to no more than an ounce. The dead leaves & stems lying about the photo have a texture to them that I usually see in plants with fungal problems, or that are suffering severe plasmolysis (fertilizer burn). If the plants appeared healthy when you planted them, it's not fungal (in such a short time). Why is the hosta & impatiens flourishing? It's probably not fair to judge the condition of recent transplants, but it (hosta) isn't flourishing. Flourishing comes after it's established. I don't know all the conditions of your planting, but the plant(s) with shallower roots may have died because of greater exposure to fertilizer in top layer of soil. It's all just a guess based on reasoning & some experience. Perhaps additional details may hold the clues to confirming what I said or pointing you in another direction. Good luck. Al

I have a whiskey barrel with a really big Rodgersia in it. It's gorgeous! Has been in that big 'ol pot, for oh maybe 6-7 years now. I leave it on the patio all winter. It's on my lower patio, so I cannot drag it up the stairs, obviously. I push it against the wall of the house and barricade it with bags of leaves or straw bales (which I subsequently use in the spring as mulch). I've grown so many things in pots over the years - tree peony, roses, etc. - and have overwintered nursery pots of unplanted stuff I didn't get planted. when I moved years ago, you should have seen the amount of stuff I potted up in the fall, kept in the garage over winter, and then dragged to my new house in the very early spring - perennials, roses, even a couple Japanese maples. If I need to overwinter something in a pot, I drag what potted plants I can into the unheated garage to overwinter (this year, just a tree form hydrangrea, I think that's all). I have never lost any potted plants over the winter in the unheated garage, and they freeze solid in there. I just make sure they're well watered before dragging in there, and come about end of January of February I pack a couple inches of snow on each pot so when the spring thaw comes, the melting snow slowly and gently waters the pots. The barricading method works well, too, if you don't have garage or shed space for storage. The point is: Go for it! :0)

I had a new hosta overwintered in a barrel this past winter and it survived. I am sure a DL will do just fine! (I did keep some boards across the top and a tarp over that so that ice and snow wouldn't hurt it but I don't know if that's even necessary with DL's. You can always either take it into an unheated shed or garage or if you are like me and looking at that heavy pot and saying "No way", or you can just try to tip the pot over on it's side to keep excess water/ice out over winter. Is your barrel on your north side of house? Maybe near a foundation? Or on the south side? The south and east sides might warm up too quickly in spring and cause heaving and thawing. I would say though, just go for it! See how it goes.