Taking Mixed Containers Into Winter
Taking Mixed Containers Into Winter

Last look

On a recent garden center tour around metro-Chicago, our editors saw several retailers capitalizing on a popular spring trend: mixed containers.

Yes, I said mixed containers in the middle of winter. But, with the threat of snow around every corner, these are not combinations of colorful bedding plants or delicate vegetative material. The containers we saw were colorful, hardy, season-appropriate “plantings” that can easily fill the winter void on your customers’ patios and entryways.

Like many garden centers this time of year, Gethsemane Garden Center, Chicago, Ill., has a nice selection of evergreen cuttings, holly berries and assorted seasonal items on display with their Christmas trees. What they’ve done differently, though, is “planted” the greenery with winter cabbages, asters and other cold-hardy flowers to create some great winter containers.

Pasquesi Home and Gardens, Barrington, Ill., has taken this concept a step further by offering instruction and coaching to customers about designing their own winter containers. Pasquesi reports that successful execution of the concept has taken several years of education and promotion, but the return is well worth the effort, with pre-made arrangements retailing for approximately $150.00 for the above-pictured item, approximately $70.00 for do-it-yourself customers.