You are asking yourself - "Why are they talking about Spring bulbs right now?" Well, it's because if you don't get them into the ground before it freezes they aren't going in.  "And what does that have to do with Spring Color?"  Well, it's because if you don't plant them now they won't be blooming next Spring!!!!!

Cut branches for decor.  Trimming from trees and shrubs like evergreens, fir, holly, pine and redwood are ideal to use in garden pottery to create a decorative and lush display.  Make sure when trimming that you cut downward growing branches to foster spreading.  Look for holly berry branches so that you can add a touch of color.

Recycle leaves by raking them up and adding them to your compost pile, or spread a thick layer around your plants.  Top a potted plant if there are bulbs inside.  You can always store them in plastic bags and toss them around each month just like you would a compost barrel.  Next spring dump them into your garden soil to enrich it or mix with your potting soil when putting out your spring plants.

1.  Clear a spot.  There are many ways to do this but if you are searching for spaces to tuck in bulbs, focus first on fall garden cleanup.  Open areas will be revealed when you pull out spent annuals and cut back perennials.  If you are using a garden planter make sure that it is cleaned out.  If you re-use the same soil, add fertilizer to it to pump it up and give your bulbs the healthiest start.

Ever thought of using a clay saucer to hold a SOS pad?  It will keep it from rusting.  Just leave it besides the kitchen sink and place the damp pad on it and the clay will absorb the moisture and keep the pad dry.  Honest!

Use a clay saucer as a coaster.  Line the bottom with felt to protect your tables and glue it on. Paint the any color you want but make sure you use a waterproof paint.

You may want to take into consideration the bark of certain plants or trees.  Once the leaves fall you will be looking at what is underneath.  Are the branches straight as an arrow or curved in an interesting pattern?  Try to picture your potted plants with snow on them.  Will they droop over from the weight or be able to support it?

Decorating!  Yeah that's right - decorating.  Sometimes the best materials for holiday crafts are close at hand:  twigs and bean pods that might be strewn around the yard, and evergreen boughs off the trees.  You can use them to make decorative rustic wreaths or swags to use on the porch, patio or indoors.  Pick up a metal wreath frame from any craft store and place your boughs in a decorative pattern, securing them with craft wire.  Pick up pine cones or bean pods and decorate the wreath with.  Fill empty garden pots with evergreens, pinecones and feathers.  Don't leave your garden containers just sitting empty all winter long.

Shopping - You think the nurseries in your area are closed for the winter?  No way.  They have wonderful plants like corsican violets or pansies still available to fill your garden planters with.  Consider the corsican violet for a blue purple viola tha survives extreme heat and cold climates.  This perennials is perfect for planters, or rock gardens.  Look at your local nursery or order online.  Pansies are cool season annuals that bloom from late fall through winter.

Select a "living" Christmas tree.  It looks great indoors during the holidays and then you can transplant it from the garden container to the garden soil when finished with it.  Arizona Cypress is silvery blue and attractive.  The Blue pyramid grows in the shape of symmetrical pylon 25 feet tall and 12 feet wide.  Just plant in full sun and provide ample water for the first season till well established.

Now is the time to adjust your watering schedule.  Even if you have drip systems in all your decorative pottery, you need to increase the number of days between watering time.  Make sure the standing water is absorbed and doesn't freeze or your pottery is going to crack.  Lastly, you need to move cold sensative potted plants under covered porches or below some kind of canopy.  Don't water any cacti or succulents and protect the truck of any citrus trees with burlap or similar material.

This time of year, when you are thinking of cleaning up the garden, putting away the planters and getting ready for winter, we suggest you think about gardening indoors under glass.

A few years ago terrariums were a very popular way of keeping lovely plants indoors during the winter months.  It is a simple of experimenting with unusual plants, keeping your green thumb busy and bring life and color indoors for the stark days ahead.

The word terrarium refers more to the state of the plants a case contains than to the case itself.  You can use many different kinds of glass containers.  A fish bowl or old fish tank are great.  Anything that you can make a minature greenhouse out of.  You want to select something that allows you easy access to the plants and still allows air to circulate.

Below we will list a few tips to consider when trying this project.

Fill the bottom of the container with pea gravel, garden mulch and potting soil.  You can plant directly into the soil or set potted plants directly on the gravel in a decorative arrangement.  Select plants that crave high humidity and warmth since this environment is perfect for that.  Ferns, herbs, african violets, and orchids will all work wonderfully.  Finish off with decorative items like minature statues, decorative rocks, figurines and drift wood.  Try to create a mini garden in a jar.  The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the process.

You need to note a few tips before you start your project, to insure that you have the most success.  Simple things to consider like selecting plants that don't drop a lot of leaves or flower petals.  You don't want to be constantly cleaning the pools surface or taking the chance that something will clog your pool equipment.  This doesn't mean that you can't use a beautiful flowering plant, you will just need to place it down-wind from the pool.  This simple consideration will help.

Another thing to think about is the amount of water a plant will need.  If you select a pot with a drain hole, which is the healthiest choice for most plants, you want to consider the run-off that may occur.  Don't place the potted plant on a deck where the run-off can create a muddy patch or dangerous situation for slipping.  The damage of constant water on the deck is another thing to think about.  Of course you can use a saucer to catch excess water and we offer a wide selection of them.  Just make sure it's large enough to hold the water and doesn't run over.  If the saucer is to small then what is the point of having it.

Lastly, we suggest you select some plant materials that have bright, bold colors, and heavenly fragrance all lovenly packaged in a high gloss decorative planter.  Just a few tips but all worth considering. 

Bearded Iris - Scented geranium - Angelita daisy
Pineapple guava - Red Fairy Duster - Rosemary Salvia

Mediterranean fan palm - Date Palm - Texas ebony

Ice Plant - Trailing indigo bush - Yellow morning glory vine.

Giant rosettes of frilly leaves - in shades of lavender, deep rose and pink as well as crisp white and creamy yellow - make ornamental kales favorite additons to any winter garden.  Because these showy cabbage relatives tolerate cold weather and can hold their brillant color all the way into spring, they are ideal for growing in garden pots to display on porches, patios or beside entryways.

 

If you have never planted a garden container with these member of the cabbage family - you are missing and easy opportunity to add delicate elegance,  bold color and stunning greens to your fall garden or patio area.  There are a number of different plants to choose from and the range of colors and styles they provide are huge.  Try dinosaur kale, redbor kale or white flowering kale. 

Plant kales as soon as possible so heads develop fully, the color will intensify as the weather cools.  Set several kale plants of the same color in a large pottery container.  Combine them with cool season bloomers such as primroses or violas.

 

When selecting a planter to use, try something that will help to add color.  Many of the poly resin, fiberglass or ceramic pots have vibrant deep colors in many different color catagories.  This time of year your yard, garden and patio areas will need all the color they can get. 

Below are a few tips that you should take into consideration when trying to design with rocks or just place a few around your yard.  These ideas are only a framework and meant to give you a sense of how to set rocks.  Of course your personal preference will play a roll when deciding placement.

1.  Make sure you consider nature before placing rocks.  Study landscapes and landforms such as ledge outcroppings, streambeds, waterfalls, and stony islets.

2.  Make sure that your stones are set firmly into the ground.  This means that you want to set them either up to their knees or about one quarter of the way up from their bottom and go to their waist.   If you allow the underside of a rock to be exposed, it will look as though it was simply plopped down.

3.  Establish a relationship between stones.  With two stones, make the larger rock the major or dominant stone and the smaller rock the minor or subordinate stone.  It helps to create an image for the relationship between stones.  When placing 3 stones together, create a triangular relationship between them, such as a tall standing stone, a med size flat topped stone, and a low lying stone.  No matter how many stones you set, it helps to have an image firmly in mind before you begin.

4.  Use stone of different sizes.  Think of how rocks look at the edge of a stream.  Smaller stone tumble to the side of larger rocks, varying the depth and height. 

There is not a big difference between growing potted plants outdoors versus indoor, except that the ones inside tend to be mostly greens and very few flowers.  Violets tend to be the exception.  Most varieties come from tropical climates so they love the indoor temperatures and warmth.  When people think of violets they tend to think about how difficult they are to grow.  Well, that's not the case at all.

There are many points to consider when growing African Violets in lovely garden pots.  A main consideration is the color of the blooms.  They come in so many shades that it is difficult to select just one.  The green foliage is also varies depending on the plant that you select.  You may want to contrast the color of the bloom with a colorful pot.  Example: purple bloom with bright pink planter. 

When it comes to space needed these plants are easy.  They ususally never get any larger than a foot wide.  Which ever size you go with just make sure that the planter pot provides enough room since they don't like to be cramped.  When it comes to watering you don't want to overwater so use a water guage if necessary.

During the winter, most homes with forced air or any other drying heat source has relative humidity of 15% or less, ver close to levels found in a desert.  Misting plants by hand offers only temporary results, and mineral deposits in the water will leave spots on the leaves.

Small specimens of cactus and succulents are ideal for these tabletop pots, and many plants can coexist happily in the same container.

Part of the fun in designing a min garden is choosing plants, pots and textured mulches.

Cactus & succulents have very shallow roots and don't need a deep planter.  You can use round, rectangle or square.  Whatever  you like.  We offer some lovely glazed planters that come with saucers that are perfect for this type of planting.

Many succulents and exeric plants will last through the winter with very little care.  If you use plants that aren't hardy make sure to place them in a sunny spot indoors.

After a year or two, plants may outgrow their containers.  Transplant them into bigger pots and re-group them in their containers.

The number of plants you need depends on the size and number of containers and the size of the plants.  If you buy two few, they will fill in by the end of the season.  If you buy to many you can cram them together into the pots.

Either way works.

Next spring, examine the soil in the containers.  Tiny seedlings of moss rose may be sprouting.  If left undisturbed, they will produce colorful blooms once again.

Get kids involved in these types of projects.  Kids love the texture of succulents and they will read out to feel the smooth and prickly surfaces. 

Choose plants so that at least one will bloom in every season. With thoughtful choices, you can have all season color.

This time of year is fun in the garden because of the bright colors of green and red that you are working with.  You may think it is time to slow down for the winter but you are wrong.  There are still plenty of things you can do to make sure that your garden planters & area will still look lovely but that you can be prepared for next Spring.  Here are a few suggestions.

Add these bright Viola blooms to containers and flowerbeds to allow roots to become established before colder weather sets in.  Set transplants in a sunny spot in rich well-drained soil  When planting in garden containers and planters, good drainage is very important.  Other flowers you can plant as companions include snapdragons, sweet Williams, calendulas, and sweet alyssums.  Mix in fun things like cabbage, kale or parsley to complement to blooms.  Feed plants with fertilizer.  Simple and easy to do!

Now is the time to divide your perennials.  Whether in pots or the ground, dig up and divide your daisies, irises, hostas and daylilies.  A garden fork is the perfect tool for this.  Set divided plants back into the pots or soil a the original growing depth, water and cover with garden mulch.  All handtools are perfect for using in potted garden containers.

With the holidays approaching, fragrant paperwhite bulbs are favorites this time of year.  These easy bulbs are so eager to grow that they don't even need to be planted in soil or a planter.  Select a low profile glazed pot.  It can be round or square even rectangle.  Make sure it has a saucer that fits.  Fill it part way with pebbles and then arrange the bulbs on top of the pebbles.  You may need to add a few more pebbles to add extra support to the bulbs.  Then add water so that it comes up to the base of the bulbs.  The flowers should appear in 3 to 6 weeks.

Are your trees sharing their leaves with you?  I bet your yard is covered.  Piles of leaves can become we blankets after rains.  You don't want them to smother your grass or land on your potted plants and smother them.  Rake them from your lawn regularly and pick them off the pots.  Gather them and bag them.  They will make great compost next spring and they will add nutrients to your potted soil.

If you take the boldest colors from fall, like red, orange, yellow, burgundy and add a little touch of bright green you get a stunning display of color.

The photo here show two coleus - Dappled Apple and plum colored Velvet lime.  They are joined by a cascade of Angelina sedum.  Stunning!

Photo at left shows Lime green Japanese forest grass and a simple pumpkin is added for character.  Simple yet lovely!

Copper leaf plants and trailing ivies add a rich touch to all containers!  Use Japanese maples which have lush red leaves.

Gardenias make a lovely green bush for most of the year, brightening up a sunny front room.  As the weather cools they bloom and tranform the room into a beautiful, fragrant, tropical garden.  Plant them in a decorative container and make a bold statement in your home. 

Banana Trees can be potted and placed in a sunroom or garden room indoors.  Their leaves are constantly emerging and uncurling.  In the evening, the leaves fold down making a bouquet of little green pyramids.  Try to plant them in a container that is noticably larger than the root ball.  Since they like the added space they will grow healthy and lovely leaves and flowers.

Phalaenopsis orchids are easy to grow.  If you water them one or twice a week and lightly fertilize them once in a while, they reward you with beautiful flowers for several months.  The best part is that they bloom in January and February when gardeners really appreciate their color.  Their plant needs are unusual.  The best container to plant them in is a pot specifically made for orchids.  The sides of the planter is covered in holes allowing for air circulation.  The pot shown is one that we carry and sell alot of.  Click here to view details.

Clivia is easy to take care of and they brighten the room with clusters of orange flowers.  Even when they are not flowering, the foliage is handsome.

African Violets are lovely.  They welcome you home at the end of a long day with a burst of color.  The leaves are stunning and a great compliment to the bright and bold colors of the flowers.  Some leaves are variegated green and white giving them a unusual appearence.  There are specific pots made for violets that hold a inner pot over a outer pot that contains the water.  We show it in a lovely clay pot that is functional and simple.

Nothing elicits a smile quite like a homegrown floral bouquet, and fall's moderate weather offers the ideal conditions for planting a cutting garden.  Believe it or not this is the best time to plant and pot a cool weather cutting garden.  Most annuals planted in fall will end their life cycles when temperatures spike in summer.

The best cut flowers maintain their color and vase life and feature sturdy stems that hold blossoms upright.  You can easily plant these seeds in a large planter on the patio area or on the porch next to a entryway.  That way you can have color during the October and November months and even cutting flowers that you can use indoors to decorate with.

Make sure that the planter pots are in full sun at least part of the day.  A protected spot like next to a wall that will reflect the sun will help to keep the plants warm and extend the bloom life.  It is best to mulch the top of the planter to provide an added layer of protection for the cooler evening.

This is the time of year to plant colorful grasses.  These fill out garden planter's and add stunning color to all patio areas.  Bring out pumpkins and gourds and use them as decoration around your displays.  This is a great time to plant Sweet peas in planters.  This photo shows Blue Sweet Peas, which is fragrant and lovely.

It's that time of year when the "jewels" of color are starting to show up.

You don't need a lot of space to get big color. By planting one of the trees listed below you are well on your way to achieving stunning color.  Ambers, scarlet and plums will all show up and be hard to overlook.  Many of these types of trees fit perfectly into small gardens and are wonderful planted into large garden planters.

If you plant them now, these trees will develop a strong root system in the cool months and thrive when the weather warms. 

When it comes to selecting the type of planters to use we have a few tips to share.  Even though "Terracotta Clay" is lovely and makes a wonderful compliment to the bright colors of the trees, these are not our first recommendation.  Terracotta is meant to breathe and there for will break down over time.  This means if you plant a tree into a terracotta clay pot you will eventually have to repot it.  Since it can only get bigger this could become a problem. 

Ceramic pots or planters that are high fired would be a much better choice.  These planters will never break down unless they are cracked or chipped.  Then the water you use on the plants or trees will find that crack and get inside the clay and eventually erode it.  You will also have a larger selection of colors, finishes and styles to choose from. 

So, check out these tree suggestions below and let us know how they work for you.

Ginko:  Unusual fan shaped leaves become glowing yellow in fall and linger a long time.  When leaves finally drop, they do so almost all at once, creating a golden carpet atop lawns or paving. 

These trees can reach quite tall but if planted in a garden pot it will stunt the growth of the tree and keep it on the smaller side.  Place the tree in full sun and enjoy these lovely leaves.

Japanese Maple:  Prized for their graceful shape, delicate leaves, and diminutive stature, these slow growing maples can reach 20 feet, but most of the popular varieties are less that half that size - perfect for containers in entryways and patios.  They also are great for backdrops for ferns and azaleas, or understores for oaks.  All provide vibrant fall color, red leaved varieties that intensify, turning from red to scarlet.  Favorites for pots include lacy dissectum and burgundy red dragon.

When planting either of these trees above here are a few tips:

Plant in a pot with drain holes.  Use a planter that is atleast 2 inches larger than the root ball of the tree.  Use a well draining potting mix and water deeply after planting.  Repot the tree every other year if necessary and feed with fertilizer according to package instructions.

Many gardeners know that heartbreaking feeling that comes when the cooler weather approaches.  They feel the must say good-bye to the lush potted plants that they nutured all spring and summer.  But, we want you to know that you can move many of them, still in their pots, indoors with good success.  Turning a annual potted plant into a houseplant is not that difficult if you follow a few easy steps.

The first thing to consider when your are ready to make the move, is where you are moving the potted plant to.  Typically most plants need as much sunlight as possible since the season has more dark than light hours.  Find a window where they will get the most sunlight.  If you have a enclosed patio or sunroom they are ideal.

Make sure they aren't located on a heat vent.  Since indoor air tends to be drying, it's best to find a location farthest from the heat source.  You will also need to water the soil more than it when it was located outdoors.  If it is possible, turn down the thermostate a degree or two to help keep the air cooler.  You don't want to burn up a lush plant because of lack of moisture in the potted soil.

Check the soil in the planter and undersides of the leaves for pests.  The last thing you want to do is move in a family of bugs.  If you are really worried about this issue you can set the pots up in the garage and then spray them for pest.  It never hurts to error on the side of caution!

If the plant you want to try to save, by moving it indoors, is planted in the soil you will need to purchase a planter to repot it in before you dig it up.  We have many sizes and styles available that will all work great indoors.  Just make sure you have a sealed saucer so that you won't damage the surface you place the pot on.  Remember to use potting soil not garden soil.  Garden soil doesn't have the right mix of mulch etc to keep a potted plant healthy.

Warm up:  Before jumping right in you should walk around the yard for a few minutes.  Try collecting all your tools at this time and getting everything organized so once you start you don't have to keep stopping and searching for items.  Move any heavy pottery into position before you start.

Bend Correctly:  Bending over from the waist with your knees locked is the most common mistake gardener's make.  Either bend forward from your hips or bend your knees and squat down.  This transfers the weight you are trying to life to your thighs and buttocks.  We sell a device called "Pot Lifter" that is awesome for lifing large objects not just garden pottery.  Click here to find out more information.

Avoid twists and turns:  Avoid being repetitive with movements.  If you are performing the same movements over and over, like shoveling dirt, stop time to time and take a break.  When filling a large planter with soil, try doing it in a couple of steps.  Fill the pot half full, move on to someting else and come back and finishing filling the planter. 

Wear comfortable, cushioned shoes:  There are gardening shoes that have nice thick soles that help to minimize the impact on your feet.  They also help with alignment so you don't trip or stumble while walking on uneven surfaces.

Cool down after gardening:  When your chores are complete, this is the time to sit down and enjoy your hard work.  Look at your stunning potted planters and savor the view.  Relax, stretch your muscles while they cool and enjoy a final glance at all that you have accomplished.  If you have access to a hot tub this is the ultimate reward for a day of hard work.

Did you know that many homes in Europe, create large hedges with the plant Rosemary?  These are stunningly beautiful with lovely little blue flowers that sprout seasonally.  Not only is this herb attractive to look at but the fragrance is outstanding.  Anyone who has ever cooked with this herb can attest to that fact.
 

You can see them growing directly in the soil and forming large to huge walls of green or they maybe shooting out of large ceramic containers that are lined up in a row to create a wall of plants.  Either way they are easy to grow, fun to harvest, yummy to cook with and great to look at.

If planting directly into soil, make sure that it is in direct sunlight.  These plants love the sun and will grow hardy and strong is planted this way.  It may take a few years to get a generous sized hedge but rosemary is considered a very fast growing plant.  After a few years you should have plants that are 4 to 5 feet tall with a stem approx. 1" in diameter. 

Once they reach this stage it is perfectly normal to harvest bit's and piece's off the plants to use in making receipes, bottled herb-infused oil and vinegars, home-made breads, garden gifts and much more.  The upswing of harvesting these plants are that the more you pick them the thicker and more lush the plants grows. 

Lately, we have seen a rise in home cooks keeping pots of rosemary around the home.  The plants are lovely in color and the fragrance is pleasing.  You don't necessarily have to cook with them to enjoy them.

We would like to add that the root systems of rosemary plants that are sowed directly into the ground, will spread.  This helps to create a dense hedge but may also spread to areas that you do not choose to have them grow.  Our recommendation is to grow them in large garden planters.  You can then line the planters up in a row and create a hedge that is useful.  The garden pots will contain the spreading root system and keep the plants growing only where you want them to.

Few tips:

Rosemary has needle like, dark green leaves that are highly aromatic and are prized for their perfume as well as their culinary and medicinal uses.  It prefers a sunny site as stated above, and thrives in poor soils that are well draining.  It rarely grows over 5 feet tall.  It loves to be pruned.

Growing plants out of food pits, that are potted in a simple container, are easy and fun to do.  You won't have to even purchase any items if you choose, therefore making this a very inexpensive and easy project.  Because of the simplicity of growing these kitchen scraps in pots, it makes a child friendly and creative project.  Most fruits and vegetables have some part that can be potted and grown.  Just save the pit from a avocado, the top of a pineapple and a whole uncooked sweet potato and you are ready to get started.  These are the most common and well known kitchen foods but don't forget to dig a bit deeper.  Try popcorn kernels, garlic cloves, squash seeds like pumpkin or acorn, melon seeds, beans, lentils and even lemon & orange seeds.  All can be potted and grown with ease.

Don't be concerned if your first attempt isn't successful.  It could be the condition of the pit or seeds and not your handling of them.  Since they are easy and inexpensive to work with just keep it up and you will achieve great success. 

AVOCADO PIT:  The next trip to the store, purchase a avocado and keep the pit.  Dry it out for a few days and poke 3 or 4 toothpicks around the middle.  This helps to support the base of the pit above the water level while trying to grow roots.  If the pit is tough or very hard, poke the holes first with a small nail, then place the toothpicks.  Take a glass jar or water glass and fill with fresh water.  Suspend the pit over the water making sure that the bottom of the seed is covered with water.  Make sure to keep the water level filled and the pit covered.  After a few weeks you should see white roots sprouting from the base.  The the top of the pit should split and a green stem will sprout.  Wait till that stem is approx. 6 to 8" tall and then plant the pit in a container filled potting soil.  Do not use garden soil.  You can choose one as decorative as you desire or a simple clay pot works fine.  Set the pot in a sunny spot, keep the soil mosit and you will soon have a plant starting.

Growing a sweet potato vine is easy but you must make sure that the uncooked potato is fresh and doesn't look like it's been stored for months.  Stick the toothpicks around the body of the potato and suspend in water just like the avocado above.  Try to make sure that atleast half of the potato is below the water level.  Watch for similar white roots to sprout on the bottom and a green stem out the top.  Once this happens, place the potato in a suitable container of your choices, in potting soil and keep soil moist.  These are slow growing so be patient!

Lastly, the pineapple plant.  If you save the spiky green top from a fresh pineapple, and plant it in a clay pot filled with potting soil, you should grow a lovely plant.  A few tips:  cut the top off about 1" below the leaves.  Let it dry for a couple of days with the cut end up. Stick the top in the soil like the photo at top.  Place the pot in a sunny window and the soil moist.  Give it a few weeks and then look for new roots and green leaves coming from the top.  This one is really slow to grow and takes approx a year so be patient.  It eventually may grow a flower or even a tiny pineapple.

How fun!

We thought this would be a great time to share a few projects that you can easily create with pumpkins, squash and garden pottery.  Have fun!

There is no need to greet guests with sad, empty exterior planters just because the weather's turned.  Once flowers die off, create a lush, welcoming display with cold-hardy foliage and decorative gourds.  Start by planting a backdrop of evergreen dwarf spruces as well as kale, which should survive the first frost.  Then pile on gourds and squash like the ones shown in the photo.  Keep in mind that edible varieties will last only a few weeks.  Sprigs of eucalyptus and fir supply the finishing touches.

Another alternative to a inexpensive and creative container can be squash or gourds.  A buttercup squash can serve as a stunning cachepot for succulents.  Fill it with crassula and echeveria to re-create this arrangement as shown.  Just trim the squash's stem, then position a small pot of succulents on top and trace around it with a marker.  Cut along your mark and scoop out all the pulp, then insert the pot.  Easy!

Gourds come in all sizes and shapes and colors and easily become seasonal vases.  Cut a hole big enough to accommodate a couple of florist tubes.  Insert flower stems for a unique bud vase and use to decorate inside or outside your home.  Lovely!

This last project is neat because it uses a pumpkin as a planter and it makes a lovely display that can be used indoors or out.  Cut out two top quarters of a pumpkin, leaving the stem and a narrow strip as the basket handle.  Zigzag the bottom edges, and hollow out the base.  Place a block of west floral foam inside.  Position two glass votive holders in the foam and surround with a bevy of fall blooms and leaves.  Place on a table in the dining room or living rooms.  This makes a festive fall display of color that is inexpensive and easy to do.  Have fun!

Read more......This pottery collector is outstanding!

If you plan ahead and follow these suggestions, you will have much success in your garden pottery in the months ahead.

For blooms from winter through spring, plant cool season annuals now so they get established and start flowering before the weather turns cold.  Otherwise, they may not flower until spring.  Buy young plants of calendula, pansies, primrose, and snapdragons now and plant them or sow the seeds.  Select cleaned out garden pottery and make sure the soil is new.  Add fertilizer now to the soil to assure a good start in the the Spring.  Make sure there are no cobwebs or insects attached to the outside of the pottery.  You want to start with as clean a pot as possible.

If you don't have space for multiple fruit trees, try growing a single tree with multiple fruiting brances grafted onto one rootstock.  For best selection, order bare root trees now for January pickup.  Place these planter pots in a shaded area and mulch the top of the soil for added protection thru the cold months ahead.

October is the best month for setting out any kind of plant that's not frost tender.  Ground coveres, shrubs, trees, and vines all benefit from fall planting, when temperatures are cooling and rain is on the way.

Now is the time to clean up debris.  To reduce the number of sites that harbor insects and diseases over winter, pull and discard weeds, spent annuals, and vegetables.  Also clean up all fruit and fallen leaves.  Compost only plant debris that is free of disease, insect pests, and weeds.

Clean the outsides of all pottery to remove any insects or clotted dirt.  Clean off the top soil of dead leaves and flowers and re-till the surface soil to keep it from clumping.  Dead head any flowers that are spent or pinch off yellow or dying leaves. 

Taking a few minutes to clean things up, planning ahead and purchasing a few products now will add assure much success next spring and summer.

Read more.....The Secret to Bulbs

Eating flowers may raise eyebrows today, but history shows it's a centuries old culinary tradition.  Today many people eat flowers without knowing it.  Broccoli and cauliflower are undeveloped flower buds, Saffron comes from the stamen of the crocus flower.  Many teas are made with roses, chamomile, and other flowers.

Edible flowers add flavor and color to your cooking.  Some are even high in vitamins and nutrients.  Below are a list of some of the most popular edible flowers. 

Growing flowers in potted plants outside a kitchen door is easy and fun to do.  Filling planter pots on a patio with edible flowers adds fragrance and character to your landscaping and decorating needs.  You can use most different types of planters but the most healthiest to use would be terracotta.  This type of clay pot is meant to breathe and helps to keep the plants root system healthy.

Borage:  This annual grows 2 to 4 feet tall with purplish blue, star-shaped flowers.  Sow seeds in a sunny spot in spring after last frost, or earlier in warm climates.  Borage tolerates most soil types and usually reseeds itself.  This flower adds a cucumber taste to salads, dips, and cold soups.  Freeze flowers in ice cube trays to float in decorative drinks.

Calendula:  also known as pot marigold, this annual was a favorite in medieval cooking pots.  It grows up to 20" tall with attractive pale yellow to deep orange flowers.  Sow seeds in a sunny spot and provide afternoon shade in hot temperatures.  This flower has a slightly bitter taste.  Add the petals to scrambled eggs, cheeses, poultry, and rice.  Chop the leaves and petals in soupls, salads, and stews.

Chamomile:  Another annual that has tiny daisy like flowers that can be brewed in tea.  Easily grown from seeds in spring, this plant grows up to 2 feet tall in full sun.  Chamomile has a sweet apple flavor and fragrance make a delicious tea.  Steep 2 to 4 teaspoons of fresh flowers with a cup of boiled water for three minutes.  Strain and serve.

Chives:  This perennial grows up to 24" tall with pink and lavendar flowers that have flavored meals for centuries.  It prefers full sun and moist soil.  Chives grow well in sunny windows.  Break apart chive florets to add mild onion flavor to dinner rolls, casseroles, eggs, potatoes, and herb butters.

Lavender:  This perennial requires dry, good draining soil.  It grows best in full sun.  It's taste combines well with rosemary and thyme in chicken and lamb marinades.  Add a teaspoon to sugar cookie and cake recipes. 

When cooking with flowers, match the favors to your recipes. 

Read more.....Happy Herbs in Pots

The photo above shows our "best selling"  Italian terracotta clay rolled rim taper planter.  This garden pot has a lovely baked clay color and smooth silky feel to it.  Each pot comes with a drain hole on the bottom and a huge rolled rim lip at the top.  click here for details.

When it comes to choosing the plant materials shown, don't be afraid to play with color.  These vivid bright colors are stunning and fun to decorate with.  Choose a color scheme like the one shown (accents of purple, yellow, orange and red).  Instead of crawing vines or dramatic centerpieces, take a stair step approach, grouping small plants that flower at slightly different heights in these lovely planters.

A.  Tagetes 'Marvelous'

B.  Gomphrena globosa 'all around purple'

C.  Celosia plumosa Century series

D.  Calceolaria 'dainty'

It's so tough trying to keep planters watered during the summer months that planting them with drought tolerant plants makes that process much easier.  This arrangement is perfect for sun-baked decks and patios.  And it's pretty throughout the growing season - especially if you mix annuals and perennials for lots of color and interesting texture.

Start by selecting the planters that you wish to use for this arrangement.  We recommend that you use a "High Fired" garden planter that is meant to hold up over time.  This step will avoid having to repot your plants every year or so.  The planters in the photographs shown are the Vietnamese High Fired Black Clay Low Bowls.  Make sure whatever containers you do use have a drain hole. 

Photo 1 - shows the bottom of each planter pot lined with landscape cloth.  This helps to keep the potting soil from flowing out the drain hole and it still allows the water to drain off.  As you can see a number of different sizes were used. This helps with adding depth and character to the final display.

Photo 2 - Fill the planters with potting soil to about 2" inches from the rim of the pot.  Set the nursery containers with plants where you want to plant them, on the soil so that you can see the arrangement in advance.  Make sure you take into account that you will want some plants to droop over the sides of the pots.  Gently remove the plants and place them in the soil.  Water right after planting with a gentle sprinkle.

Photo 3 - As you can see from this photo, different sizes, shapes and styles make the arrangement of pots more interesting.  The larger the planter the more variety of plants you can use.  Make sure to keep them watered as their roots develop.  Once established, these plants will last up to 2 weeks

We saw these great tips from Sunset Magazine on how to create a planter pot that will attract Hummingbirds and we thought we would pass it along.  By Debra Prinzing, Photos by Ed Gohlich

It is really easy to pot a special type of plant that will attract certain birds, butterflies and other desired garden friends.  This particular pot has 3 plants that attract hummingbirds.  Fingertips (dudleya edulis), Sticky monkey flower (Mimulus aurantiacus) and Jim Sage (salvia clevelandii).  Each one of these can easily be found at your local nursery center.

Here are easy tips on how to plant them:

1.  Use one or more pieces of broken pottery to cover the drain holes to prevent soil from seeping out but allows water to drain through.

2.  Fill approximately one quarter to one third of the container with high quality potting soil.  This helps for plant growth.

3.  Arrange the plants listed above in the containers, placing the tallest plant toward the back.  Add soil until it reaches 1/2" to 1" below the pots rim.  Add decorative accents like driftwood, or seashells.  Water thoroughly and watch them grow.

These nectar rich native plants are lovely and the hummingbirds love them.  Give them a try and let us know how they worked out for you!

Wouldn't it be nice to have cilantro growing right outside your kitchen door in a lovely garden pot?  Whenever you wanted to fix Mexican salsa or guacamole, or a Middle Eastern yogurt sauce for lamb kabobs, there the lacy, sweetly pungent leaves would be, ready to harvest.

But if you have ever tried to grow it, you have probably noticed that cilantro yields a fast crop; plants are barely up before they try to flower and set seeds.  So those tasty leaves aren't around long, especially in warm weather.

To keep leaves coming, you can sow seeds every two weeks for a continuous crop.  Or, even better, try the method we recommend.  Grow cilantro as you would mesclun.  Sow seeds thickly in a wide, shallow container or garden bowl; then, as as plants are 3 to 4 inches tall and sporting a couple of cuttable leaves, use scissors to cut off some foliage for cooking.  Shear from a different section of the container ever time, rotating the pot as you go and never letting plants in any area mature.  By the time you get back to the first section harvested, new leaves will have appeared.  EASY!

Easy tips to follow:

1.  Select a bowl shaped planter pot at least 18" wide and 8" to 10" deep.  Obviously the larger the better for a nice supply.

2.  Fill the pot with a fasting draining potting soil and  mix in an organic fertilizer.

3.  Before seeding, moisten the soil using a fine spray from the hose.  Because the seeds are failry small, mix them in a bowl with sand so they will disperse evenly and not clump together.

4.  Gently mist the soil so as not to displace the seeds.

5.  Place the container in full sun and the seeds should germinate in 7 to 10 days.

6.  Harvest according to the instructions listed above.  It is possible to harvest 4 crops from a single pot.

Herbs are fun and easy to grow in garden pots.
Click here to read about Herbs that heal.

A.  If possible, place containers within reach of a hose.  They are in a sunny location, water at least once a day during the hot summer months.  This is the most important step when it comes to successful potted planters.

B.  Assemble your planter pots where they will be displayed.  That way, you won't have to move them from one end of your garden or patio to the other.  ARGHHHHHHH.....

C.  Use a potting mix designed for containers.  We know we keep harping on this one step but it is so important to successful and beautiful potted planters.  Don't fill the pots with just regular garden soil or compost.  Check the label for ingredients.  The best mixes include lime to balance the PH, controlled release fertilizer and water retaining polymers.

D.  Mulch the top of the containers with shredded bark, faux rocks, gravel or even small pinecones or seashells.  It will dress up the pots and also reduce moisture loss.

E.  When you select several different types of plants for one pot, make sure they all have the same sun and water requirements.  This really does help to eliminate further problems.

F.  Lastly, check the plants regularly to nip problems in the bud.  If a plant or container is harboring pests or disease, remove it immediately.

These are basic steps but can easily be forgotten.  Hope this helps!

Read more......Great ideas on how to make a container for shady areas!

Swing a garden's mood from daylight casual to after dark glamour with a filip of a switch or the lighting of a match.  Placing lanterns around the patio or garden area is easy to do because of the mobility of today's lanterns and styles.  Using light to highlight trees, floral arrangements in planters or seating areas, adds debth, warmth and emphasis to your patio and if planned in advance, a easy effect!

There are many types of lighting that are wonderful when used outdoors.  We will mention a few here but our main emphasis is on the garden lanterns that are inexpensive and provide a powerful lighting feature.  Place the on the center of patio tables where they will add to any party theme.  Hang them in a tree to give a luminating light or sit them under potted plants where the lights will reflect thru the plant materials.  They are very inexpensive, come in many styles, and can be moved indoors for a similar purpose when needed.  Check them out here....

Art lighting - is when you have permanent or temporary lighting that reflects thru the plant materials, like palms or ferns.  The produce great shadows and make super backdrops for blank patio walls.

Underwater lighting - is stunning when placed inside a pond or pool area.  You can get a similar effect by placing floating candle on a pond or birdbaths surface.

Underfoot lighting is awesome when it lines a garden path,  Of course this needs to be planned in advance.

Uplighting is one of the easiest and most dramatic effects that can be achieved.  You can use garden lighting with colored bulbs to illuminate trees and large bushes or you can place garden lanterns under smaller bushes for the same lighting effect.

Lighting is mostly about extending the useful life of a garden.  After the sun sets, and even in the debth of winter you can transform a outside view with a beam of light.  All gardens large or small are being lit beautifully with expensive, extensive light fixture or simply decorated with smaller garden lanters and candles.

If you want to extend your living space from house to patio, garden lighting is a pretty basic way to achieve that.  If you live in a condo or apartment you can create a lovely oasis with garden lanters or candles.  Even if you don't plant on sitting in the garden area (winter evening) you want to illuminate the areas that can be view from a large living room or dining room window.  Don't under estimate the effect you can achieve.  Outside is just as important as inside when entertaining.

Use garden lanterns and candles, be creative and have fun decorating your patio and garden areas.

Read more.....How to make a tranquil backyard.

Increase the impact of garden containers by gathering them together in clusters and groupings.  It's easy and here are some tips.

Choose the right container for your pottery needs.  Size, shape and color are all important and should be taken into consideration when deciding where to start.  You don't want a conflicting color palette with the color of your home or patio cushions.  When it comes to size make sure you scale where you intend to use them.  A small 6" pot, placed on each side of a entry door won't make much of an impact, but place them together on a patio table and they make a lovely and functional display.  Fill with herbs and create a herb garden with each pot holding a different type of plant.

Play the number game.  Groups of containers look better in odd numbers such as 3, 5 or 7.  But some truly compliment each other when placed in pairs.  These look stunning on each side of a home entry and should look like twins when it comes to not only colors but types of plants used.

Bring home unity.  Similar pots with similar colors help everything to appear unified and not all "willy-nilly".  This doesn't mean identical but clusters that share a similar style but have different diameters and heights.  We love it when you take all white planters and display them together.  Make each one a different style, height and use different plant materials and you will still have a unified look that is outstanding.

Plants & colors are both vary important elements to consider.  Choose plants that flower and add foliage to give your containers a balanced look.  Try to make sure that their needs for air, water and fertilizer are similar for the most success.  Concerning color, try to avoid the zoo effect where there are lots of individual specimens that don't go together.  Try to keep your color theme cohesive and soothing.

Lastly, set the stage.  Don't just use clustered containers outside.  Place them inside your home as well.  Place on steps, around elevation areas, where you want to draw attention to focal points.  Hang them on bare walls, use them to conceal unsightly views, or soften empty corners.  Vary the heights and you will find great "eye appeal and character.

In this blog entry we continue with the theme of "the best container plants" by adding another 5 entries.   Hope you enjoy these suggestions.  Please let us know if you try any of these items.  Thanks!

6.  Phlox 'intensia Lilac Rose' can grow up to 12" tall and grows annually.  It spreads vigorously so is a good choice for a pot or garden container.  It's lightly fragrant flowers are lavender pink with a dark rose eye.  Blooming from spring to fall, these flowers are stunning is large containers and footed urns.  Give it full sun, it tolerates heat and humidity along with cooler weather.

7.  Mandevilla sanderi 'MonProud' (strawberry lemonade) This is a thirst quencher with bright colors and hot flowers.  A tropical vine that grows to up 8 feet long, this is a great addition for the sides of large planters where you want the vine to drape over the sides.  They should look like they are spilling out of the pot with colors of green, creame, pink and white.  It provides year round color when kept as a shrub.  Give it moist well draining soil.

8.  Scaevola 'Whirlwind Blue' is a sturdy fan flower with dainty looks.  A wonderful annual that grows up to 12 inches long and add bursts of color to any type of planter.  it can tolerate partial shade and like fertile moist soil.  We love the flat petals that look like little umbrellas.

9.  Vinca 'Merry-Go-Round' is a cheerful plant with tremendous color.  Growing up to 24" inches this can be used in very large planter pots.  It is one of the tallest, hardiest, and cheeriest of the vincas.  It's blooms in luminous red, purple, and liac will surely brighten a terrace planter.  The jewel toned flowers spring from bushy, glossy dark leaves.  Bring on the heat and sun and give it plenty of moist soil.

10.  Oxalis tetraphylla 'Iron Cross'  These shamrock shaped plants can stand alone or go lovely with a partner.  Starting out as a bulb they grow to 9" tall and makes full compact clumps that look lovely alone in small pots.  They also look great with added to larger color displays in bigger planters.  Plant them in partial sun with well draining soil and these are sure to please.  Children think they are fun because of the Iron Cross shape with leaves supporting four lobes.

Well we hope you enjoyed this 2 part series on great plants for all kinds of containers.  If you try any of them, please let us know.  We love to hear all feedback you care to provide.  Thanks!

Plants have different needs and they are based on many different things.  Things like planting in the ground or into a garden pot. Their access to light, water and fertilizer are all major considerations when you want to assure gardening success. 

Below is a list of favorite plant materials that thrive in a garden container.  Some you may recogonize but many are fairly new and exciting to experiment with.  Since we have so many to share we have divided this up into two blog post.  Don't miss part 2 and then let us know what you think?

1.  Osteospermum 'Lemon Symphony'  (shown above)these plants can stand a little night warmth.  They are a annual that grows to 14" tall and is noted for it's prolific blooms and tolerance to extreme heat and light frost.  The daisy like flowers feature a distinctive dark purple eye and halo.

2.  Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender' move this potted plant indoors for winter enjoyment.  It is a tender perennial that grows to 24" tall so use a large container.  It has lustrous, dark forest green leaves with contrasting undersides that are a rich violet purple. It loves full sun, well draining soil but you should move the container inside before the first frost.

3.  Tropaeolum majust 'Creamsicle" A lovely nasturtium that offers a wonderful orangy treat.  It truly looks like a swirled orange sherbet and vanilla ice cream with a sprinkling of red provided by throats that are etched in deep crimson.  This annual cottage garden flower is easy to grow directly from seed and it thrives without extra care in full sun and well drained soil.  Stunning in pottery!

4.  Petunia 'Supertunia Royal Velvet'  This sweet plant deadheads itself.  It is a cute annual that grows up to 10" tall so great for all pot sizes.  This vigorous, ever blooming trailer has large, velvety and sweetly fragrant purple flowers that attract butterflies & hummingbirds.  They grow fast and self clean by shedding spent blossoms.  We love this plant in windowboxes, hanging baskets and patio pots where full sun and moist soil are available.

5.  Cuphea cyanea These lovelies attract hummingbirds with their brightcolor and cigarflower shape.  A tender perennial that grows to 15" tall, this plant is stunning.  It blooms ceaselessly from spring until frost, producing hundreds of hummingbird attracting, inch long tubular blossoms.  The flowers are bright pink, tipped with yellow and topped with tiny purple petals that look like little ears.  Use this plant to soften container edges or to fill space around plants of bolder texture.

Garden soil doesn't offer enough air, water or nutrients to a plant growing in a garden pot to assure success.  Potting soils used in planters are a special mix that can overcome these situations.  It is so important that the soil provide the root systems of your plants and flowers with access to air so that water can drain away from them and not pool on the bottom of the planter, despite drain holes.  The more compact the soil the less water will drain off.   The the ultimate problem will exist:  root rot!

By adding loose fill like perlite, and sand to garden soil it helps to keep the soil from clumping and forming hard clots.  The simpliest way to get the right mix is to purchase potting soil from your local garden center that will contain the right amount of ingredients.  But, if you want to mix your own we have a basic formula that works.  This step is so important for great pottery growth.

Mix 2 gallons of each:

Peat moss, perlite, garden soil
Add 1/2 cup of each:

Dolomite, greensand, kelp powder or rock phosphate.

Sift the garde soil and peat moss to remove clumps.  Then add the remaining ingredients and mix with hands or shovel. 

What you are looking for basically, is a postitive environment for the plants root system so that you grow the most healthy plants and flowers possible.  Keep the soil in the planters loose and crumbly.  Once it gets packed down at the end of the seaon you need to re-sift it or replace it. The health of your garden depends on it.

The steps for making a water garden are easy to follow.

1.  Select a colorful, generous sized garden pot that is water proof.  You do not want to use low fired terracotta clay pot, since terracotta will absorb water and break down over time.  Get a lovely glazed container since these have been fired twice in a kiln and will repel water unless, and this is a big unless, they get cracked or chipped.  Then the water will search out the crack and penetrate the pot, causing it to break down over time.  The last think you will need to do is plug the drain hole in the bottom if there is one.  Arizona Pottery recommends using a silicone product since these are waterproof.

2.  Search out plants and ask for recommendations from your local nursery.  Look for ones that flower and  then select some attractive foliage.  Here are a few examples:
Flowers:  Japanese iris, water lily, cardinal flowers or march marigold.
Greens:  Water clover, houttuynia, horsetail, or fiber optic grasses.

   

Be creative when selecting the wonderful textures and brillant flowers of aquatic plants.  Use both submerged plants and floating for the most beautiful visual effect.  Try for fragrance to add that extra touch and finally go for a contrasting color effect.  Dark greens, with light whites and pinks.

Lastly, don't be alarmed if the water turns green at first.  This happens with the nutrients in water create small algae.  It is only temporary and will quickly clear.  By adding a small pump you can create that soothing sound of trickling water that everyone loves.

We think that the most important feature of any plant container is the style of pot, what it is made of and whether or not it has a drain hole.  Drain holes are so important because they make sure that water doesn't sit in the pot but drains off.  Standing water in the bottom of the pot will cause the plants roots to rot and over time the chemicals in the water or fertilizer will damage the plant also.  If water run-off is a problem because of the pot location then we have a couple of suggestions:

2.  Drop the pot that holds the plant into a larger outside pot that is decorative.  This way when you water the inside pot the run-off water will drain into the outside pot and evaporate.  Many landscape companies use this technique, especially when planting trees or large bushes inside office buildings. 

If you need a pot that will breathe the Terra-cotta clay planters are the best.  Unfortunately they will break down over time from the chemicals in the soil or fertilizer that is used.  In order to have a planter that will hold up and not break down, it must be made of a clay that is glazed and high fired or concrete, poly resin, sandstone, or fiberglass.  These materials repel water and do not let it absorb into them.

Choosing the correct container is the best step you can take to assure success when planting your landscape in pots.

Other tips to consider are:

Sun exposure:  Make sure where you place the pots is where the plant materials in them can thrive. 

Soil:  Always use a lightweight, well draining soil mix with a built in fertilizer is the best way to start.

Watering:  Know what the plants demand when it comes to water and make sure to provide them with their specific needs.  It is ideal to select pots that require the same watering schedule but that is not always possible.

Plants for containers:  Herbs, cacti & succulents, citrus, veggies and flowers are all great choices and they offer unique ideas for displays.  Try blending them together for the most outstanding arrangements.

Whether you have a balcony, courtyard, or patio begging for some color, potted plants are sure to transform even the smallest of spaces!

We saw this article in Fine Gardening Magazine featuring Debra Lee Baldwin and thought we would pass it along.  It is a easy and great idea.  Enjoy!

A succulent topiary suggests an evergreen tree yet makes viewrs do a double take.  It's a container garden with a twist:  a moss-filled cone planted with eye-catching, low-water, easy-care succulents.  This topiary offers a fewsh and engaging way to expand your garden artisty.  Your pallette is a wide range of colorful, fleshy-leaved plants with appealing geometric shapes.  With widespread demand for succulents, suppliers are increasing availability to meet your needs and satisfy your heart's desire.  Here is how to create your own succulent potted topiary.

Step 1
Fill the wire frame with chicken wire or wrap it with rustproof wire to create a small supportive pockets for the succulents.  Stuff the wire frame with moist sphagnum moss or a mixture of the moss and potting soil, or line the frame with eye catching succulents, like princess pine.

Fill the container with gravel or sand to create a sturdy base.  If there is a drain hole cober it with paper towels first to prevent the sand from spilling out.  Stab the prongs of the stuffed topiary frame into the sand to secure it.

Step 2

Add the succulents.  Use the sharp end of a needle nose wire cuttter to poke holes into the packed moss.  Insert the succulents cuttings into the holes, and secure with U-shaped florists pins.  Tuck moss into any gaps.  Let the succulents complete the job.  Their leaves contain all that the plants will need to survive.  They'll soon put out roots that anchor themselves into the moss.  If they don't find soil and aren't fed, they will go into a kind of stasis.  If they dont' find moisture, they will drain their leaves.

A few maintenance tips:

1.  Give potted plants the conditions they need.  Assess the site for your containers as you would for an in-ground planting.  Does the area get full sun, filtered shade, or deep shade?  Choose plants accordingly.  Is the area sheltered or exposed to lots of wind?  If it's exposed, you will need to install a trellis, windbreak, or other protections before putting your pots there.

2.  Use foliage plants lavishly.  They add structure and form to the garden and are a good foil for flower display.  They also create a point of interest in shade, especially  when you use glossy leaves that catch the light, or ones with white or yellow markings.

3.  Choose containers to match the style of your house.  Try not to mix too many themes and stick to one idea.  Remember that terracotta clay pots are low fired and will absorb the water you use.  They will dry out faster than a ceramic or high fired pot so take that into consideration when selecting the type of materials the pots are made of.  Concrete or poly resin are both very durable and almost indestructible.   Dark colored containers will absorb more heat than light ones.

4.  Pay attention to watering - the single most important step of container gardening.  If you have many pots, make it easy by trying some of the following devices.  A hose end nozzle with an off-on lever allows you to turn off the water between containers.  Long handled watering wands attach to garden hoses to extend your reach, they are perfect for hanging pots or pots in the middle of a large grouping.  Drip irrigation, which is a micro irrigation system that delivers water to containers through a network of thin tubes.  Automatic times work great also.

Potted plants are magicians.  They can turn hardscape into landscape.  Pots filled with greenery and flowers soften the hard edges of any patio or deck area.  They also create the feel of a garden where there's no earth to plant one.  Plants in pots contribute gentle textures, graceful movement, delicious scents , and seasonal changes.  They lure butterflies, hummingbirds, and other welcome visitors.

In short, they can add life to urban outdoor spaces and best of all, because container plantings are portable, you can make little changes at any time without distributing the whole scene.

Remember all you need is potting soil, outstanding containers, and plants, and a place to display them.  How easy is that?

The first opportunity to create a contained garden is by your front door.  Visitors form their initial impression of your home, so this is the area you would most like to appear welcoming.  Just a few potted plants is all it takes to change the picture from austerity to hospitality.

Then check out the patio areas.  Keep in mind that the more gardenlike you want a potted plant space to appear, the more important it is to focus on foliage plants.  Use vertical space to help create a convincing garden by filling pots with tall plants and grasses.  If you have stairs make sure they are wide enough to hold the pot selected for that space.  This touch can really add something to a long flight of steps in your garden area.  Try to make all your outdoor areas warm and welcoming.

Find a low wide pot or bowl, that is approximately 14" in diameter.  It can be made of terracotta clay, ceramic, poly-resin, concrete or any other type of planter that you like.  Partially fill the bowl with new potting soil.  Set the plants you purchased still in their nursery container on the soil, and move them till you find the position that you really like.  Make an arrangement that makes you happy!  Use 4" slow growing plants, approx 3.

Knock the plants out of the nursery containers and gently take the coiled roots apart.  Fill in around them with more potting soil up to within an inch of the pot rim.  Make sure the soil is compact and then water till moist.

Pour sand on top of the soil and finish with a piece of driftwood or other beachy treasure.  Shells, and sand-dollars make interesting pieces to add. 

Set the finished pot on a sunny patio or porch, where it gets some sun and some shade.  Water once a week or so using a gentle stream of water.  You don't want to disturb the display.  A watering can comes in handy here.