Well Contained

This month Conrad McCormick offers his expert advice on container gardening.

- Conrad McCormick

Whether you garden W on rolling acres, have a bijou city courtyard garden or a windy balcony, container gardening will add instant impact to your outdoor space. Growing a selection of plants in large pots also allows those in rental properties the opportunity and flexibility to get their horticultural green fix.

You can use a large container featuring a specimen plant such a Japanese maple or an easy care Astelia as a focal point, or a lush mix of foliage plants and annuals to add a splash of colour on a patio, terrace or use it as an opportunity to grow plants that won't normally survive in your soil conditions.

Almost any plant will grow well in a pot, so long as you choose the appropriate size and ensure their requirements are met. Shrubs, roses and small trees need large, deep pots to accommodate their root systems, while perennials, annual flowers, herbs and vegetables can also thrive. Choose a pot large enough and even small trees can be grown.

CHOOSING CONTAINERS

When choosing containers, I tend to pick those of similar or complementary colours to unify the scheme, otherwise it can become a bit of a visual jumble, the pots distracting from their contents. The container should complement the plants, not draw attention from them.

Also keep in mind that it's generally easier to grow plants in larger containers than small ones. That's because bigger containers hold more soil, which stays moist longer and resists rapid temperature fluctuations, so less watering overall and a less stressful existence for the plant roots.