What to do with the beautiful pots when winter comes? Some you can stow, I use some of mine to house sticks that will be kindling, but here's what we do for our clients ...
If a client's container doesn't contain anything that can last the winter, such as an evergreen or heuchera or pansies, we rip out what's there, save the old soil, and start loading it up with whatever we can find in their yard.
Below you see the heuchera that was spared, magnolia, hydrangea and Miscanthus sinensis. This client doesn't grow the top two plants, but I just have a bunch in the truck in December to spread around.
A little red ribbon and you are done.
Here's one with Juniper, Lavender and Nandina. It's for indoors, but it's the same idea. Wet flower foam is holding it together.
Below you have the spilling habit of Norway Spruce, Sedum Autumm Joy, and, a bit of cheating: some plastic bling from Michael's.
And lastly you see the beautiful box of a client who wasn't sure that she wanted any winter interest this season, but we just started throwing some things into the soil, (hydrangea, miscanthus from the truck, Leyland Cypress, Nandina and magnolia) that we found in her yard, and it turned out pretty okay!
You can be much fancier than these. Check out Deborah Silver's Dirt Simple Blog for true inspiration.