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Creating a beautiful display of colour is easy with container gardening. Maybe you are looking to dress up a patio or porch or create beautiful window box displays. Container gardening will let your creativity shine. With a little time and effort, you can create stunning floral displays to dress up any space.
The five easy steps in today’s blog will guide you to create picture perfect containers every time. Then you can sit back and enjoy the view from your patio or porch. If you’re ready to create containers that will be the envy of the neighbourhood, pull up a chair and let’s dive in!
What you will need to get started
- Gardening gloves
- Hand trowel
- Potting mix
- Watering can/hose
- Decorative containers (plastic, ceramic, terra cotta, etc.)
- Fertilizer
- Thriller, spiller, and filler plants
Step one: Determine the locations of your container gardens and select containers
Before you start arranging plants, think about the location and type of container. Once your containers are filled with soil and plants, they will become quite heavy. So, arranging your containers in place is a more practical approach.
Create a garden sketch diagram
At this stage, you may wish to draw up a sketch of where you would like to place your containers around your yard. Next, you can go ahead and choose containers that will look nice in these different areas. If you are new to container gardening, you may need to buy some containers. Consider the climate you are growing in. Also take into account your budget. You may also want to consider the style of container gardening you are looking to create.
Step two: Choose a theme or colour scheme for your containers
A lot of today’s gardens are developed around a specific theme or colour scheme. In some cases, you may want to plan your containers to match the vessel you are planting in. In other cases, you may want to have your containers match your home. Perhaps you have a specific theme in mind. Trending themes right now might include romantic, contemporary, or cottage. Planning ahead will help you to select plants that best match your style.
Step 3: Select different combinations of plants
Choose plants that require the same care conditions. For example, if you are creating a container for a sunny spot in your garden, look for sun-loving plants. Aim to plant in odd numbers. Make sure you have at least one thriller, spiller, and filler in each container.
Thriller
Thriller plants are the showstopper of your container and the main focal point. They draw the eye into your container and help you to discover all the other beautiful plants inside. Thriller plants are often placed in the middle of the container. The purpose of the thriller plants is to add height and vibrancy to the container. Examples include ornamental grasses, spike plants, or tall flowers.
Spiller
Spiller plants are the ones that drape themselves over the sides of containers. In other words, they spill out of the container. Examples are sweet potato vine, golden creepy jenny, and calibrachoa.
Filler
Filler plants are used to fill in space within your container. Their purpose is to give the container a full look. These plants are usually found around the thriller plant. Their goal is to help accentuate its beauty. Examples include petunias, lobelia, dusty miller, or sweet alyssum.
Pro gardening tip!
Remember that as container plants grow, they will fill out the container. So, plan accordingly to avoid overcrowding.
Here’s a quick guide for plant spacing in containers
- 10-12 inch pot: 3-4 plants max.
- 14-16 inch pot: 5-7 plants max.
- 16-20 inch pot: 6-9 plants max.
Step 4: Fill containers with potting mix and fertilizer
Once you have settled on the containers and types of plants you will use, it’s time to fill your containers. Look for a potting mix that is designed for container gardening, or create your own mix. Fill each container ⅔ of the way. Always keep in mind drainage as you do not want your plants sitting in standing water. Before you add your soil to the container, you can always mix in some granular starter fertilizer. Adding the fertilizer in with your soil will help to feed your plants and keep them healthy and strong.
Step 5: Arrange plants in the containers
Start with the filler by placing it in the center. Next, place your spiller plants around the edges. Last, fill in your container with filler plants. If you purchased plants from a nursery or garden center, you may need to loosen up the roots before planting. Fill in the rest of your container with extra potting mix so that your plants are tucked in place. Press down lightly to remove any extra air pockets in the soil.
Step 6: Water in the plants
The last step is to water in your plants. In a day or two, check back on your containers and see if they are dry and need more water. If you stick your finger down into your container and it still feels moist, then you do not need to water just yet. When it is dry, go ahead and water your plants again. If your plants start to yellow, you may be overwatering. In this case, reduce watering for a bit. However, if your plants are beginning to wilt and dry up, increase your watering.
Step 7: Sit back and enjoy the display
After all your hard work, it’s time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour. Nothing is more breathtaking than looking at all of your beautiful flowering containers.
Design ideas for shade containers
Here are a few of our favourite designs for shade garden containers:
Mixed foliage container
Mixing in different annual and perennial foliage plants is a great option in the shade. Try using a spike plant as the thriller. Add a variegated hosta or ferns as your filler. Top off the whole container with golden creepy jenny as your spiller.
Bold beauty container
There are a lot of bold coloured annuals and perennials that you can use in shade garden containers. Combining these different plants can often give you a contemporary feel to your home. As your thriller, try planting a bold coloured astilbe. Add in some dark leaved heuchera and artemisia as your fillers. Top off with blue lobelia as your spiller.
Ethereal white container
Perhaps you are planning a more romantic, cottage feel to your garden. Why not try creating an ethereal white container? Look for a silvery coloured Caladium as your thriller. Add in some diamond frost euphorbia and white begonias as your fillers. Top off with Silver Falls dichondra as your spiller to add in a touch of silver.
Design ideas for full sun containers
Here are a few of our favourite designs for full sun containers:
Tropical sunset container
If you are looking for bold pops of colour, our tropical sunset container might just be your cup of tea. Start with different coloured canna lilies as your thriller. Add in bronze and red coloured coleus as your fillers. Top off with a dark coloured sweet potato vine as your spiller. This bold container looks great on a patio or poolside for an added splash of summer colour.
Summer sunrise container
Let the bold colours of summer be your guide here with the summer sunrise container. Start by adding in either red or yellow canna lilies as your thriller. Add in some colouful salvia and lantana as your fillers. Top everything off with a bold coloured calibrachoa as your spiller. This container looks great at the entry to your home or to create an inviting space for guests to visit your patio.
Quick care tips for container gardens
Here is a list of our top 3 care tips for container gardens:
- Choose containers with proper drainage: Having proper drainage in your containers will ensure that your plants do not suffer from root rot.
- Adjust watering schedule for outdoor conditions: If you received a lot of rain and temperatures are on the cooler side, back off of watering. If you are in the middle of a heat wave and drought, water more frequently.
- Avoid overcrowding plants in containers: Before you fill your container with plants, take note of the size of the container you are working with. Next, determine the growth habits of the plants you want to include and plan accordingly. Your plants will need room to grow and expand
Final thoughts about planting a container garden
Container gardening is a great way to decorate your home and yard. Containers are flexible options that fit into a variety of different garden spaces. They can also be moved around for different looks at different times of the year. Until next time gardening friends, if you’ve struggled to create the perfect container, let today’s blog be your guide. Do you have a favourite container design you’d like to share? Drop a comment below. Help inspire others to start building their own container gardens.
