1 of 3
Old Boots
Old Boots
2 of 3
Pot as sculpture
Pot as sculpture
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Simple repetition
Simple repetition
Pots & Containers - Garden Design by Colette Charsley
Pots and containers are invaluable for furnishing, adding style and finishing off a garden and are one of the most practical ways of decorating roofs, decks, balconies and windows.
Every outdoor space has room for at least one pot or container. This can often be the only way to introduce plants into very restricted spaces.
When selecting containers bear in mind the adage that ‘less is more’. It is too easy to end up with an odd assortment that have no unifying link, are too small and just look messy. Rather than buying a pot just because it was on special offer in the garden centre it is better to make a conscious decision as to the type and style of container that will suit your garden and buy accordingly.
Containers can have many different uses in a garden and it is worth deciding what you want yours for before going out to buy. Do you want the container or the plants to be the focus?
Many are handsome objects in their own right and can look lovely just as they are. They can be set amongst planting or used as a focal point at the end of a view.
Large pots can be used as punctuation marks and for emphasis, for instance by framing a doorway or marking a change of direction or style in your garden.
Tender plants that need to be protected during the winter should be planted in pots that can be moved reasonably easily. Alpines and other small plants can be used as table top displays where they can easily be admired.
When thinking about what sort of containers or pots to use, try to find a theme and stick to it. Keep to the same material, shape or size of pot. Match the container to the style of the garden and house. Keep the size of the pots in scale with the size of house and space in which you will put them. Fewer, larger pots tend to work better than lots of little ones.
Pots and containers come in a huge range of materials, colours and sizes. Be inventive. The following can also make great cost effective alternatives (just make sure they have drainage holes):
Old washing machine drums, metal buckets, old boots, wooden wine boxes, wicker baskets, colanders or metal dustbins.
colette@charsleydesign.com
t: 01803 722449. m: 07774 827799.
First published October 2013 By the Dart
