Beautiful Blossom

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Appears in the May 2021 issue.

We asked Dana Zitzka, owner of Naperville-based Homegrown Container Company, for advice on how to build the perfect spring porch or patio pot:

Incorporate three elements. The basic concept for container design is thriller (big and bold), filler (midsize), and spiller (cascading).

Define the environment. Sun exposure is key, and plants fall into four categories: full sun, part sun (afternoon sun), part shade (morning sun), and shade.

Go large and full. When creating seasonal containers, Zitzka says the biggest problems she sees is that people don’t plant enough items for the size of the pot and they plant flowers that are too small for the space. “Things don’t have to spread out and mature, since it’s only there for three months,” she says.

Photo courtesy Home Grown Container Company