Why Container Gardens?
- Instant Garden! Many of us need instant gratification when the weather turns warm. The first chance I get to go outside in the spring, I’m there. Yes, I LOVE to make my own containers, but I need some right away color too! For instance, I don’t plant up my own hanging baskets, although I do plant my window boxes myself, so my baskets can go right up!
- Change Your Mind. Pots and containers are moveable. Rearrange a grouping, put them in a spot with more shade or sun.
- A Star is Born. Highlight plants you love. Have a hibiscus that knocks your socks off? Plant it up in a pot with some lower growing plants and give it special status by setting it among other plantings.
- COLOR, COLOR, COLOR! Not only do plants and flowers fill your senses with color and texture, but when they’re combined with pottery, urns or wooden containers, you have yourself an opportunity to surround yourself with visual stimulation.
- Wasteland to Garden in One Day. Have an area with lots of big tree roots? An unused cement path near the driveway? No intention of digging out a new garden bed? Bring in a garden!
Vary the size and height of a grouping.Tall containers and vertical plants like ornamental grasses or cannas look great with low bowls or small planters and in-betweeners. Keeping the containers together in a group makes watering easier too!
When planning your container, consider the style. Do you want a “roundy-moundy” look or something with lots of movement and unpredictability? This container has grasses for height and an un-manicured look, while the coleus and calibrachoa are left to stretch as they please.
Here’s an example of a container with a more uniform look. Two different colors of the same plant (calibrachoa) insure that the growth habit will be similar enough to create more symmetry.
Containers are real life savers when it comes to shady spots. Bringing color and form into a darker area can really expand your perception of the space around you. Plenty of shade annuals sport great color. Think coleus and tuberous begonias.
It really does matter. This is a small thing I do every spring. I pick up a small garden to sit in the middle of my outdoor table. It sounds so simple, but this is the piece I wind up appreciating most. A garden in an intimate spot like this changes your perspective in surprising ways. The main thing is to love your container garden, whether you’ve made it, purchased it or a combination of the two.
Don’t forget to have fun! Do you have some cool or funky things around the house that will add out of the box interest to your outdoor spaces? Creativity is encouraged! Maybe you just want to give someone a good laugh. Go for it! If you don’t like it, you can just transfer to a regular pot!
Take a look at this Container Garden How-To