This striking combination of snowdrops, black ophiopogon and silvery convolvulus is just the thing for brightening up a terrace or doorstep. A terracotta pot, sprayed with metallic paint, will set off the contemporary planting scheme to perfection.
Cover your garden table with newspaper and spray a clean pot. It will need one coat and should be totally dry in half an hour (check can to confirm drying time).
Place a layer of broken polystyrene or crocks in the bottom of the pot and half fill it with peat-free, multi-purpose compost.
Remove the convolvulus from its pot, tease out the roots and plant it at the back of the display. Firm it in place.
Split the ophiopogon plants into small pieces and position them in front of the convolvulus. Space them evenly.
Plant the snowdrops between the ophiopogon. Take care not to disturb the bulbs and root system too much.
Fill any gaps with more compost, ensuring all the plants are firmly bedded in. Water the pot well and move it to its final position.
This box pyramid container display with ornamental grass and orange osteospermum makes an attractive, year-round feature for a sunny or partially shaded corner. A mulch of gravel gives the container a fresh look, as well as retains moisture in the pot. You Will Need
When summer pots run out of steam, it’s a good idea to replace your displays with plants that will look good in autumn and beyond. We’ve given traditional autumn bedding plants a modern twist by combining them with evergreens and keeping to a limited colour palette. Purple, white and silver make a classy trio, and bring instant glamour to any terrace or balcony. We’ve used five types of plant – ornamental cabbage, brachyglottis, heuchera, cineraria and cyclamen. All should be available at the
Brighten up your usual daffodil container display by adding a few low-growing, flowering plants around the edges in spring. Small pansies and crocus are perfect for growing in containers, and they look stunning against the bright yellow daffodils. Simply plant the bulbs in autumn, and then, once they have started to flower in spring, fill around the edges of the pots with flowering plants to add further interest to the display – you should find a good variety at the garden centre. Here’s how t
Roses and clematis make the perfect planting partners, so why not bring the two together in a large pot display? Here we’ve combined ground cover rose ‘Suffolk’ with maroon-flowered clematis ‘Burma Star’ and a few trailing ivies to complete the look. All plants thrive with the minimum of fuss and will happily romp away, given adequate compost, food and water. Simply deadhead regularly and tie stems into place, and you’ll have an annual display that gets better every year.