Bring life to a shady corner with these shade-loving favourites. The lime-green leaves of the fern contrast beautifully with the chequered purple snake’s head fritillaries. Perfect for spring, once you’re finished with the display, simply transplant the plants into your garden and repot the container with a fresh set of plants for summer.
Cover the bottom of the pot with crocks, then fill it two-thirds with compost.
Plant the ferns first and then the fritillaries. Cover the plants with compost and firm well. Water the pot thoroughly and allow to drain before moving to its final position.
Perfect for a shady corner, this pretty container display is simple to recreate. Here, we’ve combined bronze-green heuchera with common blue violets. The trailing ivies hang from the side of the container to complete the look. You Will Need
Add a cottage-garden feel to your patio with this simple pot project. The trio of narcissus, carex and aubretia provides instant colour, as plants can be bought in flower. If other spring flowers catch your eye at the garden centre, you could use those instead. Find out how to create the display, below. You Will Need
If deadheaded regularly, pretty bellis daisies will keep flowering for weeks, offering a colourful display through spring and into summer. The English ivy in this pot recipe can be planted in the garden when the display is past its best. You Will Need
The hardy winter-flowering varieties of pansy are the best bet for winter and spring containers as they’re rarely without blooms, even when other plants are shivering in the cold. The flowers look stunning set off against the golden foliage of the thyme, around the olive tree as a centrepiece. You Will Need