year round interest for small container - ideas please

chillidog

hi all. any help very gratefully received !! i've spent hours online and spoken to my local garden centre to no avail! Here's my quandry:

i;ve a wooden container approx 15" square to be set in sheltered very shady area. looking for ideas of what to put in it so that there's 'something going on' all the time.

dont want a load of bog standard evergreens that dont do much to 'wow' or have to plant a succession of short life plants i.e. bedding, winter pansies etc. Specifically interested in:

1. a central feature plant - especially if its an evergreen with flowers, berries and colour changing leaves thru the seasons

2. bulbs for colour - thought i'd used cute tete a tete daffs for spring, but what about summer, autumn n winter - anything recommended?

3. other plants that look different each season (like my central feature plant above) or a combination of plants that will take turns to give my tub the 'wow' factor.

Thanks sooo much for helping !!!:)

blossomhill_2

I always recommend penstemon as they flower up til December

Kafir lily for winter flowers - pick just before they open for Christmas table

Central plant could be a cotoneaster - keep it pruned tightly - it will give autumn colour and berries, and insignificant flower buds that bees love

Polyanthus and violas both give long flowering colour if you keep them fed and deadheaded

Sedum autumn joy for the centre but will need cropping in May to keep compact, and possible some sticks/string to keep it upright