From the Desk of City People's Container Guru; Sara Lawrence

Greetings. At last, a new post. This time I've asked my good friend and colleague Sara Lawrence who is City People's Container Designer to say a few words and take a few pictures. The following is her entry. Enjoy!...

Hello !

The sweet smell of summers end is in the air as deciduous leaves begin to turn color and fall… Accompanying this falling of deciduous leaves of course is the hibernation of perennials and the passing of annuals. Perhaps you have been feeling this seasonal change and want to extend the warmth and color of summer.

I find focusing on container plantings as sweet as pulling out the candles and sweaters from their summer storage. This time of year I’ve often felt that the sun has transmuted itself into the leaves, reflecting back all its brilliance in golden citron, persimmon orange, fiery scarlet and burnt plum tones. This vibrancy lives inside me too in fall. It makes me reach for water colors, pencils, and books, to capture the feeling of contentment that this languorous moment between summer and winter provides.

In the Northwest we have a smaller plant palette to work with into winter than our neighbors father south, but that makes the bond with each plant variety all the stronger: Heathers, Hellebores, Heucheras, Hebes, hardy Ferns and Grasses, Pansies, Cabbage, and Cyclamen are what you will need to nestle in front of an evergreen or structural element like Boxwood, or Witchhazel.

Walking down the aisle of City Peoples to pull together a few pictures to share with you I see some of my favorites: Heather Wickwarflame, Helleborus Fotideus, Hebe Quicksilver, and Dryopteris erythosora Brilliance. The Pansies in our stacked trays are a visual equivalent of watercolors to be painted or planted anywhere. Don’t be afraid to be bold and plant a container of just one variety, or go out on a limb and plant a small tree asymmetrically that won’t bloom till late winter; nothing like a good tease…

If you’re like me and need conversation to get any project started come by the store and talk with anyone on our plant passionate staff about the containers you want to create. If you don’t have time to experiment with color and texture combinations yourself feel free to give me a call. How ever you choose to celebrate these golden months don’t forget to take time to let the honeyed hues create a buzz inside to sweeten the feeling of coming home this winter…