Gardeners who have down-sized to live in a unit with a small courtyard or balcony can still continue their love of gardening with the use of planting containers. Containers carefully placed and planted out with selected plants can create an interesting display of flowers year round.
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First, choose containers that will enhance the space available and make sure they are well-draining. If the holes are on the bottom, stand the container on pieces of wood or a couple of bricks. Always use quality potting mixes.
The choice of plants is important if you want to make a visual impact in a small area. Select plants to suit the aspect – is it sunny or shady, windy or sheltered?
To maintain a balance, place upright plants towards the back or centre and the more low, spreading ones to the sides or front of containers. Trailing plants can tumble over the edges. Use plants with small flowers and foliage.
Some plants are just made for container gardening and compliment each other’s company, whether it’s to blend in, provide contrast or make a bold statement.
Marigolds are superb when planted enmasse, especially if you contrast their orange or yellow flowers with purple or mauve petunias.
Silver-foliage plants tone down bright colours and make an excellent contrast to greens. They blend with blue, lilac and pink, and add a unique interest to a potted group.
For sophistication in a pot plant lobelia cardinalis with its vibrant red flowers as the centrepiece with mixed impatiens and silver-leafed Helichrysum petiolore to the edge.
Another combination that works well is to plant an upright fuchsia in the centre surrounded by mixed pendulous begonias and trailing lobelias.
To attract bees, birds and butterflies a combination for a large, rectangular tub could be Centaurea cineraria, Tagetes ‘Starfire mixed’ and sweet alyssum.
A long container against a wall looks great filled with impatiens, pelargoniums and mixed trailing lobelia.
Dark-leaved dahlias add emphasis to a planting as do Cannas with their bold, red leaves. Ophiopogon planiscapus with its purple or white flowers and tufts of glossy, grass-like, almost-black leaves strikes an impressive pose when used as a background foil for plants with blue-grey leaves.
A Japanese-styled container planted out with bamboo can create an oriental atmosphere with the desired effect of peace and harmony.
A country garden can be achieved with rustic containers over-flowing with cottage plants of nasturtiums, gypsophila, stocks, asters, violets, erigeron daisies, liliums, lavenders, roses, geraniums and carnations.
For an eye-catching spring display of colour, contrast and shape, plant low-growing blue violas to set off the strong, upright yellow King Alfred daffodils.
As there is less soil in a container it will dry out faster, so water regularly and give a fortnightly feed of a liquid fertiliser.
To keep your plants growing and looking great remove spent blooms to encourage new flowers, and renew the top 30 centimetres of soil each spring and replace with new mix.
DIARY
October 11: Longford Garden Club meeting at the Christ Church Parish Hall, William Street, Longford at 7.30pm. Jan Davis guest speaker.
October 17: Australian Plant Society meets at Max Fry Hall on Gorge Rd, Trevallyn at 7.30pm. Mark Wapstra will be the guest presenter and visitors are most welcome.
October 18: The Launceston Horticultural Society meets at Windmill Hill Hall, High Street, Launceston at 8pm.