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Growing flowering vines around doors and windows looks great, but it can also help with mosquito control!

Last July I was invited to visit the Ball Corporation’s head office in Chicago to view their display gardens. As a garden communicator, I appreciated the great opportunity to see many new plant introductions from various companies around the world. I also had the opportunity to see how the plants compared to each other in various landscape situations, especially when used in containers.

It was also great to see some of Chicago’s best garden stores and their summer planters. At 40 C, in very sunny weather, it was the ideal time to evaluate their performance under challenging conditions.

What struck me most was the juxtaposition of unique plants brilliantly used together in combinations you seldom see. It was exciting to see a wide range of tropical plants blending seamlessly with everyday annuals.

Rex begonias, which we always baby by running them extra-dry for fear of overwatering and the resultant mildew, were showing off their unique colour variations as the focal points in many containers. They seemed quite at home when combined with New Guinea impatiens and sun tolerant SunPatiens, and were treated with no special care, even being watered overtop of their foliage like any other bedding plant. Many were in flower, adding another element of creativity to the containers.

Dracaena Massangeana were perhaps the most widely used in the containers, especially varieties like Limelight, with its neon lime green foliage, and wine-dark leaves of Ruby Red. In many cases they were used as the central focal point, replacing traditional canna lilies, phormiums and fountain grasses. Their vibrant colours added excitement to the planters alongside traditional bedding plants.

On the West Coast we seldom use caladiums, because they need significant heat and are not fans of rainy, cool weather. If we wait until the weather warms up in early June, I think we should find space for some in our containers. Their vivid leaves are truly spectacular. With a rainbow of stunning colours and patterns, from speckled white, hot pink and lime green to multi-hued reds, they add the pop often missing in many of our planters. They also thrive in the heat of summer, when many annuals fade and look tired.

Caladiums also tolerate warm shade and can add a much-needed lift to those darker areas. However, if you can acclimatize them to the sun, they make a refreshing new addition and are far more resilient than you might think.

In our part of the world, we have finally discovered the brilliance of mandevillas. They are now available in a wide variety of plant forms from upright to both trailing and climbing, so they make great ‘spillover plants’ for our containers.

Mandevillas are the ultimate top-performing heat lovers. In their many colours including hot reds, vibrant pinks, brilliant yellows and of course the ever-popular white, they deserve star billing in any container. It seems that the warmer the days become, the better they perform.

Mandevillas are just making their debut now in garden stores since they need that heat for optimum performance. Like caladiums, June is the beginning of their summer show and they elevate the look of any container garden. They play nicely with companion plants but are vigorous growers and can overwhelm if allowed. They are not frost-hardy, but you will enjoy them well into September and even October.

Coleus have now become a go-to plant for many combination containers, especially the sun- and heat-tolerant varieties like the Main Street series from Ball. The many hot foliage colours like rusty-ruby-red Beale Street, the hot lime variety Chartres Street, and multi-hued Sunset Boulevard and Franklin Street make all the difference. They add that punch of colour and they are so easy to maintain. Their colours are a natural fit alongside other vibrant tropicals, and for smaller containers, Ball’s dainty new miniature coleus MicroBlaze series is just delightful.

The popular tropical vine Pothos, or epipremnum, now comes in a wide range of colours and variegated foliage blends and they too were used extensively in outdoor containers. As a spillover, they offer a unique flourish, adding a surprising sense of depth and fun to the planters.

All these warmth-loving tropical plants add a whole new dimension to typical containers but combining them with the more traditional foliage plants increases the level of sophistication of the overall effect.

For added impact, don’t overlook the velvety silvers of senecio candicans Angel Wings, and c. aurea Silver Swirl as well as time-honoured Dusty Millers. Formerly called centauria, they create a dramatic contrast to all your other foliage and flowers.

The hot lime of a Japanese forest grass like hakonechloa aurea, is a must-have, and even some of our carex grasses like c. Everillo fit nicely in planters. Golden Creeping Jenny, lysimachia nummularia aurea, is another favourite for any landscape situation as well.

Ornamental sweet potato vines, especially the black, red and hot lime varieties also tie in beautifully with these combinations. They love the summer heat and perform well in either trailing or upright forms.

The secret to using tropicals is to set them outside in a sheltered spot out of the sun and the wind for at least ten days to acclimatize them to our particular conditions. Then, test them gently in your summer hot spots to make sure they won’t burn.

The beauty of containers is that they can be easily moved if necessary.

As we move into the warm summer months, we have the wonderful opportunity to kick up our outdoor planters this year, so why not take your containers to a whole new level?

I do thank the folks at Ball for their innovative leadership in introducing so many new plants and creative ideas to our horticultural industry.

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Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver.

3354 Peak Dr., Whistler

Type: Five-bedroom, four-bathroom detached

Size: 3,958 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $7,230,000

Listed for: $7,900,000

Sold for: $6,700,000

Sold on: April 1

Days on market in this listing: 196

Listing agent: Steve Cartner PREC and Martina Cartner at Rennie & Associates Realty

Buyers agent: Nick Swinburne PREC at Angell Hasman & Associates Realty

The big sell: This private sanctuary in Whistler’s Blueberry Hill neighbourhood epitomizes understated luxury blending rustic charm with refined modern updates. With a design esthetic that focuses on natural elements perfectly crafted to create a stylish interior, the result is one of sophisticated warmth showcasing soaring vaulted ceilings offset by exposed beams, full-height stone-surround fireplaces, a Shaker-style kitchen, and expansive windows that frame mountain and forest views. The interior is laid out over three floors with bedrooms on each level, and an energy-efficient system with air conditioning, radiant heat, and a heat pump. The property was built in 1996 on almost a third-acre lot and resides at the end of a cul-de-sac backing onto forested crown land ensuring that nature is front and centre, while Whistler Village, lakes, golf courses and trails are all nearby.

73 – 2212 Folkestone Way, West Vancouver

Type: One-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment

Size: 1,045 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $855,600

Listed for: $855,000

Sold for: $785,000

Sold on: March 20

Days on market in this listing: 28

Listing agent: Holly Calderwood PREC at Royal LePage Sussex

Buyers agent: Kathleen O’Donnell at Century 21 Queenswood Realty

The big sell: For a one-bedroom apartment, this unit is big on space with a floorplan laid out over two levels allowing for a loft room that could be used as a second bedroom or a home office. Add to the mix a penthouse location offering unobstructed panoramic ocean and city views from Mount Baker to Vancouver Island. It forms part of West Vancouver’s Panorama Village, a 32-unit pet- and rental-friendly complex that was built in 1976. The home was renovated in 2021 with slate countertops, European tiles and fixtures, wide-plank oak floors, radiant heat under stone floors, French wallpaper, and a wood-burning fireplace. There are airy 15-foot-high vaulted ceilings and a spiral staircase that leads up to the loft. New balcony windows were installed to the tune of $24,000, and there is balcony access from the principal rooms. The home comes with a parking stall, storage locker, and a monthly maintenance fee of $793.43.

125 – 6505 3 Ave., Tsawwassen

Type: Two-bedroom, two-bathroom townhouse

Size: 1,736 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,452,000

Listed for: $1,498,000

Sold for: $1,505,000

Sold on: Jan. 30

Days on market in this listing: Six

Listing agent: Darryl Sjerven and Karel Palla PREC at ReMax Select Realty

Buyers agent: Scott Franklin PREC at Homelife Benchmark Realty

The big sell: According to the listing agents, this detached single-level townhome offers the best of both worlds — the privacy of a house and the security and convenience of a gated strata. The home is located in the Monterra community within Tsawwassen’s Boundary Beach district and represents one of only two standalone units. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom rancher features air conditioning, a spacious kitchen that overlooks the adjacent family room with its gas fireplace, a primary bedroom with newer ensuite bathroom and walk-in closet, a laundry room, and an extra-large private patio that faces a park. A full-sized two-car garage completes the picture. Monterra provides residents with a number of amenities including a clubhouse with an indoor swimming pool, a sauna, and a party room. The home’s monthly maintenance fee is $663.87, and pets and rentals are permitted with restrictions.

These transactions were compiled by Nicola Way of BestHomesBC.com.

Realtors – send your recent sales to nicola@besthomesbc.com

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