Here are two great ideas for creating containers that have that extra something to make them really special. The first is described as a woodland garden as shown in the picture above and the second is a Spring tulip planter with a difference. Both designs are described by Rochelle Greayer on her Pith and Vigor blog.

Can we all agree that this would be a wonderful new?trend in container gardens? ?Woodland inspired containers ? not just a mixed palette of lichens, moss, twigs and woodland plant wonder, but taking the scheme right down the side of the container is just plain wonderful! ?It is easy for me to envision this sort of thing in my home or another residential setting ? but I think it would be fantastic if we could imagine these as big city street planters. ?They would be like little islands of nature in the middle of the urban jungle. ?Their tactile nature, texture, and mix of materials is inviting in a way that the typically colorful set of annuals that usually grace our streets are not.

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And here is Rochelle’s design for the tulip planter.

I love changing out my containers for the seasons. ?After many years of doing this sort of thing for clients on a large-scale, it is nice to just do one or two around my own house ? I can play and experiment in a way that isn?t always possible when the arrangement has to meet schedules and bear the brunt of sitting?street-side?in an urban setting.
Spring container arrangements are the shortest lived of the container plantings (closely?followed?by fall) so there are a few tricks to keep the change out simple.

Pro Tip# 1 Do not bother to take the potted bulbs out of their container.

This is a waste of time when you are planting it up and it makes the mess of?dismantling?it more difficult as well. ?You are going to do this in just a few short weeks so you may as well help yourself out. ? I got my bulbs from Lowes and rest of the materials came from my garden. ? This is the fun of working on a project in your own garden ? everything has possibility.
Here is how I started?
With some extra potting soil, I?raised?the dirt height from last season (this will go to good use when I plant for summer). ?I made the height just right so that when I set the bulb pots in the container the tops were a couple inches above the height of the container.

See more at Pith and Vigor