Two container gardening beds

[hendi_alex]

We live on top of a hot, almost pure sandy hill. The yard is riddled with roots from the many large oak trees that surround our home. I've tried for years, without success, to grow flowering plants in this challenging area. The sandy soil dries within a day or so after a rain. No amount of watering helps my perennials, as the oak roots suck every bit of moisture and available nutrients out of the ground. Over the past several years we began experimenting with container growing plants. Now aside from many containers on the porch and deck areas, we have establish large container growing areas in the yard, under and beside the trees. Now we have lots of plants which thrive. With the use of a couple of automatic water timers, the container areas require almost no attention during the growing season. Here is a photo of our two main container areas this year.

This group of plants covers a bare shady area about 50 feet off of our front porch. The plants get very little direct sunlight.

[img]https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8017/7338005388_27b715eaf3_o.jpg[/img]

This second group is just outside my wife's bathroom window. She enjoys looking out the window and viewing the plants as she goes through her morning routines. Of course we enjoy the plants also during our afternoon walks in the yard, plus the bed can be seen from the deck area.

[img]https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8022/7338004582_c7b950d9d3_o.jpg[/img]

The beds contain a wide variety of plants including impatiens, hosta, potato vine, elephant ear, day lily, hydrangea, amaryllis, painted fern, various annuals, fig bush, caladium, and much more.