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Posts Tagged ‘Container Garden’
No Excuses – Get Started in Container Gardening
Thomas Fyrd asked:
If you have a natural inclination to garden, but live in an
apartment or somewhere with little space to have a full garden,
you can still grow plants by using containers. They can be hung,
or set on your patio, window sill, or balcony. Adding some
greenery to your home will instantly make it look nicer.
If you use containers that are not too big or heavy, they are
easy to rearrange as needed. Sometimes you’ll just want a
chance, or maybe for practical reasons you need to move some
plants around. It is much easier than transplanting plants in a
traditional garden! As long as the plant receives about the same
amount of light, there should be no problems. Another benefit to
container gardening is that you can grow almost any type of
plant. You will simply need to give it the conditions it needs
to grow in, including the right soil type, temperature, amount of
sunlight, and nutrients. You can plan all of this out before
hand and place the plant where in the location that will give it
the best chance of a healthy life.
It looks nice to have plants at different levels. You can hang
them or place them on supports. If you don’t have a lot of
space, hanging the plants is very desirable because it doesn’t
take up any floor space. You will have a beautiful “vertical
garden” with plenty of space to enjoy it. Besides hanging the
plants, you can use a wooden stepladder to start a vertical
garden. You can have one plant on each level of the ladder.
Since you have to water each container individually, the
maintenance will be slightly higher than in a traditional garden.
You will have to water more often as well. You’ll probably have
less plants in your container garden than a typical outside
garden though, so the time and effort should even out. Even
though you need to water often, don’t water too often. The
plants will not be healthy if they receive too much, or too
little water.
You should buy some extra containers in case some break or you
decide to add more plants than you initially planned. The style
of the containers should match, but they should not all look the
same. Having different sizes and shapes, with colors that
compliment each other is ideal. Plastic containers are the
easiest to maintain, and you won
If you have a natural inclination to garden, but live in an
apartment or somewhere with little space to have a full garden,
you can still grow plants by using containers. They can be hung,
or set on your patio, window sill, or balcony. Adding some
greenery to your home will instantly make it look nicer.
If you use containers that are not too big or heavy, they are
easy to rearrange as needed. Sometimes you’ll just want a
chance, or maybe for practical reasons you need to move some
plants around. It is much easier than transplanting plants in a
traditional garden! As long as the plant receives about the same
amount of light, there should be no problems. Another benefit to
container gardening is that you can grow almost any type of
plant. You will simply need to give it the conditions it needs
to grow in, including the right soil type, temperature, amount of
sunlight, and nutrients. You can plan all of this out before
hand and place the plant where in the location that will give it
the best chance of a healthy life.
It looks nice to have plants at different levels. You can hang
them or place them on supports. If you don’t have a lot of
space, hanging the plants is very desirable because it doesn’t
take up any floor space. You will have a beautiful “vertical
garden” with plenty of space to enjoy it. Besides hanging the
plants, you can use a wooden stepladder to start a vertical
garden. You can have one plant on each level of the ladder.
Since you have to water each container individually, the
maintenance will be slightly higher than in a traditional garden.
You will have to water more often as well. You’ll probably have
less plants in your container garden than a typical outside
garden though, so the time and effort should even out. Even
though you need to water often, don’t water too often. The
plants will not be healthy if they receive too much, or too
little water.
You should buy some extra containers in case some break or you
decide to add more plants than you initially planned. The style
of the containers should match, but they should not all look the
same. Having different sizes and shapes, with colors that
compliment each other is ideal. Plastic containers are the
easiest to maintain, and you won
A Quick Guide To Container Gardening
Sally Robson asked:
If you are a garden lover, but have no space for your gardening, don’t worry, gardening is not necessarily out of your reach. In the available space of your house, say balcony, patio, deck, or sunny window, you can create a container garden, which will not only bring you joy, but also vegetables. So, why not start container gardening yourself?
In the past, gardening has been exclusively associated with large pieces of land. Nowadays, even the flat dweller can grow a dream garden, without having any fuss. One’s dream can be fulfilled, by container gardening, which means the gardening is done in a special container, in restricted areas. Container gardening provides all the delights of gardening, without weekly mowing and maintenance. Gardening in a container, allows you to grow perennials, annuals, vegetables and even shrubs and small trees.
Container gardening can be achieved very easily. For those who do not have access to a plot of land, this method allows the land to be transferred to a convenient site. Just as with normal gardening, container gardening also requires proper planning. Planning consists of finding your suitable place, the right sized container, the soil and the most suitable types of plants.
It is always advisable to buy the plants from nearest nursery, unless you have perfect conditions, to go for indoor seedlings. With this type of gardening, you should be careful to not keep the tender plants outside, below 45
If you are a garden lover, but have no space for your gardening, don’t worry, gardening is not necessarily out of your reach. In the available space of your house, say balcony, patio, deck, or sunny window, you can create a container garden, which will not only bring you joy, but also vegetables. So, why not start container gardening yourself?
In the past, gardening has been exclusively associated with large pieces of land. Nowadays, even the flat dweller can grow a dream garden, without having any fuss. One’s dream can be fulfilled, by container gardening, which means the gardening is done in a special container, in restricted areas. Container gardening provides all the delights of gardening, without weekly mowing and maintenance. Gardening in a container, allows you to grow perennials, annuals, vegetables and even shrubs and small trees.
Container gardening can be achieved very easily. For those who do not have access to a plot of land, this method allows the land to be transferred to a convenient site. Just as with normal gardening, container gardening also requires proper planning. Planning consists of finding your suitable place, the right sized container, the soil and the most suitable types of plants.
It is always advisable to buy the plants from nearest nursery, unless you have perfect conditions, to go for indoor seedlings. With this type of gardening, you should be careful to not keep the tender plants outside, below 45
Container Gardening Basics For Success
Jude C Wright asked:
Container Gardening is becoming more and more popular as the population of cities and suburbs increases. Your “garden” is movable and so it is easier to manage pests and garden environments. It also reduces the time that you need to tend to your plants because you can place them where they are easier for you to reach. This is especially good for people who are handicapped but still want a garden.
There are some things that are necessary in order to have a successful container garden.
First, you must have a container. You can find them in almost every size, shape and they can be made of many different materials. And, they can be very inexpensive, especially when you create them from “found” objects. You must make sure that the container that you choose has adequate drainage.
Make sure that your container is appropriate for your plant’s full-grown size. You don’t want to have to keep changing pots as your garden grows.
Soil is the next thing you have to have for your garden. I’m sorry, but you can’t go outside and dig up some dirt. It will be much too heavy and will probably contain lots of bugs and pests that you don’t need. The soil must be of good quality to keep your plants healthy and growing well. Buy potting mix that drains well but still is able to retain adequate moisture. The mix shouldn’t be so light that it won’t hold the plant and root system in the container without propping the plant up.
You can mix your own potting soil by using one part compost; one part perlite and one part garden loam. Be sure that you inspect the loam for pests before using it.
Choose plants that do not have very large root systems. Those plants will soon get too large for the pot that you have planted them in, even to the point of breaking it. As I mentioned before, not sizing the plant to the pot (or the pot to the plant), can cause plants to be spindly and root-bound.
Tomatoes are a good choice for a new gardener because they are easy to grow and have a strong, but small, root system. Other vegetables that are appropriate are peppers, lettuce, spinach, radishes and eggplant.
Herbs are also an excellent choice for container gardens. Herb gardens don’t require much space and they are extremely easy to grow, even for the novice gardener. Like most plants, they do require adequate drainage to grow them successfully.
Some people use container gardens as decorating accents as well as for growing vegetables for the dinner table. Choosing containers that fit with the style of the area you want them in enhances its ambiance. You might even want to use them in a specific area inside your home. Sunrooms come to mind as a great place to grow plants. Do make sure there is adequate sun and shade for your plants.
MiniGarden.org
Container Gardening is becoming more and more popular as the population of cities and suburbs increases. Your “garden” is movable and so it is easier to manage pests and garden environments. It also reduces the time that you need to tend to your plants because you can place them where they are easier for you to reach. This is especially good for people who are handicapped but still want a garden.
There are some things that are necessary in order to have a successful container garden.
First, you must have a container. You can find them in almost every size, shape and they can be made of many different materials. And, they can be very inexpensive, especially when you create them from “found” objects. You must make sure that the container that you choose has adequate drainage.
Make sure that your container is appropriate for your plant’s full-grown size. You don’t want to have to keep changing pots as your garden grows.
Soil is the next thing you have to have for your garden. I’m sorry, but you can’t go outside and dig up some dirt. It will be much too heavy and will probably contain lots of bugs and pests that you don’t need. The soil must be of good quality to keep your plants healthy and growing well. Buy potting mix that drains well but still is able to retain adequate moisture. The mix shouldn’t be so light that it won’t hold the plant and root system in the container without propping the plant up.
You can mix your own potting soil by using one part compost; one part perlite and one part garden loam. Be sure that you inspect the loam for pests before using it.
Choose plants that do not have very large root systems. Those plants will soon get too large for the pot that you have planted them in, even to the point of breaking it. As I mentioned before, not sizing the plant to the pot (or the pot to the plant), can cause plants to be spindly and root-bound.
Tomatoes are a good choice for a new gardener because they are easy to grow and have a strong, but small, root system. Other vegetables that are appropriate are peppers, lettuce, spinach, radishes and eggplant.
Herbs are also an excellent choice for container gardens. Herb gardens don’t require much space and they are extremely easy to grow, even for the novice gardener. Like most plants, they do require adequate drainage to grow them successfully.
Some people use container gardens as decorating accents as well as for growing vegetables for the dinner table. Choosing containers that fit with the style of the area you want them in enhances its ambiance. You might even want to use them in a specific area inside your home. Sunrooms come to mind as a great place to grow plants. Do make sure there is adequate sun and shade for your plants.
MiniGarden.org
New Gardeners Guide to Planting a Container Garden
Jude C Wright asked:
Container gardens give those people who don’t have yards or room for a “regular” garden a way to grow the gardens they crave. Now, they can have a garden on a deck, patio or in a window box or even inside their houses. All types of plants can be grown: vegetables, shrubs, roses, annuals, perennials. The list is endless.
Containers filled with colorful foliage and flowers can really brighten the home, indoors and out. You can have any color scheme that you wish, with colors that harmonize or contrast with your existing home colors. Even just having plant foliage without flowers can liven up a drab house.
When you are choosing plants for your container garden, think about the height of your plants in relation to where you plan to put them. Planting a tall plant or shrub in a window box could block the view from inside a window. Flowering plants should have a long blooming season so that you don’t have to change them out too frequently.
The containers that you choose also make a difference in the feel of the finished garden. You can be creative and use everything from terracotta pots to large dishes to old oaken buckets. You are only limited by your imagination. Pay attention to the material that the pot is made of. Some materials (such as terracotta) may need to be sealed or painted so that they don’t leach all of the water away from the plants.
If purchasing pots for indoors or deck and patio use, you will need to have saucers or plates for them to set on. Otherwise, you will have water and dirt stains on your floors. I have even seen some decks that have rotting wood because of water damage from potted plants.
Never, ever use garden dirt in your plantings. It is essential that you use a high quality potting mix. This will guard against the pests and diseases that you would get from garden soil and will ensure the best possible performance from your plants.
Do you know where you will be locating your plants? Make a plan about where your container garden will be, and then purchase the plants and containers to fit into that area. You also need to determine whether the area is shady or sunny before you purchase your plants. Shade-loving plants will not do well in direct sunlight and vice-versa.
You should also pay attention to the root size of your plants. Those that have a large root system will not be suitable for growing in pots — even if they are large pots.
You may not have much room for plants in the front of your home. However, you can still place a couple of medium-sized flower pots on both sides of the door or front steps. The flowering plants will make a beautiful statement about your home. The plants and flowers don’t need to match exactly. In fact, it’s better if they are of differently varieties. This will give the front of your home more character.
If you are grouping plants in an area, it’s best to group them in odd numbers. You should also vary the height and type of plants. You can unite the dissimilar plants by placing them in similar pots and by adding stones or rocks that are alike in type and color.
By using creativity and common sense you can grow a beautiful garden even if you don’t have the normal outdoor space that a normal outdoor garden requires.
Mini Garden
Container gardens give those people who don’t have yards or room for a “regular” garden a way to grow the gardens they crave. Now, they can have a garden on a deck, patio or in a window box or even inside their houses. All types of plants can be grown: vegetables, shrubs, roses, annuals, perennials. The list is endless.
Containers filled with colorful foliage and flowers can really brighten the home, indoors and out. You can have any color scheme that you wish, with colors that harmonize or contrast with your existing home colors. Even just having plant foliage without flowers can liven up a drab house.
When you are choosing plants for your container garden, think about the height of your plants in relation to where you plan to put them. Planting a tall plant or shrub in a window box could block the view from inside a window. Flowering plants should have a long blooming season so that you don’t have to change them out too frequently.
The containers that you choose also make a difference in the feel of the finished garden. You can be creative and use everything from terracotta pots to large dishes to old oaken buckets. You are only limited by your imagination. Pay attention to the material that the pot is made of. Some materials (such as terracotta) may need to be sealed or painted so that they don’t leach all of the water away from the plants.
If purchasing pots for indoors or deck and patio use, you will need to have saucers or plates for them to set on. Otherwise, you will have water and dirt stains on your floors. I have even seen some decks that have rotting wood because of water damage from potted plants.
Never, ever use garden dirt in your plantings. It is essential that you use a high quality potting mix. This will guard against the pests and diseases that you would get from garden soil and will ensure the best possible performance from your plants.
Do you know where you will be locating your plants? Make a plan about where your container garden will be, and then purchase the plants and containers to fit into that area. You also need to determine whether the area is shady or sunny before you purchase your plants. Shade-loving plants will not do well in direct sunlight and vice-versa.
You should also pay attention to the root size of your plants. Those that have a large root system will not be suitable for growing in pots — even if they are large pots.
You may not have much room for plants in the front of your home. However, you can still place a couple of medium-sized flower pots on both sides of the door or front steps. The flowering plants will make a beautiful statement about your home. The plants and flowers don’t need to match exactly. In fact, it’s better if they are of differently varieties. This will give the front of your home more character.
If you are grouping plants in an area, it’s best to group them in odd numbers. You should also vary the height and type of plants. You can unite the dissimilar plants by placing them in similar pots and by adding stones or rocks that are alike in type and color.
By using creativity and common sense you can grow a beautiful garden even if you don’t have the normal outdoor space that a normal outdoor garden requires.
Mini Garden
Tips For Growing a Container Herb Garden
Lee Dobbins asked:
Planting a container herb garden provides advantages that cannot be achieved through growing herbs in your garden. Container herb gardening provides the mobility necessary to protect your herbs from harsh outdoor weather and seasonal conditions, as well as predatory animals and insects. You will enjoy cultivating your herbs year-round in a more stable and forgiving environment than can be achieved through outdoor planting.
But potting herbs in a container is not an easy task. You have to spend a bit more time making sure the soil has the right amount of water and that the container receives the right amount of sunlight for your plants.
Many herbs are not picky about the pots that they are grown in and this is fortunate for those of us starting a herb container garden. Basil and rosemary can be grown in an old, chipped teapot or an empty coffee can. Thyme can grow in a small terracotta clay pot. Other herbs that love containers are dill, mint, sage and lavender.
The most important item to consider are your seeds; seeds must be of good quality and in good condition- remember like any organic substance they are subject to decay. Airborne spores may also contaminate seeds, and oxygen reacts with compounds in the seed. Safeguard against problems with your seeds by following the freshness dates on packages and avoid using any damp packages.
It is very important to select the best locations for your container herb garden. To choose the best location, you need to find out what type of exposure the plant will need. While some do very well in partial shade, other plants need much more sun. For example, Basil requires warm soil in addition to dry air and is sensitive to the cold. If you choose to grow the plant indoors, it will need to be close to a window to get enough light, but be cautious not to put it near a frosty window in the winter.
When choosing where to place your plants, keep in mind that in the Northern Hemisphere, sunlight enters in at an angle more from the south. Therefore, plants that need a lot of sun will benefit from being placed where they will have southern exposure. For the plants that need partial shade should be placed on the northern side or you can position them in an area away from the window that is more shady.
It is just essential to prepare the soil with a proper mix of sand and clay. In order to keep it at the most suitable moisture content as much as possible, specially in a container, it is advisable also to apply clay chips, although it may perform its job so well by absorbing and holding water for longer periods than what is necessary.
It is important to water the correct way. Container plants commonly develop a problem called root rot from too much moisture. Some plants like to be wet constantly, but most herbs prefer a dryer soil. Sage, for example, likes a dry soil, whereas peppermint likes it moist.
Remember that to be moist is not to be soaked. Moist soil should feel springy, while dry soil is hard. Next, you can use a toothpick or a moisture gauge to stick in the soil. When you remove the toothpick you will be able to tell if the soil is wet or dry. The gauge’s reading will be more useful and more precise, though.
Some thoughtful planning prior to planting, will enable you to have a container herb garden that is easier to grow and maintain.
Container Gardening
Planting a container herb garden provides advantages that cannot be achieved through growing herbs in your garden. Container herb gardening provides the mobility necessary to protect your herbs from harsh outdoor weather and seasonal conditions, as well as predatory animals and insects. You will enjoy cultivating your herbs year-round in a more stable and forgiving environment than can be achieved through outdoor planting.
But potting herbs in a container is not an easy task. You have to spend a bit more time making sure the soil has the right amount of water and that the container receives the right amount of sunlight for your plants.
Many herbs are not picky about the pots that they are grown in and this is fortunate for those of us starting a herb container garden. Basil and rosemary can be grown in an old, chipped teapot or an empty coffee can. Thyme can grow in a small terracotta clay pot. Other herbs that love containers are dill, mint, sage and lavender.
The most important item to consider are your seeds; seeds must be of good quality and in good condition- remember like any organic substance they are subject to decay. Airborne spores may also contaminate seeds, and oxygen reacts with compounds in the seed. Safeguard against problems with your seeds by following the freshness dates on packages and avoid using any damp packages.
It is very important to select the best locations for your container herb garden. To choose the best location, you need to find out what type of exposure the plant will need. While some do very well in partial shade, other plants need much more sun. For example, Basil requires warm soil in addition to dry air and is sensitive to the cold. If you choose to grow the plant indoors, it will need to be close to a window to get enough light, but be cautious not to put it near a frosty window in the winter.
When choosing where to place your plants, keep in mind that in the Northern Hemisphere, sunlight enters in at an angle more from the south. Therefore, plants that need a lot of sun will benefit from being placed where they will have southern exposure. For the plants that need partial shade should be placed on the northern side or you can position them in an area away from the window that is more shady.
It is just essential to prepare the soil with a proper mix of sand and clay. In order to keep it at the most suitable moisture content as much as possible, specially in a container, it is advisable also to apply clay chips, although it may perform its job so well by absorbing and holding water for longer periods than what is necessary.
It is important to water the correct way. Container plants commonly develop a problem called root rot from too much moisture. Some plants like to be wet constantly, but most herbs prefer a dryer soil. Sage, for example, likes a dry soil, whereas peppermint likes it moist.
Remember that to be moist is not to be soaked. Moist soil should feel springy, while dry soil is hard. Next, you can use a toothpick or a moisture gauge to stick in the soil. When you remove the toothpick you will be able to tell if the soil is wet or dry. The gauge’s reading will be more useful and more precise, though.
Some thoughtful planning prior to planting, will enable you to have a container herb garden that is easier to grow and maintain.
Container Gardening
Top 10 Reasons For Raised-Bed Gardening and Container Gardening
Brok McFerron asked:
Every year, many people attempt gardening the traditional way and fail. Traditional gardening to us means digging long rows in your backyard, planting, watering, weeding constantly, and controlling pests. Container and raised-bed gardening offers many advantages over traditional gardening. Here are our top 10 benefits of container and raised-bed gardening.
1. No Weeding – Save countless hours of drudgery compared to traditional gardening by having little or no weeding in a container garden. By starting with new soil in your containers, you don’t have any weeds from the beginning. Placing the containers or raised beds higher off the ground means fewer weed seeds can reach your container garden. When you do get the occasional weed, it’s easy to pull out of the loose soil.
2. No Fertilizer – Using the right raised bed garden mixture with 1/3 course vermiculite, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 compost you don’t have to fertilize. Just top off your container or raised bed each year with compost and that’s it.
3. Greater Yield and Variety In A Small Space – Due to the loose soil and no walking area, you can grow a variety of produce right next to each other. This is where you can really take advantage of companion planting.
4. No Soil Compaction – Container gardens don’t allow gardeners to walk in the growing area. This prevents soil compaction which hurts the plant roots and limits growth.
5. Garden Where You Want – You can garden close to your house, on a deck, balcony, or patio. You can move some containers around depending on the season or your tastes.
6. Healthy Organic Produce With No Pesticides – If everything you put in your container garden is organic, including the seeds, then you know what you have grown is organic. You won’t need to use pesticides.
7. Garden Without Bending Over (Unless You Really Want To) – Container gardens can be set up at waist height. That way you do not have to bend over and container gardens can be made wheelchair accessible as well.
8. Save Water and Water Less Often – The container gardening mixture of compost, vermiculite, and peat moss can retain more moisture than backyard soil. Once your raised bed garden is fairly saturated, you don’t need to water as often.
9. No Digging Or Soil Testing – Just fill your container with the soil mixture you bought and you don’t have to dig anything up and there is no need to test the soil.
10. Save Time And Have More Success – Put in fewer hours and get more produce for your gardening time.
Have fun and enjoy your success by gardening in containers and raised beds. Its quite addicting and you can grow in them year round by selecting the right varieties, depending on your climate zone.
container garden
Every year, many people attempt gardening the traditional way and fail. Traditional gardening to us means digging long rows in your backyard, planting, watering, weeding constantly, and controlling pests. Container and raised-bed gardening offers many advantages over traditional gardening. Here are our top 10 benefits of container and raised-bed gardening.
1. No Weeding – Save countless hours of drudgery compared to traditional gardening by having little or no weeding in a container garden. By starting with new soil in your containers, you don’t have any weeds from the beginning. Placing the containers or raised beds higher off the ground means fewer weed seeds can reach your container garden. When you do get the occasional weed, it’s easy to pull out of the loose soil.
2. No Fertilizer – Using the right raised bed garden mixture with 1/3 course vermiculite, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 compost you don’t have to fertilize. Just top off your container or raised bed each year with compost and that’s it.
3. Greater Yield and Variety In A Small Space – Due to the loose soil and no walking area, you can grow a variety of produce right next to each other. This is where you can really take advantage of companion planting.
4. No Soil Compaction – Container gardens don’t allow gardeners to walk in the growing area. This prevents soil compaction which hurts the plant roots and limits growth.
5. Garden Where You Want – You can garden close to your house, on a deck, balcony, or patio. You can move some containers around depending on the season or your tastes.
6. Healthy Organic Produce With No Pesticides – If everything you put in your container garden is organic, including the seeds, then you know what you have grown is organic. You won’t need to use pesticides.
7. Garden Without Bending Over (Unless You Really Want To) – Container gardens can be set up at waist height. That way you do not have to bend over and container gardens can be made wheelchair accessible as well.
8. Save Water and Water Less Often – The container gardening mixture of compost, vermiculite, and peat moss can retain more moisture than backyard soil. Once your raised bed garden is fairly saturated, you don’t need to water as often.
9. No Digging Or Soil Testing – Just fill your container with the soil mixture you bought and you don’t have to dig anything up and there is no need to test the soil.
10. Save Time And Have More Success – Put in fewer hours and get more produce for your gardening time.
Have fun and enjoy your success by gardening in containers and raised beds. Its quite addicting and you can grow in them year round by selecting the right varieties, depending on your climate zone.
container garden
How the Experts Use Containers in a Container Garden
Sarah Nabila asked:
Containers can be used anywhere in the garden and are particularly useful for people who have no proper beds or borders. They can be placed on the ground, stood on plinths or walls, hung from poles or walls or stood on balconies and roof gardens.
Pots can be used singly as focal points placed at the end of paths or on the top of steps. A large, stunning pot containing a plant with good architectural qualities will certainly draw the eye.
Used in pairs, pots make good punctuation points when places on either side of gateways, archways or other entrances. A pair of terracotta pots containing standard box trees on either side of a front door can transform the entrance into something very stylish. Similarly, a pair of pots on either side of the bottom or top of a flight of stairs is very effective.
When arranged in groups, pots tend to look best if they are different sizes, especially if the plants at the back are taller than those at the front. In formal gardens, a series of containers with similar content can be placed at intervals down a path or around a pool.
Pots can be moved around the garden, giving you the opportunity to change the scene throughout the seasons. Plants that are out of flower can be tucked away and brought out when the blooms break open. They can also be moved into areas of a border or bed that happen to be rather dull at the time. Large pots are very heavy once full of soil, so it is important to get help when moving them.
What can be used as container plants? A wide range of plants can be used in containers. In fact, virtually any plant is suitable, although those with long taproots tend to be unhappy unless the pot is really deep.
Some plants are used almost exclusively in containers. Trailing plants, for example, have been bred especially for hanging baskets and window boxes. Although annuals are the most popular for temporary baskets, which last for only one season, perennials can be useful for more permanent settings.
Many, such as agapanthus, are flowering, but some, such as hostas and ferns, are used as foliage plants to add substance to any grouping of pots.
Grow A Plant
Containers can be used anywhere in the garden and are particularly useful for people who have no proper beds or borders. They can be placed on the ground, stood on plinths or walls, hung from poles or walls or stood on balconies and roof gardens.
Pots can be used singly as focal points placed at the end of paths or on the top of steps. A large, stunning pot containing a plant with good architectural qualities will certainly draw the eye.
Used in pairs, pots make good punctuation points when places on either side of gateways, archways or other entrances. A pair of terracotta pots containing standard box trees on either side of a front door can transform the entrance into something very stylish. Similarly, a pair of pots on either side of the bottom or top of a flight of stairs is very effective.
When arranged in groups, pots tend to look best if they are different sizes, especially if the plants at the back are taller than those at the front. In formal gardens, a series of containers with similar content can be placed at intervals down a path or around a pool.
Pots can be moved around the garden, giving you the opportunity to change the scene throughout the seasons. Plants that are out of flower can be tucked away and brought out when the blooms break open. They can also be moved into areas of a border or bed that happen to be rather dull at the time. Large pots are very heavy once full of soil, so it is important to get help when moving them.
What can be used as container plants? A wide range of plants can be used in containers. In fact, virtually any plant is suitable, although those with long taproots tend to be unhappy unless the pot is really deep.
Some plants are used almost exclusively in containers. Trailing plants, for example, have been bred especially for hanging baskets and window boxes. Although annuals are the most popular for temporary baskets, which last for only one season, perennials can be useful for more permanent settings.
Many, such as agapanthus, are flowering, but some, such as hostas and ferns, are used as foliage plants to add substance to any grouping of pots.
Grow A Plant
Making Indoor Herb Gardening Simple
Luvi Marie Corcuera asked:
It can be a fun hobby or it just be functional, indoor herb gardening definitely has many uses. If you have no idea what indoor herb gardening is, well it’s simply the cultivating and growing of herbs for either medicinal, culinary or ornate purposes inside the home. Indoor herb gardens are for the majority grown in containers which are placed near windows or areas where there is exposure to the sun. Indoor herb gardening has a multitude of benefits and these can include the convenience of having fresh herbs readily available for your kitchen or for your medicinal needs. As a cooking need, the availability of an indoor herb garden in your own kitchen is sometimes indispensable especially if you need herbs all the time.
Guides For Planting Herbs In Containers
In today’s age of instant everything, an indoor herb container garden sometimes becomes a necessity and the good news is that it is actually quite easy to have one. Pots with pre-measured soil, seeds and nutrients are being sold in many stores and this makes it easy to have an indoor herb container garden in your own kitchen.
There are a few simple tips you should be aware of when planting herbs and one of these is being careful when you place the herb seeds in the soil. Placing them too deep could translate to the them not growing well whilst too shallow could mean that the roots would not get a firm grip on the soil and easily be toppled over. When you start off your indoor herb gardening project, you will need to ensure that a thin layer of sandy soil or even gravel is placed at the bottom of the container pot. Doing this will allow for proper drainage so that the pot will not be water logged. Many of the common herbs really do not want too much water being maintained in the pot so this point should be taken seriously. At the bottom of the pot, it is of course necessary to have holes to facilitate the proper drainage needs. For some, they may even prefer to place additional pieces of chips or tree bark as part of the potting mix. This technique does the job of not only providing excellent drainage for the pot, it also gives additional organic matter into the pot which provides added nutrients as it decomposes and thus improving the chances of a successful indoor herb gardening project.
A few other things you may want to do is to ensure that your pot’s soil is ever so slightly moist at least until the herb seeds have germinated. This can be done by misting the soil around two or three times each day. Like most plants, indoor herb gardens need sunlight and as such the herb plants should be exposed to sunlight for a few hours a day. By providing exposure to sunlight the plants are coax out of their seeds. As a matter of fact most herbs enjoy sunlight so ensure that they get an abundant amount everyday, and for many reasons this is why the window sill is an ideal place to put the indoor herb garden.
These simple tips for indoor herb gardening would be useful for many especially for the novice gardeners who would want to try out indoor herb gardening at home. By following the steps above, you will ensure that your efforts in having your very own indoor herb garden will be beneficial to you and ease a lot of your stress.
Container Gardening
It can be a fun hobby or it just be functional, indoor herb gardening definitely has many uses. If you have no idea what indoor herb gardening is, well it’s simply the cultivating and growing of herbs for either medicinal, culinary or ornate purposes inside the home. Indoor herb gardens are for the majority grown in containers which are placed near windows or areas where there is exposure to the sun. Indoor herb gardening has a multitude of benefits and these can include the convenience of having fresh herbs readily available for your kitchen or for your medicinal needs. As a cooking need, the availability of an indoor herb garden in your own kitchen is sometimes indispensable especially if you need herbs all the time.
Guides For Planting Herbs In Containers
In today’s age of instant everything, an indoor herb container garden sometimes becomes a necessity and the good news is that it is actually quite easy to have one. Pots with pre-measured soil, seeds and nutrients are being sold in many stores and this makes it easy to have an indoor herb container garden in your own kitchen.
There are a few simple tips you should be aware of when planting herbs and one of these is being careful when you place the herb seeds in the soil. Placing them too deep could translate to the them not growing well whilst too shallow could mean that the roots would not get a firm grip on the soil and easily be toppled over. When you start off your indoor herb gardening project, you will need to ensure that a thin layer of sandy soil or even gravel is placed at the bottom of the container pot. Doing this will allow for proper drainage so that the pot will not be water logged. Many of the common herbs really do not want too much water being maintained in the pot so this point should be taken seriously. At the bottom of the pot, it is of course necessary to have holes to facilitate the proper drainage needs. For some, they may even prefer to place additional pieces of chips or tree bark as part of the potting mix. This technique does the job of not only providing excellent drainage for the pot, it also gives additional organic matter into the pot which provides added nutrients as it decomposes and thus improving the chances of a successful indoor herb gardening project.
A few other things you may want to do is to ensure that your pot’s soil is ever so slightly moist at least until the herb seeds have germinated. This can be done by misting the soil around two or three times each day. Like most plants, indoor herb gardens need sunlight and as such the herb plants should be exposed to sunlight for a few hours a day. By providing exposure to sunlight the plants are coax out of their seeds. As a matter of fact most herbs enjoy sunlight so ensure that they get an abundant amount everyday, and for many reasons this is why the window sill is an ideal place to put the indoor herb garden.
These simple tips for indoor herb gardening would be useful for many especially for the novice gardeners who would want to try out indoor herb gardening at home. By following the steps above, you will ensure that your efforts in having your very own indoor herb garden will be beneficial to you and ease a lot of your stress.
Container Gardening
Planning A New Vegetable Garden
Dan Turner asked:
Looking to start a garden? Gardening season is upon us again. This is my favorite time of the year! Whether you are planting on a existing garden plot, or are moving your garden to another area, or just starting from scratch, there a few things you will need to consider in order to get your new vegetable garden going. Plan that new garden early!
First, consider what you would like to plant. Corn? Tomatoes? Cucumbers? Depending on what you decide will bring you to some other questions.
Do you know what if any amendments your soil may need? Now would be a good time for a soil test, so you can add any nutrients well before planting season.
Questions like, what size should my garden be? If you want corn in your garden, then you will need a larger space, verses planting onions, which requires little space at all. Just remember that if you are new to gardening, you may want to start with a smaller garden until you gain some experience. The larger the garden, the more work involved. And then that takes you to where would be a good location, and is that location sunny or shaded?
Once these questions are answered, then the land will need to be prepared, and next off to purchase your seeds or plants!
The key to having a great garden in pre-planning. Be sure to ask yourself questions, or visit your local gardening center before starting on a new vegetable garden, and you will be on your way to great tasting, fresh vegetables from your garden to your table.
container garden
Looking to start a garden? Gardening season is upon us again. This is my favorite time of the year! Whether you are planting on a existing garden plot, or are moving your garden to another area, or just starting from scratch, there a few things you will need to consider in order to get your new vegetable garden going. Plan that new garden early!
First, consider what you would like to plant. Corn? Tomatoes? Cucumbers? Depending on what you decide will bring you to some other questions.
Do you know what if any amendments your soil may need? Now would be a good time for a soil test, so you can add any nutrients well before planting season.
Questions like, what size should my garden be? If you want corn in your garden, then you will need a larger space, verses planting onions, which requires little space at all. Just remember that if you are new to gardening, you may want to start with a smaller garden until you gain some experience. The larger the garden, the more work involved. And then that takes you to where would be a good location, and is that location sunny or shaded?
Once these questions are answered, then the land will need to be prepared, and next off to purchase your seeds or plants!
The key to having a great garden in pre-planning. Be sure to ask yourself questions, or visit your local gardening center before starting on a new vegetable garden, and you will be on your way to great tasting, fresh vegetables from your garden to your table.
container garden
Geraniums Galore – A Container Garden Delight
Mary Hanna asked:
All over the country, geraniums flaunt their red and scarlet, rose, pink, and white blooms with a gay abandon that few other plants can rival. In boxes on city fire escapes and rooftops, in window boxes on suburban and country houses, in tubs and pots on terraces and patios, and in hanging baskets of the porches of summer cottages, they are beloved and cherished plants
It needs sun to bloom; it tolerates shade, where it is usually handled as a foliage plant. What it resents is too much moisture and a rich diet. Kept too wet, the leaves turn yellow; given a heavy soil, one high in nitrogen plants go to foliage and flower sparingly.
Even if you choose no other plants, you could have a varied potted garden of single and double zonal, fancy-leaved or variegated, scented-leaved, ivy and Lady or Martha Washington geraniums (also called show or fancy geraniums), not to mention a few oddities of cactus and climbing types.
The zonal geranium is characterized by dark circular markings on the rounded green leaves. Double types dominate the trade and are offered by florists in the spring for planting in gardens and window boxes.
Variegated geraniums, with leaves that are often brilliantly colored, are attractive even out of bloom. Set among green-leaved geraniums and other foliage plants, pots of the variegated plants add color and pattern.
The trailing, ivy-leaved geraniums are among the most profuse flowering when grown under favorable conditions. They dislike shade and high humidity and thrive best in climates with warm days and cool nights, as in California.
Lady Washington’s, considered the handsomest of geraniums, are not so easy to grow. Like the ivy-leaved, they prefer cool nights and warm, sunny days, preferring shelter from wind and all-day sun.
If you are a geranium gardener, you may want to spark your pot plant collection with some cactus and climbing geraniums. They will give you bizarre and fascinating forms and flowers and are certain to arouse comment.
Geraniums flourish and look well in pots, boxes, and planters. They thrive in various soil mixtures if drainage is good. For abundant bloom, however, supply a special preparation, not high in nitrogen, or lush foliage and few blooms will result. I have success with good garden soil and a sprinkling of a 5-10-5 fertilizer and bone meal. During the growing season, plants respond to a low-nitrogen fertilizer in liquid form.
When potting, be generous with drainage material to insure free passage of water. As with any plant, always water with care, since too much or not enough can be harmful. The best rule is to water when the surface of the soil feels dry. Then soak the soil well and do not water again until plants need it. If soil is kept too wet, leaves will turn yellow; if too dry they wilt and discolor.
To maintain even plant growth, turn containers from time to time. Remove yellow leaves and faded blossoms which are especially distracting on plants at doorways or any other key spots. If rain rots and disfigures the center florets of the heads, pull them off with your fingers, leaving the unmarred outer florets and buds.
If you want plants for next spring, take two- to four-inch cuttings in August or early September. Look for mature stems (with leaves spaced close together) that break easily like a snap bean. Woody growth is hard to root and succulent tips tend to rot. Before planting spread out cuttings in a shady place for several hours so leaves will lose excess moisture.
When ready to plant, cut off the lower leaves, allowing but two or three to each cutting. Also pull off the little wings on the stem, since they are inclined to rot. Dip stem ends in hydrated lime to prevent decay and then insert about halfway, in a flat or large pot of pure sand or a mixture of sand and peat moss. With geraniums, rooting powders are hardly necessary. When cuttings develop inch-long roots, they are ready for spacing out in another flat or for separate planting in 2
All over the country, geraniums flaunt their red and scarlet, rose, pink, and white blooms with a gay abandon that few other plants can rival. In boxes on city fire escapes and rooftops, in window boxes on suburban and country houses, in tubs and pots on terraces and patios, and in hanging baskets of the porches of summer cottages, they are beloved and cherished plants
It needs sun to bloom; it tolerates shade, where it is usually handled as a foliage plant. What it resents is too much moisture and a rich diet. Kept too wet, the leaves turn yellow; given a heavy soil, one high in nitrogen plants go to foliage and flower sparingly.
Even if you choose no other plants, you could have a varied potted garden of single and double zonal, fancy-leaved or variegated, scented-leaved, ivy and Lady or Martha Washington geraniums (also called show or fancy geraniums), not to mention a few oddities of cactus and climbing types.
The zonal geranium is characterized by dark circular markings on the rounded green leaves. Double types dominate the trade and are offered by florists in the spring for planting in gardens and window boxes.
Variegated geraniums, with leaves that are often brilliantly colored, are attractive even out of bloom. Set among green-leaved geraniums and other foliage plants, pots of the variegated plants add color and pattern.
The trailing, ivy-leaved geraniums are among the most profuse flowering when grown under favorable conditions. They dislike shade and high humidity and thrive best in climates with warm days and cool nights, as in California.
Lady Washington’s, considered the handsomest of geraniums, are not so easy to grow. Like the ivy-leaved, they prefer cool nights and warm, sunny days, preferring shelter from wind and all-day sun.
If you are a geranium gardener, you may want to spark your pot plant collection with some cactus and climbing geraniums. They will give you bizarre and fascinating forms and flowers and are certain to arouse comment.
Geraniums flourish and look well in pots, boxes, and planters. They thrive in various soil mixtures if drainage is good. For abundant bloom, however, supply a special preparation, not high in nitrogen, or lush foliage and few blooms will result. I have success with good garden soil and a sprinkling of a 5-10-5 fertilizer and bone meal. During the growing season, plants respond to a low-nitrogen fertilizer in liquid form.
When potting, be generous with drainage material to insure free passage of water. As with any plant, always water with care, since too much or not enough can be harmful. The best rule is to water when the surface of the soil feels dry. Then soak the soil well and do not water again until plants need it. If soil is kept too wet, leaves will turn yellow; if too dry they wilt and discolor.
To maintain even plant growth, turn containers from time to time. Remove yellow leaves and faded blossoms which are especially distracting on plants at doorways or any other key spots. If rain rots and disfigures the center florets of the heads, pull them off with your fingers, leaving the unmarred outer florets and buds.
If you want plants for next spring, take two- to four-inch cuttings in August or early September. Look for mature stems (with leaves spaced close together) that break easily like a snap bean. Woody growth is hard to root and succulent tips tend to rot. Before planting spread out cuttings in a shady place for several hours so leaves will lose excess moisture.
When ready to plant, cut off the lower leaves, allowing but two or three to each cutting. Also pull off the little wings on the stem, since they are inclined to rot. Dip stem ends in hydrated lime to prevent decay and then insert about halfway, in a flat or large pot of pure sand or a mixture of sand and peat moss. With geraniums, rooting powders are hardly necessary. When cuttings develop inch-long roots, they are ready for spacing out in another flat or for separate planting in 2
Simplifying Container Gardening
Keith Markensen asked:
Even if you live in a home with no yard or in an apartment, you
can still have room for gardening. All you need is a deck, patio, balcony,
patio or sunny window to plant your own container garden.
You will be able to bring some plant life into your home, while
being able to eat from your very own garden as well. The
following information will help you to understand how container
gardening works.
Container gardening brings gardening to more people than just the
landowners, as was common in the past. You can have a beautiful
landscape without having to mow a lawn. The container can grow perennials, annuals,
vegetables, small shrubs and small trees.
Just like traditional gardening, you must plan before beginning
your garden. First, you will have to find your USDA zone in
order to know what type of plants you will be able to grow. You
will also need to know how much daylight your apartment receives.
With this information, you can choose the types of plants that
you wish to grow.
One helpful hint is to buy the plants from a local nursery. It
is much easier to do this than to start from seedlings, which
require very specific conditions to grow properly. The plants
that will be in your containers will be fragile, so they should
not be kept outdoors in temperatures below 45 degrees F or in
high winds. Frost will quickly kill the plants.
The though that plants that typically grow in the ground won’t
grow in container gardens is false. Any plants can potentially
grow in containers, as long as the container has proper holes for
drainage.
It is not expensive to begin container gardening. Containers can
be very cheap, and the plants are not expensive either. Also,
they require little fertilizer and water.
Many types of vegetables thrive on growing in pots. They only
require sunlight and water for you to have fresh vegetables to
eat. It is fulfilling to feed yourself and your friends with
food from your own garden.
If you do not have a balcony or a deck, don’t worry. Window
boxes work very well for container gardening. You can grow
plants all year long in your window, as long as it receives ample
sunlight and is insulated decently well.
If summer is over and fall is beginning, you do not have to stop
container gardening. You will just have to choose plants that
are resistant to frost. Some examples of these are Eulalia
grasses, Mexican feather grass, Cornflowers, Lavender cottons,
Jasmine, Million bells, Stonecrops, and more. You can add color,
life, and provide food all year long easily by having a simple
container garden.
Mini Garden
Even if you live in a home with no yard or in an apartment, you
can still have room for gardening. All you need is a deck, patio, balcony,
patio or sunny window to plant your own container garden.
You will be able to bring some plant life into your home, while
being able to eat from your very own garden as well. The
following information will help you to understand how container
gardening works.
Container gardening brings gardening to more people than just the
landowners, as was common in the past. You can have a beautiful
landscape without having to mow a lawn. The container can grow perennials, annuals,
vegetables, small shrubs and small trees.
Just like traditional gardening, you must plan before beginning
your garden. First, you will have to find your USDA zone in
order to know what type of plants you will be able to grow. You
will also need to know how much daylight your apartment receives.
With this information, you can choose the types of plants that
you wish to grow.
One helpful hint is to buy the plants from a local nursery. It
is much easier to do this than to start from seedlings, which
require very specific conditions to grow properly. The plants
that will be in your containers will be fragile, so they should
not be kept outdoors in temperatures below 45 degrees F or in
high winds. Frost will quickly kill the plants.
The though that plants that typically grow in the ground won’t
grow in container gardens is false. Any plants can potentially
grow in containers, as long as the container has proper holes for
drainage.
It is not expensive to begin container gardening. Containers can
be very cheap, and the plants are not expensive either. Also,
they require little fertilizer and water.
Many types of vegetables thrive on growing in pots. They only
require sunlight and water for you to have fresh vegetables to
eat. It is fulfilling to feed yourself and your friends with
food from your own garden.
If you do not have a balcony or a deck, don’t worry. Window
boxes work very well for container gardening. You can grow
plants all year long in your window, as long as it receives ample
sunlight and is insulated decently well.
If summer is over and fall is beginning, you do not have to stop
container gardening. You will just have to choose plants that
are resistant to frost. Some examples of these are Eulalia
grasses, Mexican feather grass, Cornflowers, Lavender cottons,
Jasmine, Million bells, Stonecrops, and more. You can add color,
life, and provide food all year long easily by having a simple
container garden.
Mini Garden
The Secrets of Container Garden Designing
Davey Greenjack asked:
The first and most important secret of container gardening design is realising that the final resting place of the gardening container itself, will decide what sorts of plants you can use. You cannot just flick through the flower catalogue, deciding what flowers to use, based purely on what you think would look nice. Having decided where the garden container will be sited, you must choose your plants depending on their preferences of soil, light, moisture and of course, the size of the container.
Having researched the needs of the plants and found out what sorts will be suitable for the space, you can next decide on a “palette” of colours. This does not just have to be about how their colours fit in with their surroundings. You can use the colour of the plants for other more subtle effects. For instance, a container full of blue and mauve plants will seem to recede from the viewer, giving a sense of distance. Put such a container at the far edge of a patio and the patio will seem to be larger. Again, if you put a garden container full of blue flowers at the end wall of a small town garden, it will make the garden seem longer.
Bright red and orange flowers will have the opposite effect and appear to shorten the distance between the garden container and the viewer. If you place blue flowers behind red flowers in the same container, they will contrast and make the red flowers clearly stand out. If you put the red flowers behind the blue flowers they will appear to clash horribly. Remember though, that there are no hard and fast rules in art and garden design, but you cannot break the rules unless you know them. Experiment for yourself, after all rules are made to be broken!
So, to use these secrets of container gardening practically, you can fill a space, like a patio, with garden containers full of red plants to the front and garden containers full of blue, mauve and lilac towards the back. When viewed from the front, say framed by a window, the space will appear more grand and bigger than it really is.
For the general planting design of a classical garden container, you should make sure that the tallest growing plants are placed towards the back. Next, you should select a pair of the same or similar looking plants. One of these should be planted at both ends of the tall row, slightly forward of it. In front of the tall row and in the middle of the container, you should plant your special feature plant. This is the central feature of the container, the one that gives the wow! factor.
Either side of this, you should place a pair of complementary plants as fillers. You must make sure that they do not detract from your feature plant. Remember if you have more than one feature plant, you are blessed, and rather than place them all together in one container, make up some more containers. Lastly in front of all the plants in the garden container, plant some small flowers that hang over slightly and flow over the edges of the container to soften it’s edges.
If you are unsure of what colour blooms and foliage to use, then take a leaf out of the artists book and find out about “colour wheels”. Basically, you should think of a rainbow and the way the that the colours are placed. The colours that are next to each other are called “complimentary” colours. The colours from either side of the rainbow are called “contrasting” colours. Use complimentary colours to make the eye gently flow over the container. Using contrasting colours to distract and make the eye stop and stare.
There are no hard and fast rules in designing a container. Try looking at as many of them as you can in books or flower shows. Decide which ones you think work and which ones do not. Take a camera with you to visit gardens and make notes. Do not be scared to talk to the gardeners, if you can. Most will be only to willing to share with you their container gardening secrets and tell you about the flowers they have used. Do not slavishly follow others though. Use this information only as a starting point and learn to express yourself, your ideas, your sense of beauty. Eventually, you will develop your own style and vision.
Plant Website
The first and most important secret of container gardening design is realising that the final resting place of the gardening container itself, will decide what sorts of plants you can use. You cannot just flick through the flower catalogue, deciding what flowers to use, based purely on what you think would look nice. Having decided where the garden container will be sited, you must choose your plants depending on their preferences of soil, light, moisture and of course, the size of the container.
Having researched the needs of the plants and found out what sorts will be suitable for the space, you can next decide on a “palette” of colours. This does not just have to be about how their colours fit in with their surroundings. You can use the colour of the plants for other more subtle effects. For instance, a container full of blue and mauve plants will seem to recede from the viewer, giving a sense of distance. Put such a container at the far edge of a patio and the patio will seem to be larger. Again, if you put a garden container full of blue flowers at the end wall of a small town garden, it will make the garden seem longer.
Bright red and orange flowers will have the opposite effect and appear to shorten the distance between the garden container and the viewer. If you place blue flowers behind red flowers in the same container, they will contrast and make the red flowers clearly stand out. If you put the red flowers behind the blue flowers they will appear to clash horribly. Remember though, that there are no hard and fast rules in art and garden design, but you cannot break the rules unless you know them. Experiment for yourself, after all rules are made to be broken!
So, to use these secrets of container gardening practically, you can fill a space, like a patio, with garden containers full of red plants to the front and garden containers full of blue, mauve and lilac towards the back. When viewed from the front, say framed by a window, the space will appear more grand and bigger than it really is.
For the general planting design of a classical garden container, you should make sure that the tallest growing plants are placed towards the back. Next, you should select a pair of the same or similar looking plants. One of these should be planted at both ends of the tall row, slightly forward of it. In front of the tall row and in the middle of the container, you should plant your special feature plant. This is the central feature of the container, the one that gives the wow! factor.
Either side of this, you should place a pair of complementary plants as fillers. You must make sure that they do not detract from your feature plant. Remember if you have more than one feature plant, you are blessed, and rather than place them all together in one container, make up some more containers. Lastly in front of all the plants in the garden container, plant some small flowers that hang over slightly and flow over the edges of the container to soften it’s edges.
If you are unsure of what colour blooms and foliage to use, then take a leaf out of the artists book and find out about “colour wheels”. Basically, you should think of a rainbow and the way the that the colours are placed. The colours that are next to each other are called “complimentary” colours. The colours from either side of the rainbow are called “contrasting” colours. Use complimentary colours to make the eye gently flow over the container. Using contrasting colours to distract and make the eye stop and stare.
There are no hard and fast rules in designing a container. Try looking at as many of them as you can in books or flower shows. Decide which ones you think work and which ones do not. Take a camera with you to visit gardens and make notes. Do not be scared to talk to the gardeners, if you can. Most will be only to willing to share with you their container gardening secrets and tell you about the flowers they have used. Do not slavishly follow others though. Use this information only as a starting point and learn to express yourself, your ideas, your sense of beauty. Eventually, you will develop your own style and vision.
Plant Website