Pot Luck: A New Routine

Over the last few years years, I planted hosta in the two red planters at the edge of the Zen garden. The routine was always the same: plant hosta in the spring, enjoy them through the growing season, and then transplant them into a garden bed in the fall wherever another hosta was needed.

2025

2023

Over time, however, the garden has become well stocked with hosta—especially the Dragon's Spine Bed. As a result, I've simply run out of places to plant them.

So this year I decided it was time for a change in routine.

While visiting a local nursery, I came across several Hardy Small-Leaf Rhododendrons (Rhododendron × 'Purple Gem') that had been marked down. Since I've never grown rhododendrons anywhere in the garden, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to give them a try.

'Purple Gem' is a naturally compact, dwarf variety that typically grows to about 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide. With occasional pruning, I should be able to keep the plants even smaller and well suited for the containers. I repotted them into larger buckets with an amended soil mix, but if they eventually outgrow the pots, I should be able to find a permanent home for them somewhere in the garden.

My plan is to overwinter the pots by sinking them into one of the vegetable garden beds, then return them to the red planters next spring. With a little luck, they'll reward me with another display of vibrant purple flowers just as May arrives.