My neighbor’s hanging baskets and flowerpots are the envy of the neighborhood. She’s talented florist and decorator, Rhonda Sears. Recently, I asked her the secret of her always unique and beautiful floral containers and pots. Her answer, “One word, surprise. Find something unique and build your arrangement around that.” Ah, the artist’s eye.
Let me break down into five steps the process of creating beautiful and unique planters: (1) What is the purpose of the planter? (2) Where is the pot to be located? (3) What effect are you going for? (4) How is a healthy potting environment created? (5) What are the steps in maintaining the pot? We’ll also keep in mind Sears’ element of surprise.
Purpose:
There are lots of reasons to add potted flowers and window boxes to our gardens.
Masking a flaw: There may be that one area of one flower bed where your sweet pet enjoys soaking up the sun. Nothing gets a chance to grow there. A pretty pot of geraniums or begonias might discourage puppy and solve that problem. Or, that area beneath the old magnolia where sun seldom reaches; a large, dramatic pot of ferns and caladium could surprise the wandering eye.
Adding pizzazz: Does that flowerbed near the driveway need a bit of punch? How about an unusual pot that will liven up the area? Keep the planting simple with an unusual cluster of twigs or an antique garden tool as the focus. Perhaps the “pop” will come from the clustering of pots—vary the size or color, but stick to some unifying plants to retain the grouping effect.
Outdoor vacation for houseplants: I like to set out my sweet house plants once the warm weather truly sets in. They’ve kept us company all winter, and now they deserve a bit of natural light, not to mention some repotting, root freshening, and fertilizer. I find a spot with filtered light and protection from the wind and set out the dears for their summer vacation.
Location:
Just as with the transplanting of any plant, shrub, or tree, consider three basic issues when deciding on the setting for your pots and containers:
Sun and shade: After all your planning and efforts, you’ll want your lovely arrangements to thrive. For that to happen, the plants must get the amount of sunlight and shade they require—with very little deviation. That means choosing plants that share the same preferences and being sure you’ve carefully evaluated the locations you’re using. Additionally, it’s helpful to think about each location’s vulnerability to wind. Many plants can be affected by constant winds, even if it seems mild to us.
Size: I’ve found myself very disappointed after spending hours planting a pot of varied plants, only to find the whole effect looks positively puny in the location I had in mind. What may seem BIG in your potting shed, may look much smaller set near the towering, elegant Foxglove or Delphinium. Play around a bit with the pots you plan to use. Group them, arrange them, take pictures of a particular pot in several locations—before you load it with soil and plants.
Watering: When you finish creating your flowerpots, they’ll be heavy. You’re not going to want to move them very often. So, consider how you will water each pot. Will the hose reach? Must you bring a sprinkling can for the daily watering…will you do that?
Effect:
All the thought you’ve put into your pot-plans will pay off now. What are you really going for with these additions to your garden? As my florist neighbor, Sears says, “You want a thriller, a filler, and a spiller.” Something tall and unusual (the thriller), with lower and lush begonias or annuals to fill the planter, and some ivy or Creeping Jenny to spill over the pots’ edge, softening the effect.
Drama: My front porch is small and simple. I might want to add a tall pot with a few shade-tolerant plants for a memorable “welcome.” Or perhaps your patio needs some “zing.” A cluster of red and orange pots of varying sizes, filled with bright marigolds and stately yucca might be just the ticket.
Lushness: There always seems to be an uncooperative place in the garden that refuses to nurture the plants placed there, no matter how you look after them. By adding a few containers of varying sizes and material, you can disguise this “dead zone” as a lush and welcoming spot.
Planting and Maintaining:
You may already know the process of grouping plants in pots or containers, but I’ll do a quick review, in case there’s something I can offer that you may not have considered.
Prepare the pots: If the pots are new, remove any labels or potentially toxic substances stuck to the pot. Check for at least one good size drainage hole. If the new pot is glazed inside, line the pot with gardener’s cloth (a porous, usually black fabric) that will help maintain the proper pH balance in the soil and roots. If the pot has been used before, rinse it down. Be sure the drain hole(s) is clear.
Filling the pots: You’ll need potting soil—loose soil that will allow water to drain. There is a debate among gardeners as to putting pebbles in the bottom of the pot to aid in drainage. If the pot is quite large, some gardeners advise filling the bottom third of the pot with packing peanuts to lighten the pot. (I’ve done this and found no ill effects—pot and plants did well.)
Watering and fertilizing: Depending on the amount of sunshine the pot receives, water often enough so the plant’s roots are never too wet or too dry. Fertilize each time you water.
Deadheading: To encourage those pretty blooms, deadhead the plants—that is remove the dead blossoms. Avoid dropping the dead blossoms around the pot.
Whatever you decide to do with your planters and the plants that fill them, have fun. You’ll surprise yourself with the original ideas you’ll come up with.
