plant pot design ideas
As summer approaches and we spend more and more time outdoors, we might want to think about adding a few more plants to our patio, deck or balcony, by creating planting designs specifically for plant pots. A well-designed planting arrangement in a pot could also be used to light up a dull and unattractive spot in a garden border.
When combining plants for containers it is important to select plants that thrive in similar conditions. If you have a sunny spot and want to design an attractive planting for a plant pot, you could for example plant Salvia ‘Caradonna’ and Erigeron karvinskianus (Mexican fleabane) together. Salvia will provide interesting colour and a vertical accent, whereas Erigeron would create a lower level visual by trailing down the pot, with clouds of small daisy like flowers.
To prolong the flowering of perennials you might want to deadhead spent blooms, which will encourage the plants to produce new colourful displays.
When creating a design for plant pots using perennial plants, you should think about your colour scheme and select colours that complement each other. It is also important to repeat same plants, so the overall planting design looks balanced and appealing.
Ornamental grasses are another important type of plant to consider as they are good for bringing your whole design together . An interesting example is Sesleria autumnalis. When repeated in several pots it will create a more coherent look. It is also an evergreen grass, that will produce tall spikes with white flowers, adding an interesting vertical element.
In a shady spot, use ferns, for example Dryopteris erythrosora, which has coppery red young fronds, that will mature to dark green. This is an interesting design idea for plant pots, that will bring height and interesting textures into the overall look of your planting.
If space allows, you can enhance your plant selection with small trees and shrubs. Planting small flowering trees will also make an interesting focal point.
There is a variety of small trees that would work well in containers, as well as shrubs, like for example Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’ – its fantastic dark foliage will contrast really well with evergreen shrubs, it also produces amazing umbels with white, pinkish flowers.
Moreover, you could enhance your design for plant pots with a climber that could trail on a support inserted into the pot, or could be guided to climb on a railing. There are some evergreen varieties of climbers available, that will bring a good winter structure into the overall design of your garden space.
Creating a design for plant pots is a creative process, where you combine colours, textures and even the scents of plants.
Don’t be afraid to work with and combine different types of plants, like for example herbs, perennials, shrubs and small trees.
Understanding your approach is the first step to creating a lasting and impactful planting design, and once you gather this information, the design combinations that you can create for your plant pot displays are limitless. Adding a further important dimension to the overall look and feel of your garden space.