This drought-tolerant tropical is better known as a houseplant, but it can be used in outdoor container gardening, too. Let it vacation outdoors in the summer in a shady spot by itself or with companions. The textured, variegated leaves are silver-gray and green, providing a visually-appealing look. They’re also topped by delicate white flowers in late summer.
Very Berry creeping wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) is a tender perennial hardy in Zones 6-9, but it can be grown as an annual elsewhere. It features glossy, dark leaves that serve as the perfect backdrop for small, white, bell-shaped flowers in summer and bright-red, aromatic berries in early fall. The foliage later turns purplish, adding to its appeal. According to Funk, incorporating evergreens into a landscape will ensure year-round visual interest.
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I’m an award-winning garden editor with 25 years of experience in horticultural communications. My extensive background includes editing a national magazine and creating print and online gardening content for a national retailer. My journalism degree, along with my horticulture studies and Master Gardener certification, gives me the expertise to offer valuable insights and recommendations for container gardening.
We interviewed Kelly Funk, the President and CEO of Park Seed and Jackson & Perkins, for expert insights on container gardening. Leveraging her passion for gardening, Funk leads the strategic vision and end-to-end customer experience for her company. With leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies like Target and Best Buy, Funk boasts a unique blend of business acumen and gardening expertise.
We also consulted Linda Vater, a plant expert for the Southern Living Plant Collection. Vater is a self-taught garden designer, stylist and content creator. She boasts more than 420,000 social media followers and has written two top-selling garden books. She produces garden-related media for TV and magazines and even has her own garden product line at QVC.
