Contained Creations

Contained Creations Offering container gardening instruction and inspiration at containedcreations.com.
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Steph Green of Contained Creations shares 10 years of container gardening expertise and a lifetime love of gardening to help others achieve the big, bold arrangements and luxe curb appeal she's known for. She calls on her eye for proper scale and finish to source just the right planters from her preferred wholesalers. For those looking to get their hands dirty and plant, Planter Recipes and online courses are available for sale at ContainedCreations.com.

04/22/2026

If you want a balcony you love coming home to, start with a railing planter that lets you build an entire garden without taking up valuable floor space.

I got this Modern Railing Planter from Hooks and Lattice. Use my code CONTAINEDCREATIONS to save 20% on all of their planters, window boxes, and hanging baskets.

Offer ends May 6, so shop soon!

The details:
📏Railing is 9 ft long and I used a 6 ft planter (⅔ the length). Smaller sizes available.
☀️Balcony faces southeast and enjoys sun for most of the day.
🌿Plants used:
White Dipladenia
Dahlia ‘Venti™ PinkBurst’
Lantana ‘Bandana® Pink Improved’
Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost®’
Evolvulus ‘Blue My Mind®’
Variegated Vinca

Felt like spring for a minute…and now it’s pool season. If you’re not quite ready for swimsuits, at least your pots can ...
04/12/2026

Felt like spring for a minute…and now it’s pool season. If you’re not quite ready for swimsuits, at least your pots can be. 🤷‍♀️

04/10/2026

The fastest way to a fuller container? Start with a shrub.

If your containers feel a little sparse at planting time, this is an easy fix.

To get this look:
🌲Oakland® Holly
•Dahlia ‘Labella® Medio Fun Raspberry’
•Bacopa ‘MegaCopa™ Blue’
•Heuchera ‘Midnight Rose’
•Artemisia ‘Makana™ Silver’

🦋Butterfly Candy®
•Dahlia ‘Labella® Medio Fun Raspberry’
•Heuchera ‘Midnight Rose’
•Brachyscome ‘Brasco™ Violet’
•Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost®’

🪴Podocarpus
•Yellow Dipladenia
•Brachyscome ‘Brasco™ Violet’
•Gomphrena ‘Truffula™ Pink’
•Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost®’

04/10/2026

The deer-resistant plant you need for full sun, dramatic height, and non-stop flowers in containers from April through September: Mandevilla!🌸

This tropical vine loves a trellis or a few bamboo stakes zip tied into tripod formation. It’ll climb quickly and give color to the tops of your arrangements!

🚫Remember that nothing is deer “proof,” and while they may not mess with Mandevilla or Dipladenia in my area, your neighborhood deer might be less finicky. It’s always good to experiment before you invest heavily.

04/06/2026

How do beginner gardeners end up with containers like this?

They start with plants from a farm that’s designed, tested, and grown everything to work beautifully together.

This is the ‘Apricot Allegro’ design from White Flower Farm, and the dahlias are soooo good!

Browse the full collection to find the perfect style and light exposure for your space.

https://whiteflowerfarm.pxf.io/GbbLy6

I’m sad to report that none of these hydrangeas will last through the winter in the ground.⬇️But they’re MAGNIFICENT for...
04/06/2026

I’m sad to report that none of these hydrangeas will last through the winter in the ground.⬇️

But they’re MAGNIFICENT for spring container gardens!

These are all Florist Hydrangeas, slightly different from the shrubs you plant in the ground. They’re bred to give one impressive round of blooms for about 6-8 weeks. You’ll see them at garden centers and even grocery stores around Easter (now!). They come in white, blue, several shades of pink, and occasionally purple.

They’re happiest with partial shade — just a few hours of sun per day — and temps above 50. So if the forecast looks cold, cover them snuggly with frost cloth or a light sheet, or even bring them into the garage.

04/02/2026

Finding the perfect thriller takes time. It sets the tone for everything else in the container, so you want to get it just right.

I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted locally, so I ordered the cutest pair of spiral Dwarf Alberta Spruces from Monrovia instead. They gave me instant height and whimsy…perfect for spring container gardens.

Want a few delivered to your door? Head to Monvrovia.com at the link below. Look under Dwarf Alberta Spruce, then use the size selector to find the spirals.

https://www.monrovia.com/dwarf-alberta-spruce.html

04/01/2026

It’s hard to resist these warm days! If you’ve already planted tender annuals in your pots, just keep an eye on the weather until you’re a week or so beyond the last forecasted frost date for your area.

Note: Pansies and violas are very cold-tolerant, so don’t worry about protecting them!

🪴Trend 7 of 7: Jewel Tones – Color, but SophisticatedJewel tones are where the 2026 color story gets really interesting....
03/02/2026

🪴Trend 7 of 7: Jewel Tones – Color, but Sophisticated

Jewel tones are where the 2026 color story gets really interesting.

🍷Burgundy
🍆Eggplant
🫐inky blue
🌿Emerald

Let one richly colored plant lead, then support it with deep green foliage. Resist the urge to overcomplicate it with extra contrast.

Find more container gardening ideas and examples in the full 2026 trends post on my blog.

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Richmond, VA
23173, 23218–23242, 23249–23250, 23255, 23260–23261, 23269, 23273–23274,

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