I talk to a lot of people who love to garden or enjoy
plants, but for whatever reason they can't commit to a landscape. Many live in
apartments and don't have the space. Others have a yard but don't have the
time. Gardening in containers is the solution to either problem. Whether they
are pots, troughs, buckets-or something else-anybody can get creative with
plants in a container.
Grow whatever your heart desires, be it salad greens,
herbs, shrubs, vines or flowers. You can even grow a small tree in the right
place. Or, go exotic with a mini-pond, complete with water lilies. Growing
plants in containers is one of the hottest trends in gardening right now
because of their versatility. Just about anywhere you go, you'll see striking
examples of beautiful plants in pots dotting the urban landscape.
To get started, determine the
size and function of your
potted garden. Be sure to observe the exposure your plants will get before
heading out to the nursery. Does the area get morning sun and afternoon
shade-or hot baking sun from early afternoon on? Let these factors guide your
plant selection. Growing shade-loving hostas on a west-facing balcony will
prove unsuccessful and only discourages your inner gardener.
If the area you want to garden in
is hot, select the
largest pots you have room for. Big pots hold more moisture in the soil on hot
days. If you plan on having several containers in a grouping, pick a variety of
sizes and shapes. There is a lot of leeway for creativity here. Try using
something besides a pot. An antique watering can or any unexpected object that
will hold soil and tolerate water will add pizzaz and personality to your
mini-garden. I've even seen old boots planted with posies-very quaint.
Then consider function.
Do you want your potted garden to
be a barrier to noise and traffic, or to provide flavor for the table? Or is it
there simply to elevate the spirit? Here are some suggestions.
For screening
To
create a visual barrier, evergreen shrubs like
juniper, cypress or cryptomeria work in sunny spots; try a camellia if you have
shade. Bamboo in a pot creates an elegant screen and grows well in many
situations.
For eating
Salad greens are easy to grow in pots
from seed or from
starts. Pick a container that is wider than it is tall, since greens don't have
very deep roots and need the space above ground to produce abundant tasty
leaves. Herbs are a traditional pot plant because they are tough and easy to
grow. Rosemary, sage, mint, oregano, basil and chives are all good candidates.
Plant Selection
Pick a combination of plants with flowers and plants with
interesting leaves. Good-looking leaves ensure that your container garden
remains attractive after the blooming plants slow down. Include evergreen
plants in the mix so you'll have a garden that takes you through the winter
months. Here's an idea: use one good-sized evergreen plant like a cypress or
New Zealand flax, then change the blooming plants growing around its base
seasonally. Colorful summer-flowering annuals will take you through August and
can be replaced with pansies in fall.
The variety of plants you can grow in containers is
mind-boggling. I've seen a number of nurseries this year that stock
"pot-stuffers." These are smaller starts of foliage plants and
flowers in two-inch pots rather than the traditional four-inch. This makes it
easier to jam lots of fun stuff into your pots. They are also less expensive.
Old-fashioned annuals
like coleus-with its fantastic
foliage-and creeping Charlie or zinnias are widely available. Exciting new
brand-name plants by Proven Winners(r) or Simply Beautiful(r) are grown
specifically for potted displays. Many people also include favorite perennials
in their container gardens. While they don't bloom as long as annuals, they can
add an understated elegance to your design. Perennials with colored foliage do
double-duty, looking great when not in flower. There's even a clematis vine
grown specifically because it thrives in a pot that's new at nurseries this summer.
Don't forget
the importance of texture in your choices.
Variety in shape, color and texture entertains the eye, so include some spiky
plants-such as ornamental grasses-with your leafy and flowering ones. Tuck in a
trailing plant that will spill over the sides of the pot to soften the overall
effect.
The sight and sound of water can really enhance your
mini-garden experience. When you come home from a long day and go out to your
patio to relax, the sound of a burbling fountain will take you far away from
the rat race.
Whether you have a small balcony or patio or you're just
on the go, gardening in containers allows you to get your hands in the dirt and
create beauty with plants. The bottom line is this: pick plants that you love
and that thrive in the conditions you can provide and you'll never go wrong.
Getting creative with container gardening is all about making yourself happy.
