Display gardens in Chicago show off how certain plants can thrive under challenging conditions.
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Last July I was invited to visit the Ball Corporation’s head office in Chicago to view their display gardens. As a garden communicator, I appreciated the great opportunity to see many new plant introductions from various companies around the world. I also had the opportunity to see how the plants compared to each other in various landscape situations, especially when used in containers.
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It was also great to see some of Chicago’s best garden stores and their summer planters. At 40 C, in very sunny weather, it was the ideal time to evaluate their performance under challenging conditions.
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West Coast Table
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What struck me most was the juxtaposition of unique plants brilliantly used together in combinations you seldom see. It was exciting to see a wide range of tropical plants blending seamlessly with everyday annuals.
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Rex begonias, which we always baby by running them extra-dry for fear of overwatering and the resultant mildew, were showing off their unique colour variations as the focal points in many containers. They seemed quite at home when combined with New Guinea impatiens and sun tolerant SunPatiens, and were treated with no special care, even being watered overtop of their foliage like any other bedding plant. Many were in flower, adding another element of creativity to the containers.
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Dracaena Massangeana were perhaps the most widely used in the containers, especially varieties like Limelight, with its neon lime green foliage, and wine-dark leaves of Ruby Red. In many cases they were used as the central focal point, replacing traditional canna lilies, phormiums and fountain grasses. Their vibrant colours added excitement to the planters alongside traditional bedding plants.
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On the West Coast we seldom use caladiums, because they need significant heat and are not fans of rainy, cool weather. If we wait until the weather warms up in early June, I think we should find space for some in our containers. Their vivid leaves are truly spectacular. With a rainbow of stunning colours and patterns, from speckled white, hot pink and lime green to multi-hued reds, they add the pop often missing in many of our planters. They also thrive in the heat of summer, when many annuals fade and look tired.
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Caladiums also tolerate warm shade and can add a much-needed lift to those darker areas. However, if you can acclimatize them to the sun, they make a refreshing new addition and are far more resilient than you might think.
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In our part of the world, we have finally discovered the brilliance of mandevillas. They are now available in a wide variety of plant forms from upright to both trailing and climbing, so they make great ‘spillover plants’ for our containers.
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Mandevillas are the ultimate top-performing heat lovers. In their many colours including hot reds, vibrant pinks, brilliant yellows and of course the ever-popular white, they deserve star billing in any container. It seems that the warmer the days become, the better they perform.
