Pot for Every Place

Posted on Wednesday, September 01, 2010 by admin in Local Clubs/Societies
Tags: A single antique, Island beds, Soften skylines

Thanks to containers, just about anyone can have a garden. City folk, for example, put down roots on small patios or balconies, using potted trees and vines to screen views and soften skylines. Even apartment dwellers without a garden plot nurture miniature flower beds in window boxes safely secured to sills and ledges. Gardeners with room to spare reap the rewards of containers, as well: In August and September, when many flowering plants are past their prime, potted annuals and perennials can be relied upon to extend summer color right into autumn. Container-grown succulents and small trees are also likely to be moved from here to there, filling in gaps as the season progresses. (Some gardeners practice horticultural sleight-of-hand, sinking their pots right into the ground.)

A living rainbow fills a suburban plot.

At the end of a path or in the elbow of a curved walkway, potted bloomers and shrubs serve as focal points, lending sculptural interest and a dash of wit (for added height, containers may be set on bricks camouflaged with ground cover or cascading plants). In island beds, a single antique urn becomes an eye-catching centerpiece; smaller pots and recycled containers, on the other hand, look best displayed in groups, near the base of an outdoor staircase, for example.

These days, the choice of containers is limited only by a gardener’s imagination. Graniteware basins, food-storage tins, and a host of other flea-market finds look no less charming than a costly cast-iron jardinière discovered on a jaunt through Brittany. Regardless of their provenance, all container gardens have one thing in common: good drainage. Without it, roots rot and plants die. Nutrients, too, are critical to health and beauty. Plants tightly packed (the quickest way to achieve a lush look) will direct their roots down rather than out, resulting in tall flowers with hearty appetites. Regular feedings with a balanced liquid fertilizer will keep annuals blooming all season long.