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.
If no drainage holes are present, drill a drainage hole in each corner of the box. Cover the base with crocks followed by a thick layer of gravel or grit, then fill it two-thirds with compost.
Remove the ferns from their pots and tease out the roots. Position them in the trough, making sure they’re evenly spaced.
Knock the iris plants out of their pots and tease out the roots before planting them.
Plant the ivy along the front edge of the trough. Top up with compost, firming it around the plants with your fingers. Stand the trough on the patio or on a windowsill in full sun or light shade.
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
In this pretty container display we’ve combined the gorgeous foliage of Pelargonium ‘Frank Headley’ with Senecio cineraria ‘Silver Dust’, which contrasts beautifully with the dark-leaved sedge and ipomoea. Throughout summer, the pelargonium will flower continually, providing further colourful contrasts, while the ipomoeas will trail gently over the sides.
Add a touch of graceful charm to your patio, with this stylish display that combines the silvery foliage of plectranthus with the delicate beauty of Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’. The salvia and pelargonium add a splash of soft pink colour – they’ll flower until the first frosts, making this the perfect, low-maintenance container display to plant up and leave until late autumn.
Primulas are one of our most popular spring bedding plants. Here we’ve combined them with anemones, hebe and salvia for a dramatic spring display. Once this display is over, plant everything out into a damp spot in the garden. More spring garden projects: How to revive cannas in spring (video) Sowing cut flowers in spring (video) How to plant daffodils and wallflowers for spring colour (video) Plant up this primula and anemone pot display with our easy steps.