Do you think Esperanza would get enough sun there? I’ve had them in quite a bit of shade before, and didn’t notice a change in blooming from my one in full sun. The color would be pretty. :)

For a shrub, dwarf Cenizo would be pretty, too. I’ve been wanting to try this one, but it’s probably too big for the pots.

https://today.agrilife.org/2012/06/27/lowreys-legacy-superstar/

ETA: I LOVE your fossil. Guess what I did? Left our entire fossil collection at the last house, in a flower bed. Forgot all about them. We’d collected them all over Texas, for years.

Thanks Miz G. I was thinking something shorter than esperanza and it probably would have enough sun there for it, although the color would be great! I've read great things about Lowrey's cenizo selection and have been meaning to try it, but again, this site would be too shady.

BTW, I received some wonderful ammonite fossils at the last SA swap, but that one in the photo is fake.

Sure sorry about your fossil collection being left. Stuff like that happens though and you'll just have to enjoy the thrill of the hunt looking for more. Maybe ask for some at a swap.

Great minds and all that -- I had been thinking about a colorful dwarf nandina! Wonder how much sun they need to keep their color?

I had so many at my last house (in beds, too) and didn’t notice any color differences, honestly. Mine in mostly shade looked the same. I just planted some here at the rental, and they're in afternoon shade, but keeping some color so far! I can’t remember the variety. It’s wet here, it looks like white spots.

(We got the stone down!)

ETA: IIRC, Firepower is known to keep its color in shade. I think that’s one I had before.

If you don't mind an annual then Dragon Wing Begonias would give you some color. I grow them in the tough places that have mostly shade but a couple of hours of full sun, As long as I don't over water them early in the season when they are small then they do great.

I had thought about the large wax leaf begonias, but didn't know about Dragon wing begonias. They are surely worth considering.. Thank you for the growing tips. Would one plant fill the pot or would I need several?

My desire for something permanent may have just flown out the window on dragon wings! Oh well, there's always next year for a permanent plant.

Variegated shell ginger is among the most sun and drought-tolerant of gingers. They make an impressive statement when they flank an entrance. Of course, it's not one of those species that looks good with benign neglect.

Thank you Irving Ragweed. Another good suggestion. I've even got some I could divide. Although mine never bloom, they do pretty good in shade with nothing special done for them. However, they deserve a better spot. What sort of care would you say they need to look their best?

Hmmm, towards the bottom on the right of the link above it looks like they might be paired with Dragon wing begonias.

Ok, one more, and I promise to shut up. :D

I just planted Euphorbia “Ascot Rainbow” (in bed), and the nursery person was telling me how good they look in containers. I’m planning to get another for a big pot. I think the color would show up nicely in your spot.

I’m infatuated with “Canyon Creek “ abelia, right now. I know you already have it, but I think it would look great in those pots. They are elegantly colorful and they are evergreen.

I also saw some incredibly showy "Sunshine" ligustrums a couple of weeks ago at Barton Springs Nursery. They have small leaves and were, like, canary yellow. The description on the label stated that the plant keeps that color. They would also look great in those pots.

Omar

If yours do fine without extra attention, I may be overkilling on maintenance. Mine receive mostly dappled shade until the late afternoon sun makes direct contact. They get 5-15 min drip irrigation, depending on the heat index, four times/day. To keep them evergreen, I roll mine indoors with a dolly when frost is in the forecast (the older I get, the heavier they get). They don't take kindly to all the back and forth in winter, but it beats having to start over. Once all danger of frost is passed and the first batch of compost is ready to use, I pile a generous mound of black gold on them. The compost levels off before the next freeze warning nine months down the road (covering with mulch is optional). By mid May they recover from whatever damage I inflicted on them by squeezing them through the front door.

Miz G, that euphorbia is drop dead gorgeous! I had not heard of it before.

Omar, I have three Canyon creek abelias. That's how much I like it, As for Sunshine ligustrums, I've never heard of them either. They are yellow alright. Neat! I can see more nursery visits on the horizon!

Irving Ragweed, your variegated ginger really gets the royal treatment. Mine would appreciate a little more loving care like that. Thank you!

Gosh, I can really visualize some of those specimen Dykias that you have in those pots. Maybe with some creeping wire vine to drape a bit over the sides. Do the Dykias need full sun?

The squid agave that I think that I got from you years ago does just fine in dappled shade, morning sun. Just another POV.

Pam. dykias are another thought I had for these pots. They are pretty forgiving in sun or shade. I've got some pups from two fairly hardy ones rooting right now.

Squid agaves are another favorite of mine. I can't even count how many I've got growing from the first little bitty one for which I shockingly paid $10 fifteen or twenty years ago.

Buttoni, I love your grouping!!! Thank you for the great suggestions. It's crazy that I never thought of blue cape plumbago. I did think of Blue daze, but it only blooms, like the name says, in the day time.

I love the idea of shell gingers b/c low maintenance, then stick an annual trailer like dichondra for contrast and if you find any petunias or impatients on sales, stick a couple for a 3rd color. Pink or purple with the ginger and dichondra would be wildly colorful in those gorgeous aqua containers.

i've planted baby gem boxwood in my urns out front, now i'm waiting for silver ponytail dichondra (obviously mispelled?) to go around it. my urns are northfacing so they get more sun in winter than summer and i've been assured that the dichondra will thrive in those conditions..

i've read that the dichondra is sometimes invasive, if anyone has found that to be the case, i'd love to hear your thoughts...

Not a worry if containerized. I have seen them used as groundcover and they look great. I tried doing a groundcover patch and soon enough it became a nightmare to weed amidst the dichondra. I yanked it out pronto! I think that if you do the groundcover thing in a partly shady spot where weeds won’t be as easy to grow, then it’d be great.

How does sedum autumn joy do in your area Roselee? Here in z5 mine have become a mound of green then blooms a nice deep red. In the winter the

flower stalks are very nice.

jo

Bossy, I am preparing the pots to plant the variegated shell ginger. I'm thinking about putting either the dragon wings begonia or sunpatiens in for color when I have a chance to go shopping and find one of them. Perhaps will add a "Baby's breath" Euphorbia. Shades of Green said they just sold out of "Diamond Frost" and will have more next week.

Zippity, the idea of silver pony foot for a trailer is good. I love that plant and have not found it to be invasive or to be any kind of a problem in my yard. I can see how weeds could grow up through it, but mine are either growing out of pots or on gravel.

Jo, autumn joy is a good idea for tucking into the side of the pot for all season interest. I received a pink autumn joy at a plant swap years ago. I pay little attention to it but it grows and blooms faithfully. You are in zone 5 now?

I appreciate all the suggestions! Thank you.

Through the years I've lost a big batwing or angel wing Begonia, I found it too tropical. The variegated gingers, same thing, pretty but so tropical for our winters and I'm further south than you. In one big tall pot I have English Ivy which trails down the side. It grows fast about 2 inches a day. I've have had continued luck with Impatient for constant blooming and coming back from root in containers after freeze. I also added a few plugs of giant Loriope for height.

I love to buy the $7 hanging baskets at Lowes and full an area like those pots, fast.

One warning I have about Asparagus Fern is that it will invade everything and the stems have those thorns that imbed in your fingers. From one hanging basket in the backyard, I have them all mixed in my Azalea beds in the front yard and I can't get them out. They have these bulbous looking roots like razanones but full of water and they are horrible to find and get out. The grow up and steal the space from the Azaleas.

Meme, thank you. I have the same experience with asparagus fern, I love them, but they definitely need a place of their own as those thick roots take over and are almost impossible to separate.

The only thing that I've found can withstand those thick aggressive roots are blue plumbagos. The two are growing happily together in a house long planter in the side yard. Most years both are evergreen, but in a 'hard' freeze, mid to upper teens, they both freeze back.

The variegated ginger always freezes back in winter here, but will reliable return. Yesterday I planted it in the blue pots, but the color clashes. So for now I'm watching the nurseries for gallon size blue twisted leaf yucca, which I have growing in the ground. I placed a leaf in the pot and the color looks great.

I'm hoping that it will eventually be an easy care permanent plant for those pots The plan now is to add something colorful like begonias, and draping like silver pony foot, to the pots until the yucca is large.

Has anyone grown twisted leaf yucca in a pot?

Anyway I got those variegated gingers out of the shadows and planted in another spot in the front yard where they can show off.

Interestingly, I recently planted English ivy in a pot to see how it would do as a spiller. Glad to hear your's is doing well.

meme, birds are probably the most effective propagator factor of your asparagus fern. They love their red "berries".

Omar

Has anyone ever tried any of the flowering maples (Aubtilons) in pots like that? Not sure that there's a long-blooming hybrid or cultivar that could handle the afternoon sun in your exposure.

I have had silver streak flax lily in a container for several years. They are tough, tough, tough and are evergreen through most of our winters. I also have an autumn joy sedum in a container and it is also very easy and very root hardy.

I love the abutilon, but many of the varieties can get quite large; however, they will do very well in a container for at last a couple of years and they bloom for months on end.

Molly

Blue yucca is good looking. I’m always on the prowl for blue foliage plants. They prefer drier climates than Houston so hard to find.

the flax lily is indeed an easy, low maintenance plant. Is becoming overplanted in my area, but it’s b/c so darned easy! This is one I do trim to the ground after frost damage b/c if I don’t, the Plant looks really ugly while recovering. With a severe pruning, it’s a fresh start.

i cannot grow abutilon to save my life. Being in the malvaviscus family, I s/b able to grow all day long, but no.

Asparagus fern. I’ve broken 2 beautiful pots (urns) getting those out. I’m thinking about planting it in a hanging basket but low on to do list. Never inground and never in a container. Root mass is a bear.

After all the great suggestions I thought it only fair that I show you how the pots finally got planted this morning. Who knows what will be in them next year. I'd like to try some of the other things suggested above, but for now I have to go with what I could find.

Bear in mind the plants are young and immature.

The pink (more coral) Dragon wing begonia I found at HEBs.

Barely visible on the upper right is 'Baby's breath euphoria "Glitz" which Omar found at his HEB in Kyle.

On the right is 'Techno Heat' lobelia from Lowes which will take Texas heat. I've seen them growing and blooming in August.

Bottom is Silver pony foot which Karen passed along.

Pot on the other side is waiting for me to find a little 'Glitz' to make it glitter ...

And here's Alfie, who doesn't give a hoot about what's planted in the pots! LOL Oh well, such is life ... :-)

Thanks to all for your suggestions! Even though I may not have implemented them this time around I did learn a lot by checking them out.

Beautiful!

Very nice combination!

They look gorgeous! I bet you'll sneak out there to gaze at them often!

I missed seeing Alfie when I looked before! Those ears. :D

I think he approves of the new plants.

Alfie needs a blue collar so he “goes” with the pots, which btw look fabulous.

Chinese fringe tree comes in a prostrate variety that would look good in a pot that color.

Thanks to all for looking and commenting.

Pam, I don't have to go outside! I can look at the photos on here ... LOL Well, actually I can always find an excuse to go outside and to look at my new plant combo is the best excuse of all.

Miz G, Alfie is always trying, but doesn't always manage to bomb my photos ;-), but he totally approves of me being outside. He follows me everywhere.

Bossy, thanks; great minds and all that -- Alfie's collar is blue. It just doesn't show up in this photo.

Mara, I saw a blooming 'regular' Chinese fringe tree for the first time ever at Rainbow Gardens recently! It was gorgeous.

girlnamedgalez, I want to thank you for suggesting Dragon wing begonias. I appreciate all the ideas, but as you probably saw above that's what I went with. Now I am totally sold on them.

I took nine cuttings which have rooted. For good measure I just now cut the large plants back by 2/3, lifted the roots out of the pots and put in the green house to get an early start next spring.

This photo of the mixed planting was taken earlier in the year. The Dragon wing eventually increased to over twice this size ...

...

The single Dragon wing in the other pot also increased to two or three times this size ...

They were always fresh looking and provided a lot of color with little care through the season. It's definitely a plant I'll use in more places next year.

I think two of your blue bottle creations would look really pretty in there...Our drawf pomegranite bush has done well for us....It, too, is low maiintenance.

Well, that's an idea I hadn't thought of!!!! ... :-)

It would be good for winter color,...and structure. LOL