Container Gardens

Container gardens are a great place to exercise your gardening skill in places where you don’t have a lot of room or lack “earth” to plant in. If you want a garden on a busy city street, along a rooftop or on your balcony, containers are for you.

You can easily accentuate the look of a deck or patio by using decoratie pots of annuals, or load your window boxes up with shrub roses or your favorite perennials. Try arranging your pots in a group to give the space a massed effect or put the spotlight on a favorite spot by using jut one pot.

Use your imaginations when planning out your containers. Try using an old porcelain bowl, copper urn or antique planter. You can even make your own using any number of materials. If you buy your containers even the standard terracotta pots look great, but be aware that they tend to absorb water. If you do use them, you can paint the interior with a special sealer and this will help keep your plants from drying out. For those of you on a budget and using the cheap plastic pots, you can paint the insides of those with water based paint as well. When you buy your pots, don't forget to also get matching saucers. Using a saucer tocatch the overflow will save your cement floors from staining and your wood floors from rotting.

Container gardening is very versatile because it allows enables you to easily mix up your color scheme, and when one plants stops blooming you can easily put another in it‘s place. Whether you want to harmonize yoru colors or use a contrast, make sure you use plants that have a variety of heights. Don’t forget to take into consideration the shape and texture of the leaves. Tall leaves will present a good vertical background if you have low-growing, wide-leaved plants. For long lasting color, pick plants with a long flowering season, or make sure you have a variety with staggered bloom times so you always have color in your container garden.

For lush and healthy flowers always make sure you use a good quality potting mix in your containers. This will ensure that you get the best performance and color from your plants.

With containers, it’s important to plan ahead. Figure out where you want your pots and then make sure to purchase plants that will thrive in those locations. There is no point buying sun loving plants if you want to put them in the shade. They will not do well and you will be disappointed. Also be aware that some plants are large rooted and therefore best kept in an open garden.

One great place to put containers is at your entrance to your house. If you have large steps or a lot of space at the front door consider using containers there. Remember, a group of containers off to one side will look better than two similar planted pots placed on each side. Group the pots in odd numbers rather than even, and vary the height and type. Using Three or five pots that are the same type and color, but differ in size also looks great.

Container gardening can be fun for everyone and with a little bit of creativity and some determination, you can have a container garden that will enhance your home and make you feel great!