Container Show

Last night Micheal and I participated in the McHenry Garden Club’s Annual Container Show. We were up on stage with our friends from The Barn, The Gardens of Woodstock, Harm’s Farm and Locker’s Flowers. Shelley Isenhart from Whispering Hills was the moderator. 

Micheal at the Container Show



Mike and I made 8 containers and all the containers made were raffled off to members of the audience. It was a fun evening that showcased the talent available to you at our McHenry County gardens centers.



Moderator Shelley





We all had the opportunity to make a few comments about our designs and Mike offered some design advice about the use of contrast in designing a pleasing combination. Contrasting foliage and flower texture and color helps make each individual plant stand out in the container.

Shelly talked about the three basic design elements in container gardening being the thriller, filler, spiller—choosing plants that are tall for the “thriller,” semi-trailing or mounding for the “filler,” and trailing plants to soften the edges of the container.

Some of the containers
we made last night



Many of the containers used a lot of annuals but also incorporated perennials including roses, a Japanese maple, a blueberry shrub, heucheras, lamium, and even plants we usually think of as indoor houseplants.

The Barn used miniature conifers in their fairy gardens and accented them with scale versions of garden accents. (Be sure to congratulate Heather next time you are there on the upcoming birth of daughter number 2, due this fall.) Locker’s Flowers used children’s pails as containers and sea shells as soil cover, to add come whimsy to their designs. Harm’s Farm did several containers with vegetables and herbs for containers that are fun and functional.

So, a big thank you to the McHenry Garden Club for sponsoring this fun evening. To learn more about garden clubs in our area contact the National Garden Clubs at www.gardenclub.org.