The cold weather has really zapped my flowering beds. How can I get color in a winter garden?
— St. Petersburg A: Containers and pots in unusual colors or interesting shapes can be just the focal point you need in a garden that is transitioning between seasons. Some of our favorite bedding plants make great additions to container gardens, and can be moved to those sad places that catch your eye every time you venture outdoors after a frost. (Yes, while they aren’t frequent in our zone, they do happen!) To the right are examples of recent color pots put together by Brava for the winter months. The top container features a reliable color star whose leaves are never dull – the Ti “Bolero,” set behind purple flowering lantana. These are regular stars at almost all commercial garden centers, so using these materials in a container garden mid-winter is an easy way bring color into a drab area. The middle shot of a Stromanthe sanguinea “Triostar” shows one of Florida’s Plants of the Year, creating a color focal point with the gorgeous texture of Philodendron ‘Xanadu’. By putting one
