Well, you have my permission to offer that container to me. I'd be more than happy to take it off your hands! ;) Just kidding - sorta. It's gorgeous. I'm suffering from container envy. lol Anyway, to answer your question - three completely different kinds of plants came to mind when looking at it and reading your color scheme. (I am assuming it has drainage on the bottom for all these ideas.) In no particular order - - a dwarf pink lilac. Can't remember the name of it, but I think they've come up with one that blooms several times during the summer now. Warning though - I have one in a container near a stone house, and I'm always having Powdery Mildew problems by mid to late summer, so my purple dwarf lilac only blooms once. - Milkweed. Yeah, I know most people think of it as a weed, but no milkweed, no monarch butterflies, and frankly, mine are just blooming, and have the exact complimentary colors for that container. I like this choice, because they seem the perfect height for that container, too. - Lamb's ear. It's that soft green, like the container, and they are literally soft leafed, like a lamb's ear. Some actually flower into the same pink that would compliment that container too. Only problem I see with that choice though is the plant(s) won't grow as tall as the container, so it seems like a whole lot of space for such short plants. For anything you're growing in there, if it doesn't need all that room for the roots of the plants, you can add a layer of upside down, empty soda cans to the bottom to lighten the weight of the container, and save on potting soil. One of the things I love about container gardening is finding the perfect container and having the perfect plant in it. I'm just beginning to get to that stage. (Only have two 5-gallon "paint buckets" left. lol) I sure hope you get other ideas. I want you to be thrilled every time you see that container and the plant in it. Good luck.

I've grown quite a few scented begonias over the years. To date the only ones I can recommend are the varieties 'Sweet Lady' and 'Sweet Dreams' these two, both pink hanging basket types give off a delicious fragrance, all day, even into the evening. Most the other ones I have grown only give off a noticeable fragrance if the day is quite warm. I have to say I haven't given the fragrant begonias Garden Import is selling a fair chance yet, this year will tell the story on these ones. I did grow both 'Red Spice and 'Pink Spice' from Antonelli some years ago, they fell into the if the day was warm category. I also grew 'Yellow Sweetie' a Blackmore & Langdon, small flower but not bad in the scent department. I bought red scented begonias from Costco a few weeks ago, can't give an opinion on this one yet. So if you can find either 'Sweet Lady' or 'Sweet Dreams' in packages at your local garden centers, this is the way to go if you want fragrance. Botanus has them listed in their spring catalogue if anyone is interested. HTH Annette

I like Vinca minor 'Illumination' as a cascader - it's evergreen, grows best without full blazing sun, and it takes a few years before it decides to take over the world at which time pruning will keep it under control. As a filler I use Wire Vine, not really a vine but a tiny leaved ground cover Muehlenbeckia axillaris. If you can find the even tinier form Muehlenbeckia axillaris 'nana' it should work well. After a few seasons you have to cut these guys back, they can choke out just about anybody. In the winter I use violas or pansies. I like to pair them with ornamental cabbage or Dusty Miller (the half tone pansies, with white edge and white top petals and wine red on the bottom half look great with the white leaves of Dusty Miller). In the summer I would use Caladiums or begonias as long as your few hours of sun are not too harsh.

I had thought about Celosia, but my mind didn't see it like your picture SHOWED it. Now that I've seen it, I think it would be a good addition:-) I have a sedum called dragon's blood. Dragon's are fiery, right? Lol! Chili pepper in the center, surrounded by celosia with sedums spilling out....How's that sound? Fiery enough:-)?