Even though it is still February and pretty cold outside, now might be a good time to give some thought to how you would like your containers to look this summer. Those who have either visited Driftwood or read about it will be aware that I have always loved and appreciated an eclectic mix of containers around the garden. Up until recently I probably had over 300 of various shapes, textures and sixes.
Quality over quantity
There is no question, garden pots and planters are incredibly flexible and allow you to move them around the plot creating different vistas but the older you get the harder it can become. So, I had to make the hard decision to reduce mine down and aim to go for quality rather than quantity. I’ve probably retained just over 100, which is still a lorra lorra pots!
The trick for me has always been to try and imagine in my mind what I want an area or corner of the garden to look like and then set about making it a reality with plants and ‘objets d’art’. I’ve often described my style of gardening as “dressing a film set.”
Container plants
So the big question, what can you grow in a container? Well, in my seasoned experience, you can grow anything from fruits, vegetables and herbs, annuals and perennials and shrubs and trees in a container. This means you can be very creative with your chosen plant combinations. It is worth noting though, that some plants may require special soil mixes, but most will do fine in an ordinary potting compost but in my experience that extra kick will come from feeding, which in my case means using Richard Jackson Flower Power Plant Food throughout the growing season.
Leafy wonders
The question most novice gardeners ask is what can I grow in a container? But for me it’s reverse thinking. I see a plant I like and decide to put it in a container and devote time to looking after it. Good examples of this are the two, medium sized gunnera plants that have been growing either side of the pond in the back garden, both growing in large containers. They are dramatic, a bit different for the smaller garden and work extremely well, providing some real drama to the plot. Be warned though on a hot day they do need a lot to drink!
A striking foliage plant that has pulled in lots of awards and I’ve had growing in a container in my garden for the last two summers is Senecio ‘Angel Wings’. Its large, silvery white leaves have a soft, downy texture and make it ideal for a sensory garden, but it will also make an eye-catching feature for a border or pot where it will thrive in a hot, sunny spot. It quickly forms a good-sized clump and will become tolerant of drought once established. It also tolerates salt-laden winds, so flourishes well in my coastal setting. To be on the safe side, I do house it inside the greenhouse for the winter.
Colourful containers
If it’s colour you are after in your containers then in my experience you can’t go far wrong with fuchsias. I’ve had both Fuchsia ‘Lena’ and Fuchsia ‘Pink Temptation’ (see main image) cascading down the back wall of the house from wall pots for many years now and they look pretty stunning. ‘Lena’ is a very vigorous, free-flowering trailer and very hardy. The foliage is pale to mid-green with toothed margins, reaching 24 to 30 inches in length. It bears single to semi-double flowers. ‘Pink Temptation’ is half hardy, an upright, bush variety but with a trailing habit and single, medium-size white with pink flush and reddish orange blossoms. There are many more to choose from too.
Adding drama
My garden is full of drama and looks very Mediterranean at times, through my extensive use of succulents, which are so good in containers. I have many types of agaves, in many sizes, which just love to be pot bound. I’ve recently purchased a Yucca thompsoniana, which is going to look very at home in the garden next summer. Another touch of Mediterranean colour and drama can be provided by some careful placed pots of cannas. They will overwinter in the ground in sheltered gardens but mine are kept in the greenhouse over the winter months.
In my book you can never fail with some old favourites in containers, notably geraniums, I love to plant them with some helichrysum and watch as the latter weaves it way through the plants knitting the whole thing together. Another great addition is a selection of brightly coloured gazanias.
At the end of the day, in my humble opinion, you just have to go with your instinct and do what you think is the most appropriate for your plot and I guarantee it will wow friends and family, so why not get planning now and aim to create some stunning displays this summer?
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