Potted plants

wendya.james4

Help please from any able gardeners out there. Last year we moved to a elderly folks complex.And now this year we have been told we can only have pot plants and have a small area that has slate  pieces to put our pots on each.the problem where we are is the wind blows strongly through between the buildings and the few plants we have tried have not done well in pots.because of the wind. I love pottering around out there but we have no storage.so have had to buy plants as cant bring them on myself.anyone got ideas for tough plants that can handle wind but give a bit of colour please.

Nollie

Tricky conditions, windy and only allowed pots that dry out quickly in that wind! How about some tough, wind-tolerant ornamental grasses - some can be very colourful - that take advantage of the wind to give you movement and act as a windbreak for the other plants you want to grow? Would it be possible to grow a grafted (smaller) Rosa Rugosa in a pot trained up a trellis or wigwam? Some are thornless and can give you colour, scent, and again, a bit of shelter...

Borderline

Will the pots be in full sun, partial sun? Only low growing or stiff stem plants do better. Many alpine type plants work better in high winds and exposed areas. If you have sun to partial sun, you can try sea thrifts, Armeria Maritima, a variety of Saxafrages.

In full sun, how about tumbling Silene Druett's Variegated. More or less evergreen and masses of small white flowers in summer against the bright variegated slim foliage that scrambles and tumbles over edges. There are short growing Sisyrinchiums, that has interesting fan like leaves that create small verticals which adds interests when the flowers are finished.

For more structural look, Eryngiums are very tolerant of wind and dry air. Rosemary, Lavender and Nepetas can do fine in pots, are all quite drought tolerant and happy in wind provided there is sun.

wendya.james4

Thank you already for swift response.the pots as I said have to stand on this sort of slate pieces .in front of them is a small grassed area and then tall bushes that surround a quiet sitting area.so they get full sun from about 4 till sundown rest of day shade.

Borderline

That is quite a bit of shade. I think with shade and winds, you need to think about some shrubs too. Vinca minor can smother the pot and have lovely white or mauve flowers on and off. Houttynia Cordata Chameleon, another great ground cover plant of multicoloured leaves and white strong stemmed flowers through summer. Skimmia Japonica is another shrub that withstands winds and evergreen. They need ericaceous soil in the pots.