New containers for the season, because

My October garden chores include a lot of garden deconstruction, as I pull apart vignettes and move plants to their winter homes. Sure there's a bit of in-ground planting, as the rains have returned and the ground is once again workable, but those aren't creative endeavors, just work! (side note, it was rather exciting to use my shovel foot again—the one at the end of the ankle I broke last May) So knowing I need to do something creative to feel that important connection to my garden, I was looking forward to a couple of new container plantings I had in the works. Here's the first project completed...You might be wondering, what was there before? Summer containers that needed to come down before the temperatures start to drop. That Euphorbia tirucalli isn't winter hardy here, and when temperatures fall below freezing the expanding mass of frozen soil can crack pottery. I learned that the hard way.
Here's what had been hanging in this spot over the last couple of winters...
I loved this spiky grouping!
But they'd started to look a little blah after two years in rotation so this spring I popped the plants out of the metal container and planted them in the ground.
Well the opuntia and aloes at least. The agaves looked so sad I just put them out of their misery.
And if you're wondering, yes. Yes those containers are metal shades from clip-on shop lights. The large holes provide great drainage, which was important for the spikes during the rainy season. A piece of metal screen covers the large holes and keeps the soil in place and since they're metal there's no freeze breakage.
This year's plantings won't need that great drainage however, so if we have extended dry periods—unlikely since it's a La Nina winter—I'll need to be sure to give them a splash.