Here are tips for planting an early spring container garden

The second week of February means the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in Seattle is wrapping up and that means the start of spring here in Western Washington.

For gardeners, perhaps the best part of the show, besides the inspiration of the gorgeous show gardens, is that blooming, colorful plants are for sale.

I hosted “Container Wars” every day at the show and the competition between pot-planting designers always blooms with new ideas for containers.

Here are some tips if you didn’t make the show.

Start with a backdrop – like a tall plant

This could be a dwarf conifer or small boxwood. Something to create a background for the showpiece or focal point plant you decide to add next.

Tip: You can cut branches of pussy willow, coral bark maple or yellow twig dogwood to poke into your potting soil as a backdrop planting.

Add a blooming showoff that can handle the cold

My go-to drama mama for early spring will always be hellebores but you can choose a hardy cyclamen, witch hazel, or early blooming camellia too. This showoff, focal point plant will inspire the colors for the next plants you layer into the container design.

Tip: If you use potted bulbs such as daffodils or tulips as the focal point, just bury the plastic pot of bulbs in the potting soil. Then it will be easy to replace once the spring flowers fade.

Surround the starring plant with supporting players

In February you can find primroses, winter pansies, wintergreen (an evergreen with red berries), black mondo grass and small pots of bulbs for the front of your design.

Tip: I have been using silver foliage. Think Angel Wings Senecio and combining this with darker foliage. Think black mondo grass or deep red heuchera next to the silver for a striking contrast of colors that will last all year long.

No need to contain your enthusiasm when it comes to spring fever. This is the week to pot up an early spring.

Marianne Binetti has a degree in horticulture from Washington State University and is the author of several books. Reach her at binettigarden.com.