This is the result of a container garden party assembly! I love the foliage colors and full packed arrangement. It was so stunning, it got featured in two magazines this year. See my website www.cathytest.com for more on how you can achieve this too! Cathy T
A companion friend designer that I collaborate with on projects is a Ikebana Master! I attended her demo in Haddam last week. This art form was very relaxing to watch and inspires one to look at nature in a different way. If interested in attending a lecture, let me know and I will forward you her contact info!
Ikebana Japanese Art
I never want to add an invasive plant to a garden design by mistake. So I try to keep up with news on the subject, attended a CHS ed session about invasives last Sat. Interesting story I heard was how invasive Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) was attempted to be controlled by burning the bushes in an area, mice scattered everywhere looking for new homes (and as we know, mice play a role in tick problems in CT). Thus more barberry in the woods, more problems with ticks! Speaking of burning bushes, burning bushes (Euonymus alatus) are also very invasive. Try Highbush Blueberry as a great native alternative that has the similar effect of beautiful red foliage in the fall. For more, see www.conservect.org/ctrivercoastal.
This coleus with its purple viens looked wonderful adjacent to the dark purple/black leaves of the ornamental pepper plant. This is one of my fav designs this year where I mixed it with two varieties of Canna and purple petunias!
Chartreuse leaves with purple viens
Taken at the Big E in Springfield, MA in late Sept. Just look at the amazing flush of red from this annual winged Begonias. I really found this plant to be long-lasting, easy, and colorful in my container mix gardens as well this year! Look for Bonfire variety which I love. 
Colocasia gigantea Thailand Giant Strain Elephant Ear blooms blow me away this fall as they expand in a shape fan, on individual stalks, embedded within one stalk of the giant 4′ wide leaf! I special ordered this plant in the spring from Plant Delights Nursery online!
This is my very first blog ever! How exciting. Today has been an on/off rain to sun to rain day. The leaves are turning yellow and the temps are cool. Oct is a good time to prepare new perennial beds for next spring’s candidates, and now is the time to mulch any recently transplanted perennials to help avoid heaving when the freeze/thaw cycles occur.
Container Crazy CT 