Danny, the newest member of our staff, wanted a no-maintenance container garden to fill an empty corner of his San Francisco deck. On a Memorial Day that was happily rainy (California is in a severe drought), Danny composed his low-water, long-blooming arrangement with a few affordable ingredients from The Home Depot:
Above: The newly lush corner of Danny's deck.
Above: To help his plants thrive from the get-go, Danny used Miracle Gro Garden Soil for Flowers and Vegetables—$2.50 for 1 cubic foot—supplemented with Organic & Natural Potting Mix from Vigoro Organics, which feeds plants for up to three months; $8.88 for a 32-quart bag at The Home Depot.
Above: Danny chose drought-tolerant salvia for its fragrant foliage. A Proven Selections Blue Frost Salvia from Proven Winners is $5.99 at The Home Depot.
Above: Supertunia Petunias will bloom all summer long and don't require deadheading. Danny chose three shades of white and pink from Proven Winners; $5.99 each at The Home Depot.
Above: Danny chose a hardy periwinkle myrtle to fill out his arrangement.
Above: A Western Red Cedar Barrel Planter, 15 inches in diameter and made in the US of sustainably harvested cedar, will resist rot and last from season to season; $26.98. The solo myrtle is in a 10-inch Terra Cotta Pot from Norcal Pottery; $5.77 at The Home Depot.
Above: Danny's mix of salvia, petunia, and myrtle is ideal for summer in a temperate climate, and should be in bloom all summer long.
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