1 Decorative Container (Should have a drainage hole)
Soil
1 6-8” Forced Flowering Bulb (Hyacinths, Tulips, or Daffodils)
Pansies or Violas (numbers will vary depending on size of container)
~5-6 branches of Pussy Willow (add more or less to achieve desired look)
Welcome Spring!
It has been a long, cold winter, and we are ready for sunny days and warm breezes. Our winter-beaten yards are slowly coming to life with greening grass and the pretty pastels popping open from dormant bulbs below.
One place to get a jump start on spring is your front porch. Use color from forced bulbs to create a bright pop of life at your entry and wipe away all those winter grays. The bright pinks, purples, and yellows are sure to cheer, and are perfect for greeting you and your guests with their flowery smiles.
Here’s a surefire recipe for early season color:
First pick your container. We suggest a container 14” to 24” wide. Fill it ¾ of the way with soil. 
Remove the plastic container from the forced flowering bulb and place it in the center of your decorative container. Hyacinths are an excellent choice, as their great scent is friendly and welcoming. However, tulips and daffodils are beautiful as well and provide a bit more vertical height.
Next, remove pansies/violas from their nursery containers and place them all around the edge of the container completely circling the bulb. For a ‘full’ look, they can be planted close to each other, about 2” apart. (For this container project, we like to use two contrasting colors, such as pink and yellow to play off of each other—but a monochromatic color scheme will work well also!) Fill in soil as necessary to completely cover roots. Soil level should be 1/2” below the top of the container to allow for watering.
Poke in the pussy willow branches in a circle between the bulbs and pansies/violas. Watering should be done twice weekly, but will vary to the amount of sun and temperature. Place container on your porch, entrance walkway and ENJOY SPRING!!
By Laura Planisek, Oakland Nursery Streetscapes
