9. Place pots in existing beds. This is a great way to use pots as a sculptural element, but choosing which plants to place inside each vessel can be tricky. Treherne takes a location- and climate-specific approach. “For instance, if it’s an area where the pottery is making a statement, I might use a more unusual plant to catch the eye,” she says. “In general, though, I am thinking about performance over time. There are some plants that just do well in pots.” As a general rule of thumb, Treherne suggests avoiding plants with high water needs and using varieties suited for your climate. More: How to get the right soil mix for your container garden
Bliss Garden Design Save to Ideabook Email Photo 5. Play with plant groupings. Decide whether you’d like to use single plantings or create a grouping of plants in each pot. “With the exception of succulent plantings, I have found that I prefer one plant per pot rather than elaborate displays. I then group pots together. This creates a cleaner look and is lower maintenance,” says Treherne. There’s no right or wrong; it’s simply a matter of personal preference.
. Think of pottery as sculpture. Pottery comes in a startling array of shapes, sizes, glazes and colors, and can be employed to add an artistic element to your garden. “When selecting glaze and color, I also consider the garden setting,” says Treherne. “For instance, I might be tempted to use a chartreuse glaze in a shaded garden with monochromatic greens or a copper red in a warm and sunny garden. I may also consider hardscape — for instance, in this garden the pottery echoes the surrounding stone.” Some pots can be left empty as sculptural elements. “For pots that I know I will not plant, I usually look for ones that are smaller at the top/opening than the middle,” she says. “A more open top begs to be planted.”
USE OF ROCK UNDER POT AND PLANTING
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