Tags
container growing, flea markets, Mabel and Rose, The Foodie Bugle, The Posh Shed Company, Toby Buckland Garden Festival, vintage garden pots
For seven years or so I gardened pretty much solely in containers. Renting meant we couldn’t do a great deal to any of the gardens that came with each new house other than mow lawns and trim hedges. In other words, the boring bits. Container growing was the only way to get my growing fix. Our pots mainly consisted of edibles. We had good crops of courgettes, French beans, tomatoes, spuds and salad leaves. To be honest though by the time we had our own patch of soil my interest in pots had rather waned. Growing in the ground was a bit of a revelation. For about 5 years I had hardly any pots and I think I found it quite liberating. Pots, particularly small ones are demanding on time with all that watering and feeding.
However, over the last few years my love of containers has been rekindled. It has taken a while, but pots have slowly started to creep back into the garden, partly because I’m running out of soil and partly because I’m learning to appreciate them all over again. There are pots by the front door, pots with succulents, and planters with herbs. But what to use as a container?
I was lucky enough the other day to receive a wooden planter for a project I’m working on. Made in Herefordshire by The Posh Shed Company it’s rather lovely – good and solid, and in a very fetching shade of blue (they’re available in a selection of other delicious colours too). You could plant directly into the planter if you lined the slatted wooden base line with an old compost bag or some plastic sheeting with holes punctured into it. I rummaged in the shed for a pot that fitted snugly inside instead. It was as I was planting this wooden container that I caught myself thinking about how the choice of pot can make such a difference to a particular display and your garden as a whole.
In the past I was rather limited in my choice of pots. Moving constantly meant I didn’t want anything too heavy and my gardening budget was quite small. If I’m honest though it was more my imagination as to what to use as a pot that was the limiting factor. Plastic was my first choice. It was cheap, practical and lightweight, but let’s face it plastic pots aren’t particularly attractive. However, as they tended to be home to courgettes and potatoes I wasn’t too bothered at the time.
Terracotta is probably the most widely used material for containers. Most of my pots were clay but I’m less fond of it now. For me, the colour seems to jar in my garden and I’m not sure it’s the best foil for many plants. I find the orange tones don’t work with pastels which dominate my planting. It’s all a bit fake tan-like for me. I still have a collection but it dwindles every year as I lose some pots to frost. I do like the older-style terracotta which tends to be less orange – more of a pale, creamy colour, and most of my succulents are at home in these terracotta pots picked up from flea markets and second-hand shops. They’re easy enough to find and generally inexpensive. I’ll often find them hidden under a table in a box covered in cobwebs and the fragile skeletons of spiders. Larger terracotta pots, especially the older ones are pricey, and one of the lessons I have learnt is that if you are growing in pots the larger the better. One of the biggest mistakes I made as a rookie gardener was to buy small pots which a plant would fill all too quickly. Often I hadn’t given much thought to proportions either. By the time the plant had reached maturity it would more often than not look like it had out grown it’s home, rather like the teenager who has had a growth spurt and is sporting half-mast trousers.
Gradually I’m moving away from terracotta in favour of other materials. Vintage finds are some of my favourites. Zinc baths are fabulous. If you’re after a large planter they can be excellent value for money. Flea markets and shops are the best places to find them and the cheapest. You can also find them online and in shops which specialise in gardenalia. This rectangular metal box was £10 from Malvern Flea Market. A trader had bought a job lot of them from an old garage which had closed down. They were a bit on the greasy side when we got them home but nothing a good clean couldn’t shift, and they’ve looked beautiful this spring planted up with tulips.
I’m a bit obsessed by vintage enamel. I’m a bit like a bloodhound who has the scent when I go to one of my favourite flea markets. These were great value – £15 for the 3 from Toby Buckland’s Garden Festival.
I discovered this bonsai pot on a recent shed clear out and thought it would be perfect for a few succulents.
Then there is this vintage urn – it’s part of a pair. Crikey, they’re heavy – hence me moving only one out of the shed for this picture – but they look amazing. Sadly they aren’t mine, I’m just looking after them until I can deliver them to a friend.
The problem with vintage stuff is that if you’re not careful your garden can start to resemble a scrap yard or flea market and that’s generally not the look you’re trying to achieve. Balancing out the use of vintage pots with other containers is one way around this.
Wood makes an excellent material for containers. Old wooden fruit crates are one of my favourites. I line them with old compost bags to stop any compost falling out and it also helps the wood to last as long as possible. They’re a particular good depth for tomato plants with some basil planted around them. Then there are the more substantial wooden planters like the one from the Posh Shed Company. Containers like this make a statement in a garden and can be a focal point in themselves. Choosing containers in colours that blend with your garden and planting scheme is another way of tying a garden together. You don’t need to spend a small fortune on having a garden specially designed. Simply using containers in complimentary colours to your house, garden and planting combinations will give your garden a harmonious feel.
For more details about wooden planters from The Posh Shed Company.
Some of my favourite places for vintage finds – Shepton Mallett and Malvern Flea Markets, Toby Buckland’s Garden Festivals, The Foodie Bugle, Mabel and Rose.
A thought provoking post Louise, I love zinc but here in Italy I shy away from it as it just gets too hot if it is in the sun. I love good quality Terracotta but I know what you mean about orange! The strong sun usually bleaches the colour quite quickly. There are now some excellent plastic containers that you’d be had pressed to identify as not terracotta unless you lifted it. Like you when I first moved here I hardly used any containers but then I needed some for Lemons and other citrus; now I like some containers on the terrace, I have 2 square terracotta pots with Fatsia japonica which I particularly like.
Hi Christina, Yes that is a problem with metal, although not generally an issue here in the UK. I love the much paler terracotta pots but they seem quite hard to come across in the UK. I’m not normally a fan of glazed ceramic but I do like the range that Kew has brought out. There are some very lovely colours and a good variety of styles.
That’s an interesting post. I’m trying to have less containers in my garden, as you say they do take a lot of watering. And I’m also loving vintage enamel containers and old casserole dishes picked up from car boots sales. My daughter bought me an old enamel bread bin last year for Mothering Sunday, planted up with anemones and saxifrages. It was lovely but they died overwinter so I’m looking for something new to plant in there now.
Thank you Margaret. I love the sound of that old enamel bread bin. What a pity about the plants dying. Are there plenty of drainage holes?
Love your containers! They are so much more appealing than the mass produced ones made by the thousands for the ‘big box’ stores.
Thank you! It’s odd that it can be so difficult to find nice pots at a typical garden centre. Flea markets are definitely the place to go. 🙂
I love your zinc trough-just what I would have snapped up. And the colourful square planter is pretty and enhanced by the vibrant plants. I increasingly value containers because you can vary the planting and move them round bringing them close to a sitting area. When the tulips are finished I plant summer annuals in my large pots-currently lupins- and when they’ve finished herbs can go in until autumn. Then it’s time for the next tulip planting session to take over in early winter.
Thanks Sue. I agree, they do offer new opportunities for planting, especially if your garden is predominantly perennials and shrubs. I’m not even bothering to plant tulips in the garden this year, they’re all going to be in pots.
I bought 2 wooden pots, but stupidly didn’t line the sides or the bottom, yes, you’ve guessed it, they rotted away in no time! I must replace them but am still dithering about what to choose. You have a wonderful selection, I must start frequenting flea markets!
Wooden pots do work very well in a garden setting. I’m very impressed with the quality of the Posh Shed planter and it’s a good size.
I have a pair of cast iron urns similar to those in you blog ( which I really enjoy). They were very rusty and covered in thick layers of paint. I had them sand blasted and they came up looking fab. So much detailing was revealed. I painted in hammerite paint 10 years ago and they still look great.
The urns are gorgeous. I love the rusted appearance. I need to get them to my friend soon so she can start planting in them. 😉
Wow – wish I could buy a zinc bath like that for £10!
You can find some amazing things at flea markets. The guy selling the metal containers had probably 50 or 60 of them. We only bought 2, although my husband was tempted to buy more.
Unfortunately I don’t think the French do zinc baths – but maybe I’m not observant enough and could find a good substitute that they do sell in brocantes or vide greniers here …
The French seem to like enamel. I have some lovely enamel pots which look really sweet with plants in them. Happy hunting. 😉
I love the big zinc planter and the little green enamel pots.
Great post. I’ve been tied to pots for many, many years. They have their advantages, especially their relative mobility. I spend all summer creating new combinations by moving them about, but watering is a chore.
Thank you! I enjoy putting plants together I probably wouldn’t otherwise grow, but I agree about the watering. That’s why I love huge pots – they require less attention. 😉
what have you planted in Posh?
I have rather a lot of small Bonsai pots. Also thinking of succulents or small indigenous bulbs.
It’s thunbergia. Although we’ve had a cold spell and the plants aren’t doing a great deal. Little bulbs in bonsai pots would look lovely.
I had to stop and ponder when I read ‘the problem with vintage stuff is that if you’re not careful your garden can start to resemble a scrap yard or flea market’…. hmm 😉 The whole post made such interesting reading and made me realise how fortunate I am to have access to lots of places where I can easily buy or acquire interesting containers fairly cheaply – you need to think out of the box sometimes. The zinc containers are especially versatile because of the range of sizes you can get. For those with access to a JTF they have some very realistic terracotta/ceramic lookalike pots at reasonable prices
Mmmm… perhaps I should have added some context to that comment. It really does depend on the style of your house and garden. 😉
We have to travel to get to the best places which is a bit annoying, particularly as I often need a nice container at short notice. Unfortunately I’m also running out of space!!! I think the key is to look beyond the garden centre. They all pretty much seem to stock the same lines which is very frustrating. There are some interesting places I’ve come across online. We bought a gorgeous glazed ceramic pot last year but Wellyman could barely lift it into the car it was so heavy. That should probably have been a warning sign. I ended up hurting my back moving it for photos.
Hope the book is progressing well – sounds as if it will have lots of great ideas that are just up my street!
All finished and being printed. It’s due out in September. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crafted-Garden-Stylish-Projects-Inspired/dp/0711236291/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1434444480&sr=1-2 . Haven’t seen the book itself yet. Hopefully I’ll have a copy soon and then I can blog about it. 🙂 Thank you for asking. 🙂
I saw it on Amazon a few weeks ago so it didn’t surprise me when you started talking about pots! Have you been asked about a third book yet…? 😉
The pots are for something for a magazine. As for a third book. There have been some ideas but nothing that has really made me think I want to devote 9 months of my life to it. It’s tricky to if we’re not sure what we’re doing in terms of moving. They’re quite a commitment and it’s been a bit of a relief this year to not have one on the go, especially as Wellyman has had his degree to finish. In between that and our work we haven’t had a huge amount of time for much else. I’ve been very lucky to be able to concentrate on magazine features this summer which are keeping me pretty busy. Hopefully there’ll be a book 3 at some point. 🙂
Busy, busy 🙂
An enjoyable, and informative post. I like the look of various less conventional, non plastic, containers and pots although I don’t don’t have any on the plot. xx
Thanks Flighty. Zinc baths are probably my favourites as they’re very versatile. xx
I love container gardening. I love getting them out, buying the potting soil and the plants, and being creative with the arrangement and placement. What I don’t love is about the middle of August when it is baking outside and the containers have to be watered two or three times a day. Last year I was a slave to container gardening so this year I’m taking a break and have about half as many. I would, however, make an exception if I could get my hands on a a few of your zinc planters because they are beautiful. 🙂
I don’t have many pots in my garden, the watering! But that rusty urn looks great!
Yes, the watering!!! That is the downside. The rusty urns are fabulous!
I’m still in the stage of gardening mostly in containers. The house needs some major work done, so there’s no point organising the garden only for it to be dug up again. But actually, I like the freedom of gardening in containers; I can move things around to work out where they’re happiest at different times of the year.
I do like your pretty posh planter. I may have to invest in one for our baby magnolia. She’s a wedding present, so we want to be able to move her around with us. But I’m afraid your ‘fake tan’ observation may have permanently prejudiced me against the pot in which my beloved prunus kojo-no-mai is planted!
Oh no! Sorry, I didn’t mean to turn you against your pot. 😉 The posh planter is lovely and they do a bigger size too which would be good for a tree. I like the choice of colours they offer. I’m never sure why pots in garden centres are the colour they are as they are colours which don’t typically work with plants. Lots of dark blues and browns or very bright, child-like colours.
I agree there are many advantages to container growing. Good luck with the new garden and the building work. 🙂
I love that posh planter! It would look lovely with something like cumquats in it (a pair side by side).
Like you I gardened for years in pots because I rented for about 10 years before buying a house. Then after buying a house the number of pots eased off. But then grew again as I discovered most of our garden beds were too shady for things like roses etc.
When we moved house nearly 4 years ago, I culled around 80% of the pots and now I am pretty strict (my husband would disagree!!).
In the back garden and rear courtyard area, I only have buxus in terracotta, half a dozen old roses bushes out of my grandmother’s garden in large plastic terracotta coloured pots, a small collection of bonsai in glazed bonsai pots, a small collection of succulents in glazed bonsai pots, 2 Japanese maples in pots and a collection of primula auriculas in matching terracotta pots.
On our front verandah, I have glazed pots in a few different shades of blue as well as blue & white china pots with a collection of ‘pretty’ plants (ferns, cast iron plants, bergonias, pansies, a gardenia that occasionally gets flowers because southern Tasmania is a little too cold for its liking) on either side of the front door (our house is an old timber one painted in shades of blue, dark cream and light cream).
And that’s it – I try to stick to a theme with pots and no more than 2 different pot colours in any one area. Otherwise it starts looking cluttered.
I’ve stuck to that principle when it comes to my seasonal pots of bulbs containing tulips, iris reticulata, hyacinth, etc.
However as someone who loves trawling antique and junk shops, I keep being drawn toward old containers like old baths, old hollowed out bricks, old pots and kettles etc. I have so far managed to behave myself as my husband prefers the courtyard area (“his” area) to be kept as uncluttered as possible. And fair enough!
x
The posh planter is lovely and would look fab as a pair, perhaps by a doorway.
I wouldn’t have half as many pots if I didn’t have to use them for magazine features. It’s a bit like musical chairs at the moment on the patio. We’ve just been a away for a week and had to rig up an irrigation system which snaked across the patio. Fortunately everything seems to have survived.
My favourite plants in pots have to be tulips. They don’t do so well in my garden soil. I had lots in pots this spring and they were fabulous, so this autumn I’m only planting tulips in pots. The other advantage of this is the planting is much easier. 😉
I haven’t been to a flea market for a year or so, so I’m feeling like a visit to one is needed. Although I am running out of space. 😉 x