Summer Container Gardens in Charleston

It's officially summer in the south so get ready for sunny days, bothersome bugs, and hearing people say,"It's not the heat, it's the humidity"! One of our favorite ways to welcome a new season in Charleston is by refreshing our container gardens! There are many factors to think about when creating a container garden and the list of considerations only increases in the summer. Today, let's take a brief look at designing containers and dig into our tips for creating lush and thriving summer container gardens in Charleston.

Container Gardening in Charleston

Container Gardening is a useful form of gardening when space is limited, which is true for many homes in Charleston. Whether you have a narrow courtyard or an apartment balcony, chances are you don't have much space for in ground planting. Utilizing pots, urns, window boxes, or other reclaimed materials allows you to customize your space every season with additional texture and color. Container gardening adds interest to your space and maximizes your garden, big or small. Learn more about designing your containers in, "Container Gardening in Charleston."

Summer Container Gardens

If you're ready to refresh or start a container garden this season, first be realistic and ask yourself, "how do I plan to use my space this summer?" Are you going abroad for three weeks this July? Is Charleston a vacation home that you'll be traveling to throughout the summer? Will you be running around in the backyard with kids everyday? Or hosting dinner parties on Sundays? Plant selection is dependent on one thing this season: how often can you water your containers? When temperatures reach 100 degrees, your containers need water multiple times a day! If you aren't going to be in your space, tending to your container gardens daily, use these three tips for a lush garden this summer:

1. Install irrigation! We're going to lose our voice shouting this from the rooftops all summer long. This is our number one tip for every garden, no matter the plant selection. It'll make your life easier and your plants will look better. Just do it!

2. Choose drought tolerant plants! There are many plants that thrive in Charleston with little intervention and incorporating these option in your container will help ensure healthy looking plants all season. Keep in mind, drought tolerant doesn't mean they never need water! If your containers are not getting rained on, they will still need watering throughout the season. Some of our favorite drought tolerant options include:

   1. Sedums, succulents, cacti, and agave for a desert vibe

   2. Portulaca, mezzoo, and euphorbia for drought tolerant blooms

   3. Oleander, foxtail ferns, various carex like feather falls for a classic Charleston look

3. Prioritize foliage over flowers! Flowers tend to be more delicate and easily impacted by the heat, so don't rely on them for color and interest. If you do incorporate flowers, make sure they will bloom all summer long in our heat and humidity.

   1. For long lasting blooms, choose lantana, salvia, vinca, cone flower, gomphrena, and portulaca.

   2. For funky foliage, utilize broad tropical leaves, colorful coleus and purple queen, or variegated options like plectranthus and feather falls.

   3. If your container is in the shade, don't be afraid to mix in your favorite houseplants! They will thrive in the indirect light and humidity this summer.

Keeping plants happy in our Charleston heat isn't easy. Use these tips to guide you and this season, take extra care to ensure your plant selection matches your lifestyle. Plus, let technology lend a hand to keep your plats well watered!