For a beautiful container garden, you need to consider 3 things: your container(s), your potting mix, and your plants.
Your container. Use the biggest planter you can reasonably accommodate; it gives your plant roots more room, and will make a bigger visual impact. Or, group planters of different sizes together, and plant with the same colors or kinds of plants for a unified look. Make sure your planters have drainage holes.
Your planting medium. Use a good quality potting mix. Mix in some water retention crystals, like Soil Moist. This will really pay off during those hot dry weeks when containers often need water twice a day. Add some slow release fertilizer, and you’re ready to plant. I use Pot Holes for added drainage.
Your plants. When selecting plants, consider their light needs, and whether your location is sunny or shady. Then get creative. A variety of flowers all in one color creates a serene atmosphere; select a variety of pastels for a cheerful look, or hot reds, yellows & orange for dramatic pop. Don’t over think this part. Have fun, choose what you like, and you’ll probably love the results.
Try one tall center plant for a focal point. Fill in the planter with your chosen colors, then to complete the look add a trailing plant like ivy or sweet potato vine. Don’t skimp, but leave some room for plants to fill in. For my shady deck, I might use a tall Caladium, surrounded by pink and white impatiens, and a trailing ivy. In my sunny front yard, I have 2 urns with tall Salvia surrounded by bright yellow moss roses, and intensely pink petunias. The jury’s still out on that one, I’ll post some pictures when it fills in, and you can vote!
Water, fertilize and deadhead frequently for lush, abundant blooms all summer long. When it’s hot out, check containers daily to see if they need water. A weak solution of water soluble fertilizer every week or two will keep things going strong.
Send us some pictures of your favorite container plantings. We’ll post the best ones for inspiration.
Great Containers:
