If we were having tea right now, I’d bring out a book to show you: I found it the other day in one of my garden book piles, and it got me all excited to get planting! The book is called “Creative Containers” by Paul Williams: it has beautiful photos, lots of interesting ideas for containers, and good practical advice.
Containers have become a mammoth planting trend, and why not? They are convenient for any available space, convenient for those who don’t have room for a garden, convenient for those who have limited time and ability, yet the possibilities are endless for what our containers may hold.
The first things we have to consider are the basic growing requirements of our plants: how much light they need, how much moisture they need, and what kind of soil they need. It is important to keep plants with similar requirements together. We wouldn’t want to plant a shade-loving plant like coleus in the same planter as a sun-worshipper like portulaca. Same goes for watering: plants that can tolerant dry conditions should have their own space away from plants that like to have damp feet.
We have to be practical and check out the conditions where our planters will be: if we are putting our planters on a balcony or deck that faces south, we want the sun-lovers! And you want the containers to be only as big as you can handle comfortably.
We also have to remember that because our planters only have limited soil to feed the plants, we will have to supply them with extra nutrients (fertilizers) to give them the maximum benefit and ability to grow in that small space and a relatively short growing season.
Okay, that’s the nickel refresher course about requirements! Now let me tell you about some of the amazing planters that are illustrated in Mr. William’s book. I share these ideas with you just to get us started in our planting imaginations, but once we start looking at the plants that are available to us this year, I know we’ll be inspired all over again!
Planting design incorporates colors, textures, upright plants, and trailing plans. One lovely image showed a grouping of three clay pots: the largest was bell shaped, and planted with purple agapanthus. These are flowers with foliage near the base of the plant, tall strong stems, and flower heads clustered at the top. Right next to this planter was a small round planter full of hens and chicks; and on the other side, a squat planter with another mounding succulent. It looked very unified because of several factors: the odd number of planters (always go for odd numbers in a grouping); the similar color and material of the planters (clay); and the similar growing habit of the plants. !
Another picture showed three dark brown identical planters in a row, each planted with one miniature sunflower. Very striking! Or how about this: a mass collection of planters at different heights, but all planted with red flowers: red begonias, red geraniums, red impatiens. They were all set close together but at different heights and what a smashing impact! And be on the lookout for quirky containers!
You get the idea; we can substitute whatever kind of plants we want, but the principles of repetition, color, shape of planters, and groupings can spark our imaginations as we shop!
And guess what! The Yorkton and District Horticultural Society has entered the electronic age and now has a website! Log on to www.yorktonhort.ca and you will be able to read about upcoming events and various gardening information from the group.The site is still being developed and more exciting features will be added in the weeks ahead, Check it out!
Tour your yard, it will change daily now!
