Choosing containers to meet your needs. Like an empty stage just waiting for your theatrical direction, a deck, patio or balcony can display beautiful pottery with especially stunning drama. Potted plants and flowers make natural accessories to these outdoor living spaces which in most cases cannot support any other kind of gardening. Growing plants in pots offers great scope and versatility; it can bring you many of the pleasures of a garden even in a restricted space. Terra-cotta pots are extremely versatile. They come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and the choice is large, so there is always something to suit every situation. Similarly, you should not ignore the unusual possibilities presented by pottery intended for a completely different use, which can often be both original and eye-catching. You need to bear in mind many practical considerations when making your selections and it is equally important to suit the container to the planting in it and the particular locations. The overall style should blend easily with the setting, be it formal or informal, contemporary or traditional, southwestern or eastern seaboard. All pots have their own character, not just inherent in their shape but influenced also by their size, the material of which they were made and the materials texture. The size of your chosen pottery will naturally depend partly on the space available, not only floor standing space but also the length and width of a windowsill, for example. It will also be governed by the plants you intend to grow in them. You will need deep pots to accommodate the roots of large shrubs or small trees whereas many annuals do not require much more than 6 depth of soil to grow satisfactorily. Small pots should be sturdy enough not get blown over when used outdoors. Large pots and window boxes will need to be planted where they will stay because moving them after will be next to impossible once filled. The durability of a container, in other words the length of its useful life, depends to a large extent on the resistance of the material to the effects of weathering. Extremes of temperatures cause the alternate expansion and contraction of containers and potting mixes can weaken all materials. Usually any breakdown can be treated in advance by having the pottery sealed with a liquid latex product that will protect it against such hazards as extreme weather conditions. We sell this product or will seal your purchases for you. All you have to do is check the box for sealing when you order. Finally cost will probably play a part in your choice of containers. This element needs to be assessed along with the various practical and aesthetic considerations. Try to make a realistic choice to meet your own requirements. Our pricing is very reasonable and we provide a wide price range to meet all needs and desires. General Information In broad terms, containers can be divided into two categories, those made from natural materials and those made from synthetic or man made materials. Materials such as terra-cotta or earthenware (made from clay) seem to fall halfway between the natural and synthetic finishes and can often be usefully linked by the two. They have a warm, red-brown earthy appearance and can be simply formed or molded into intricate patterns to suit virtually any situation. These unglazed pots are porous, which means the plant roots in them are cooler and dry out more rapidly than those in glazed pots. They also tend to have a rougher exterior finish, which quickly enhances the natural appearance of the pots after planting in them. Terra-cotta containers come in many shapes and sizes from simple pots to square sided decorative planters, urns and troughs. The simple round terra-cotta pots are reasonably priced up to about 10" diameter, after which the higher cost of producing them by hand makes larger pots and more decorative container more expensive. Carefully prepare your containers for planting. A lack of adequate drainage is probably the greatest single cause of trouble among container grown plants. Water must escape freely from terra-cotta pottery for outdoor use. Rain can soon upset all your plants in soil that is waterlogged for long periods of time. Plants can grow outdoors in containers without drainage holes only if they are sheltered from rain. Otherwise containers must have holes at or near the base. Most manufacturers provide these. Take steps to prevent fine soil from being washed out of containers and silting up your drains. Do this, first by filling containers correctly and taking particular care over crocking** and second by using drip saucers or trays. Use drip trays wherever stains from escaping water may cause problems. They catch the nutrient rich drainage water, through reducing the growth of green algae film on paths, windowsills and walls. They trap sediment close to is source, which prevents blocked drains, where they consist of trays filled with moist pebbles, they raise the humidity of the air around the plants and so help them on hot days. A pot in a tray should be raised either on gravel or small pot feet so the pots base is not constantly standing in water. ***Crocking a pot means covering the drainage hole with flat stones, pieces of broken pot concave side down, or a piece of zinc gauge screen. Add about ½ inch layer on bottom to ensure good drainage. Pottery ideas By planting in a piece of pottery you not only bring the receptacle itself to life but you also provide a focus for flowers or foliage that is not nearly so obvious in the more open parts of a garden. Free-standing pots and bowls direct the eye downward while window boxes, hanging pots and tall vases are often at eye-level, bringing the plants under closer scrutiny and allowing us to appreciate them in greater detail. Whether pottery is positioned at ground level, on a pedestal, wall or windowsill, its character will, to a greater or lesser extent, determine it suitability for plants of different kinds. Often the inherent style or shape of pottery can influence the planting quite strongly, in which case it should be allowed to do so. Consider the obvious compatibility of low growing succulents or cactus in terra-cotta bowls or ovals, or brightly flowering and trailing varieties of annuals in hanging wall pots, trailing plants are also well-suited to urns, but evergreen or more muted species would complement the more formal square or rectangle planters. Boldly molded containers require dramatic planting while tall vases call for varieties that can tumble and twist down their sides. Such tall pots often look most effective grouped with lower flatter containers. The traditional terra-cotta pottery in simple shapes are ideally suited to more delicate compositions, their unassuming outline allowing great scope for subtle groupings. Square planters are ideal for low, bushy shrubs while other containers specially designed for the plants they hold include strawberry and herb pots. Locations We have already seen how pots have particular characters but only when a well-planted pot or group of terra-cotta pottery is seen in the context of a specific locations can the result be assessed. Entrances and steps   An entrance, by it very nature, demands attention and sets a scene. Virtually all entrances will benefit from pottery. Most doors and gates are set in hard surfacing where it is difficult to plant directly into the ground so terra-cotta containers either freestanding or wall-hung are ideal and will bring color and interest to an otherwise barren area. The choice of pottery depends on the size of the area around the entrance. A formal entrance often needs a little dressing up and containers of formal style would be ideally suited. Containers around an entrance in an informal setting can afford to be softer. Hanging wall pots or pieces of pottery placed on either side of a doorway will make a greater impact. Where space around a doorway is limited, one or two wall hung pieces of pottery will soften the starkness of a bare wall. Here is also a great place for 2 strawberry pots planted with trailing varieties of summer-flowering annuals can be displayed. Steps in addition to linking different levels, concentrate attention along a specific route. Freestanding pots can be place on the treads, if the steps are wide and deep enough creating a wonderful display. As steps are often flanked by walls, climbing plants may be considered. Walls In many small outdoor spaces, such as balconies, basements and patios, the surface area of the wall is considerably greater than that of the floor. Such high boundaries, if left bare, can present a wide range of possibilities for container planting, which will clothe them in greenery to give color and interest all year round. Walls also provide valuable shelter for plants, allowing the more tender of species. Wall hung terra-cotta are ideal for annuals, which can provide instant color during spring and summer. Freestanding pots placed against the bottom of a wall can hold climbers which will either cling to the wall or be trained up it, using a means of support. A group of three terra-cotta wall hung pots make a simple but pleasing composition against any wall, they can be planted with annual, spring flowerings and different ivies. Windows and small balconies These make excellent places for a pottery grown garden. They may be in an open position, catching more light than at ground level where they will also escape the worst frost. As both window sills and small balconies are limited in size, narrow planters are appropriate. Use a plant stand to display a lovely visual composition with a variety of pots and plants. Pots on a window sill or small balcony will be enjoyed indoors and well as out so try to plan a colorful and eye-catching display. The patio garden Pottery comes into its own in larger paved gardens because these are outdoor rooms in the fullest sense of the word and as such will need furnishing. A visual link between indoors and out is likely to be desirable. There is a far greater scope for grouping pots together, than for example on a windowsill or balcony. Because of more space you can display a vast assortment of pottery in different sizes, heights and styles. Planted pots are a decorative and mobile addition to any garden, whatever its size. Pots placed on the perimeter of your yard can be used to provide seasonal bright spots of color to be seen against a mainly evergreen shrub border. This can be particularly valuable during the winter months when many gardens are devoid of color. Swimming Pools Swimming pools are one of the most awkward features to blend into the overall design of a garden and it is often difficult to plant directly into the ground close to a pool; pottery can break up the monotonous horizontal line of paving and water, giving vertical emphasis as well as providing color and interest. Its cool crystal blue surface sparkling in the sun attacks like nothing else in hot summer weather. All that blue can look harsh under brilliant sunlight specially when surrounded by concrete. Pools need the decorative help of beautiful pottery plain or planted. Ferns, shrubs and blooming annuals and perennials all look lovely in poolside terra-cotta. Place just one pot of bright red geraniums in a wonderful terra-cotta pot on your window sill, door step, patio or front walk and you will immediately create an eye-catching garden in miniature. First one piece of pottery and then another and the magic of container planting will inspire you. You discover a vast assortment of designs and shapes, sizes and styles. You will discover hanging pots, plant stands, pedestals and decorative pieces.