The Garden Downstairs

One advantage of all the rain this year has been that the container garden on the sidewalk in front of our building is going berserk. You may remember my container garden – a few years ago we dragged some pots and containers off the roof and threw some plants in them. It's so easy but it has a big impact.

I am partial to low-maintenance plants like impatiens and ivy. The ivy will last the winter if it's not too cold and grow more next summer. If there is already ivy in the pot from last summer, I just add in some impatiens or other plants which is easy. Impatiens you practically can't kill and they come in a wonderful variety of flowers. You don't have to dead-head them or trim them - they just go.
This ivy will grow down the railing for a country effect. Because, you know I am a country boy.


If you put a few containers together with plants overflowing it almost looks like a real garden.


Impatiens, pansies and ivy. Three different kinds of plants in each pot is good.


In this little corner, ivy is growing over the railing


More impatiens – they're not exotic or fancy but they can't be beat. It's hard to believe this pink flowered plant came out of a one inch pack.


More ivy growing up the railing.


The other day TD and I were watering the pots. He said our-across-the-street neighbor Susan Sarandon was walking her dog and watching us. I wish she had said hello! When I was outside later in the day a woman stopped on the sidewalk, looked around, and said, "Is this a flower shop?"