3 Tier Flower Planter?

Q: I have purchased a 3 tier, 37" flower planter. What would be the most attractive flowers to put in each tier? It will be in the sun at all times.

Hardiness Zone: 8a

Thank You for your help.
toehead from Loranger, LA

A: Toehead,

A good rule for container design is to position plants at several heights (low, medium and tall). You can apply this principle to each of the containers in your tiered planter, too. Tall plants will go in back, short in front and medium will fill in the middle and cascade down the sides. Try to choose plants with similar growing requirements. Here are several ideas for combinations:

1) Blue or violet colored salvia (tall) with white sweet alyssum (short) and a variety of petunias in pink, purple and red (medium/cascading).

2) Red geraniums, white snapdragons and white petunias, with cascading red ivy-leaved geraniums.

3) A monochrome combination of all white flowers using geraniums, ivy-leaved geraniums, salvia and alyssum.

4) blue and yellow pansies, yellow snapdragons and blue lobelia.

5) Three different tiers of wave petunias.

6) White Shasta daisies, rose verbena and violet sage. You could also try ornamental peppers with rose, orange, white, and/or yellow portulaca.

Ellen