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DIY Shade Sun Planter – The Thriller, Filler, and Spiller
We have a long paver walkway leading to our front door that desperately needs color and life!
The challenge with this space was no southern or western exposure to the sun.
This is the ideal solution for a DIY Shade & Sun Planter.
The limited exposure created limitations on what plants and flowers we could use.
My husband and I were brainstorming economical ideas for adding excitement to our entrance without taking up a lot of room.
Our Answer – DIY Shade Sun Planter
Once we had a solution, I began researching ideas and learning about the ideal plants to grow in our walkway planter.
The key to a DIY Shade & Sun Planter that thrives in your chosen location is the plants and flowers you use and where the planter is placed.
For example, you must decide where to place the planter before you choose the plants and flowers.
The most important considerations are whether the planter sits in full sun, part sun, or shade.
I found interesting wording for plants and flowers creatively used in a planter: Thriller, Filler, and Spiller.
The Thriller is placed in the middle of the plantings, creating a focal point for the DIY Shade and sun Planter.
Thrillers Options:
Persian shield, Hibiscus, Perilla, Dracaena, Geraniums, Elephant Ears, Caladium, Purple Foundation Grass, Mandevilla, Millet
Fillers Options: Petunia, Begonia, New Guinea Impatiens, Coleus, Dusty Miller, etc.
Spillers Options: Ivy, Vinca, Sweet Potato vine, Bacopa, Alyssum, Creeping jenny(Lysimachia) etc.
Here is my attempt at making a Shade planter:
First, I started by shopping for planters and found the best option is a Veradek planter at Home Depot:
The Veradek planter has a shelf insert, is all-season (crack-proof), and is self-watering.
Check it out on their website: veradekoutdoor.com
I filled the planter almost 3/4 with potting soil. I used Miracle-Gro potting mix, but you can use any potting soil.
This will be a shade planter, placed in front of our house by the entrance, facing north, so it gets little sun.
Thriller Choice:
1 Caladium, common name Elephant Ear
Fillers:
1 New Guinea Double Impatiens
1 Begonias
2 Coleus
Spillers:
3 Creeping Jenny
The Final Results:
So, we are very pleased with the final results and anticipate this DIY Shade Planter filling out and exploding with color over the next few months. Check back as we add update photos showing the growth progress.
You can see we get a wee bit of Sun during the midday, but it only hits a corner of the planter.
What do you think of this idea? What have you done for similar challenging areas of your home?
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