I love growing in containers. I grow everything from tomatoes and herbs to exotic flowers and shrubs. Each year it is fun to decide what containers to use and what plants to try.
Through the years I have turned just about everything into a container for plants. Sometimes I find something unusual and the container is more important than the plant. But, most of the time my containers are ordinary and it’s the plants that make them special.
However, there is one container that I use every year that is very special to me, this little metal water pitcher that is filled with lemon mint…
This pitcher belonged to my grandmother … the same grandmother who went to see her doctor when she was in her 80s and asked the doctor to give her a pill that would make her feel strong enough to hoe in the garden. Don’t you love that. I’m sure I will be the same way!
This little pitcher was a part of her everyday, ordinary life. To me it is completely extraordinary in the memories that it holds!
I am told she had the greenest of thumbs and could grow anything. And, you can be sure that I love it when other family members say, “You remind me of your grandmother, Mammy!”
Here are some containers in my garden and even a picture of me taken a few years ago dressed in one of Mammy’s dresses, holding her water pitcher…
My favorite plants to use in containers…
- Tomatoes (because I am obsessed)
- Chile Peppers
- Mint (…Because I love it and use a lot of it BUT it will take over if you plant in ground!)
- Most used cooking herbs
- Nasturtiums (Planted around my tomatoes)
- Dorotheanthus Mezoo (Big name but excellent training plant)
- Lantana (Hummingbirds & butterflies love)
- Wave Petunias (’cause they can take the heat)
- Geraniums
- Coleus
- Ferns
- Gardenias
- Succulents
For more on container gardening, click here.
Do you have a container that holds special memories?
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Fantastic blog post! I did not know that’s where the pitcher came from. What a great story. Its amazing to see how much the herb garden has changed since that photo! The picture of you is absolutely precious. What a doll.
Nice post, my wife has a an old pan that we use in the garden for one thing and another that belonged to her grandmother, she wouldn’t trade it for a dozen ceramic pots…….Again nice story, nice pitcher.
What a lovely container garden you have! My grandmother was always in the garden too. I still remember the smells. She had a hillside that was covered with plants and trees, at the base was a river. My mother was sickly and couldn’t garden. I take after my grandmother too.
What a great reminder of your grandmother. It’s amazing to me how much they pass to us. Not so much in posessions, but in wisdom, knowledge and perserverence. I can only imaging the memories that pitcher has for you. Great post.
Wordless Wednesday often leaves me speechless.
That’s sweet!
Love your blog post the memories and history in the garden and the picture slide gallery just sets it off <|;-)
Hi Annie. Don’t have many things from my grandmother but I do treasure that pitcher.
So beautiful and special…..lovely containers.
Thanks Brenda. It is great to have special memories.
Quite lovely and a sentimental remembrance for you.
Thank you. I have so little from her … it is treasure to me for sure.
I enjoyed your post and slide show. Your pots look so lush and beautiful. I am gardening on the cheap this year, and have little seedlings in most of mine so far. That pitcher is a wonderful item to remember your grandmother by.
Just looked at your blog–very pretty! The pitcher is one of my prized possessions for sure!