In this stylish pot, a purple osteospermum and hebe combine with a green fern for a classy, long-lasting display. The striking, colourful foliage of the hebe complements the flowers.
Choose plants that vary in height to make a display with interest at all levels – ferns are ideal for the ‘backbone’ of a pot. The fern that we’ve used, Dryopteris affinis, is semi-evergreen, and the hebe is evergreen, which means you could switch the osteospermum for a winter bedding plant when summer ends.
Half fill your pot with multi-purpose compost and mix in some slow-release fertiliser.
Position your plants one at a time with the tallest at the back. Tease the roots as you go.
Water the container thoroughly, directing the flow to the roots, not the foliage.
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.
There are fewer gardening jobs to keep you busy in winter, so make the most of extra time and plant up a stylish container to decorate a terrace or doorstep. This elegant cube-shaped container is filled with the curly sedge, Carex buchananii, and Helleborus niger, the Christmas rose, which starts to flush pink in January and February. You should be able to find both plants at the garden centre at this time of year. Here’s how to make this simple display.