subject: A Guide To Planting A Container Garden [print this page] Container gardens can create a natural sanctuary in an urban environment. You can easily turn a deck or patio into a lush garden with colorful pots of annuals, herbs, perennials and even small shrubs such as spruce and hydrangea. Pots can be arranged in a group for a massed effect or used to highlight a smaller space with a single accent planting.
Container gardening enables you to easily vary your color scheme and, since the pots are moveable, garden layout. Also, after each plant finishes flowering, it can be replaced with another which can add variety to the garden. Whether you contrasting or complementary colors, make sure the heights of each plant vary. Think also of the shape and texture of the leaves. Tall strap-like leaves will give a good vertical background to low-growing, wide-leaved plants. Choose plants with a long flowering season, or have others of a different type ready to replace them as they finish blooming.
Experiment with creative containers. You might have an old porcelain bowl or copper urn you can use, or perhaps you'd rather make something really modern with timber or tiles. If you decide to buy your containers ready-made, terracotta pots are very popular but tend to absorb water. When purchasing pots, don't forget to buy matching saucers to catch the drips. This will save cement floors getting stained, or timber floors rotting.
Always use a good quality potting mix, high in organic matter, in your containers. This will ensure the best performance possible from your plants. Avoid using garden soil since it often has poor texture and may contain insects or weed seeds.
If you have steps leading up to your front door, an attractive pot plant on each one will delight your visitors. Indoors, pots of plants or flowers help to create a warm atmosphere. Decide ahead of time where you want your pots to be positioned, then buy plants that suit the situation.
If you have plenty of space at your front door, a group of potted plants off to one side will be more visually appealing than two similar plants placed each side. Unless they are spectacular, they will look rather boring.
Group the pots in odd numbers rather than even, and vary the height and type. To tie the group together, add large rocks that are similar in appearance and just slightly different in size. Three or five pots of the same type and color, but in different sizes also looks affective.
With some creativity and some forethought, you will have a container beautiful and thriving garden.
