A Splash of Colour

The concept of growing plants in containers offers a variety of enjoyable and creative ways to maintain and experiment with your garden.

Many plants are ideally suited for growing in all sorts of containers, although the most often used are bedding plants. However, plants such as shrubs, herbaceous perennials, herbs, climbers, alpines, bulbs, heathers, roses, dwarf fruit trees, strawberries and conifers should also be considered, either on their own or in combinations to provide all year round colour.

There are numerous benefits associated to container planting including the flexibility of planting where traditional gardening is awkward or impossible. Containers generally have greater mobility so can be relocated throughout the garden to maintain impact and pest control is much easier.

So, wherever you use them, containers will help break up the harsh lines of patios, walls, steps, paths and have an instant impact on any outside space.

A wide range of containers are available in a selection of materials such as clay, stone, terracotta, wood, plastic and wire. The shape and size of the container will influence the choice of plants, with larger plants such as shrubs and climbers requiring more space for the roots to grow.

Planting your containers

1. Place small stones or broken pieces of polystyrene or pots onto the bottom of the container to cover the drainage holes.
2. Lining the sides of the container with bubble plastic will protect plants against frost and reduce water loss, but make sure the water can drain away – do not line the bottom.
3. Add good quality potting compost so that plants, when placed on it, are about 3cm (1in) below the rim of their container. Work the potting compost in around the sides of the plants and level off. Make sure you water well. There are a number of products available which help to keep the soil damp, such as moisture retaining crystals or gel. These should be mixed in with the compost to the manufacturers recommendations.
4. Keep the container off the ground by placing small blocks underneath. This will prevent a vacuum and ensure proper drainage.

Looking after your containers

Never allow containers to dry out. It may be necessary to water in early morning and evening in hot weather.

Feed regularly during spring and summer. Use a top dressing of granular fertiliser in spring, followed by a liquid feed once week during the main growing season.

Remove dead flower heads, weed regularly and keep a close watch for pests and diseases which should be treated according to manufacturer's control recommendations.

Plant recommendations

Containers in sun	Containers in shade
Cordyline Australis 'Variegata'	Skimmia x Confusa 'Kew Green'
Argyranthemum 'Vancouver'	Viburnum Tinus 'Variegatum'
Cestrum Aurantiacum	Adiantum Pedatum
Erica Vagans 'Birch Glow’	Browallia Speciosa 'White Troll'
Helichrysum Petiolare	Ipheion Uniflorum 'Wisley Blue'
Felicia Amelloides	Hosta 'Shade Fanfare’
Lantana 'Radiation’	Heuchera Micrantha 'Palace Purple'
Nerium Oleander	Viola x Wittrockian
Picea Mariana 'Nana'	Primula Polyanthus
Chrysanthemum 'Mary Stoker'	Lunaria Annua