Plant selection with strange requirements

What about something climbing? Would you be able to rig up any kind of a trellis?

Morning glories or clematis might be nice.

It's something I think of as having a lot of height (if it has something to climb) without necessarily a lot of weight.

Terrific pot.. I agree with the plastic.

Also, there are recipes for light weight soil. (I used to design roof gardens, but a long time ago - would have to look it up. Water also weighs something, so that is part of the consideration. On the other hand, presumably a human can stand there?)

On plants, I'd have to think.. first thing that comes to mind is a Solanum ratonetti, but I'm sure there are lots of interesting possibilities.

fountain grass for this year, they will die in the winter

then, plant morning glory and moon flower seeds that will twine up the railing.

oops....great minds.

Nope, wrong zone for solanum..
You're in Sunset zone 6..

not gonna work alone, but whatever you decide on for heighth, strawberries are fun in the bottom...

My first thought was a vine as well - morning glories to be exact! There are other vines. Grasses would work too, find some that are erect, not weeping. I think something that is vigorous in the summer, but annual (doesn't winter-over) would be good.

Oh -- I should have said -- I don't want to put up any kind of trellis or that sort of thing. This is the exit from his room in case of fire. Whatever is out there can't impede his exit.

I will probably put some climbing stuff on the ground after we paint the house but I don't want anything covering that door.

Osso, could you add the common name or a photo? I'm not that knowledgeable about plants.

What about some kind of ornamental grass? Aren't some of them very tall and spikey? You see them along the beach so I would think they grow in poor soil and don't need a lot of water.

I was thinking of putting the trellis behind the pot and growing the vine in the pot - not against the door or wall.

Two plants I'd consider, while asking for comment from the staff at a local good nursery are Laurus nobilis (sweetbay) It is a classic container plant... and gives you bay leaves. Can be kept quite small, or grow as a tree.

Another that I know less about is the Rhododendron occidentalis (western azalea), of which there are a number of varieties with different properties (colors of flowers, sizes). I'm not sure about a rhodie in a pot, but I don't see why not.. double check on that, though.

Back with photos.

The laurel bay/sweetbay/grecian laurel ---
can be kept formal or like a regular shrub. People even bonsai them.








some Rhododendron occidentalis (western azalea/pacific rhododendron) -




Oh, I thought of another plant - my business partner had it in a biggish pot in her patio, and it grew tall and spikey, with fabulous flowers. It's called Iris neomarica, and is not an iris, just looks like one. I see it called different things, apostle plant, walking iris, neomarica....
They might be hard to find. Hers grew quite thick in the pot, and tall, about as tall as their doorway.

This one listed as Neomarica longifolia.


This one is listed as Neomarica caerulea.



Phormium hybrids (New Zealand Flax) also come to mind and can grow in pots. They can be rambunctious in the ground, have never had one in a pot myself.

wow re: the neomarica!

Rhodies can be quite happy in a pot (and azaleas). The pot should be biggish, however.

Boomer, did you mention the size of the balcony (square footage of the floor)?

Wow is right. I love those, osso. There are a lot of really good plant shops here so I might call around to see if anyone has those. I like those spikey leaves a lot.

The balcony is tiny, little k, maybe 2x3 -- just a bit wider than the doorway and enough room for someone to stand.

I'm sorry - I didn't remember finding Neomarica in Sunset Western Gardens before (another year when I looked it up), but I must have looked it up under Iris. Anyway, Sunset says only indoors in your zone. Sorry for false lead. I keep thinking of Portland as just like where I lived in Humboldt, and it did freeze in my neighborhood once in a while, but barely, and I never lost a plant to it. I gather Portland freezes to lower temp. - more like here in Abq.

Apparently Phormium do grow in your zone, but they freeze... and will regrow afterwards.
I'm not sure that's such a negative, since they are pretty strong growers, and replanting one each spring might be reasonable anyway. Or, perhaps they could be wheeled inside in winter.

So, some phormium photos..

back in a bit.

An aside on Phormium.. they are relatively new on the market here in the US - I'm guessing they showed up in the mid to late eighties. When nurseries first grew and then supplied them, they way underestimated their mature growth size, to much consternation. Recent assessments of growth potential are much closer to true. Data below is for estimated growth size in ground.

This is the hybrid, Maori Chief, grows upright to 6 feet tall and wide -


Phormium cookianum/tenax hybrid, 'Maori Sunrise', to 3 feet high, 5 - 6 ft wide -


Phormium tenax (New Zealand Flax) 'Pink Stripe' -

4 to 5 feet hight and wide

Phormium tenax 'bronze baby' -

3 feet tall and wide


I suppose you have a selection of grasses at local nurseries - ask one you trust... Some of them (the grasses, well, even the nurseries) are gorgeous.

Just so its not a cactus

Most sensible post in a long time, David.

Wisteria would be in keeping with the period of the house, trails and drapes beautifully, but I think it can get to be pretty heavy, tho that can take decades.

Wisteria is also fairly invasive.