Plants
How to Grow and Care for Cyclamen in Containers
Intro: Cyclamen, also called Persian violet or primrose, is a small container plant that grows best in cooler weather. Its sweet-smelling flowers grow to about 0.75 inches long, and the whole plant grows to 8 inches high (when flowering) and 6 inches in diameter. Cyclamen's attractive foliage is heart-shaped and often has silver variegations on the leaf tops. Cyclamen flowers bloom between December and may and come in many different colors, including pink, red, white, as well as striped or multiple colors.
How to Grow and Care for Mondo Grass in Containers
Intro: Mondo grass and dwarf mondo grass are grown as ground covers, and if you want to cover some bare space in a plant container (such as underneath a tree), mondo grass is a great container plant choice. This “grass” never needs to be mowed, and it grows in little round mounds. Mondo grass grows to about 8 to 10 inches tall, while dwarf mondo grass grows to 2 to 3 inches tall. In the spring and summer, you may be able to see tiny purple flower clusters on stems. Mondo grass is native to Japan and comes in many varieties, such as black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’).
How to Grow and Care for Baby's Tears in Containers
Intro: This creeping container plant has many common names in addition to baby’s tears, including angel's tears, mind-your-own-business, peace-in-the-home, pollyanna vine, mother of thousands, the Corsican curse and Irish moss (although it is not a moss). This container plant does well for centerpieces on tables (such as a cup and saucer brimming with baby’s tears) or as “ground” cover in pots with exposed dirt. This plant gracefully flows over the side of a plant container, adding visual interest to a plant display and overall balcony garden design.
How to Grow and Care for the String of Beads Plant in Containers
Intro: The string of beads plant, aka string of pearls or gooseberry plant, is perfect succulent plant for hanging plant containers or for use as ground cover. It has interesting cylindrical leaves and blooms with white flowers. There are two popular string of beads plant species, Senecio herreanus and S. roleyanus. Senecio herreanus has larger leaves. The string of beads plant cannot always be found at your local garden shop, so you may have to do some searching to find it.
How to Grow and Care for Crocus in Containers
Intro: The beautiful crocus flower comes in many colors, including blue, purple, light orange, yellow and white, and it has thin, grasslike leaves. It is often the first flower to bloom once winter ends, and their waxy leaf and leaf covering allows them protection from frost. These 3- to 4-inch-high early bloomers are easy to grow and care for in a balcony container garden.
