This simple container display is perfect for a shady corner. The large, glossy leaves of the bergenia look fantastic all year round, while its pink flowers combine with those of the thrift to add a splash of colour in spring. Both plants are perennial so, once you have finished with your display, transfer them into the garden.
Add crocks to the bottom of the container to cover the drainage hole, and fill two-thirds full with compost.
Plant the bergenia and thrift in the pot, cover with compost and firm in well. Water the plants thoroughly and allow to drain fully before moving it to its final position.
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
The sweet-smelling irises should be in flower by late-winter if the weather is mild. Before then, you can enjoy the foliage combination of the needle-like iris, the filigree English ivy and the crimped fern. If you plant up this container feature in autumn you can use iris bulbs; if you wait until spring, simply buy pots of iris. Yo
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