The Spoiler asked me if I was going to shame this big box seller when he saw me taking these photos. That’s not my intention. I told him this was a “teaching moment. ”
I originally stopped to look at these planters because I liked them. They were bold and colorful and had a nice mix of blooming plants. Why wouldn’t I like that?
Then I noticed an issue. The hibiscus standard is clearly going to want full sun, as are the marigolds and the dusty miller.
Everything else in that container is only going to want partial sun–the impatiens, the variegated ivy, and there is a sweet potato vine that will take either sun or part shade (not visible in my photo).
So while I suspect that the container could be managed–put the impatiens side toward the house side, thereby giving it more shade, for example–this is just an example of why you either really need to know what you’re getting when you buy from a place that is not a garden center or you need to plan on perhaps replanting some things if you don’t.
