Carried away by planting plants in open ground, we often forget about such a wonderful element of garden decor as an outdoor flowerpot. And in vain. This simple piece is perfect for site design and can turn even a concrete site into a blooming oasis. We talk about the variety of garden flowerpots and the possibilities of container gardening in the article.
Street flowerpot – a must-have attribute of many styles of landscape design
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The purpose of garden pots
Outdoor flowerpots and flowerpots perform two main functions – they serve as a container for plants and act as an independent decorative element. They can be used in many different ways in the garden.
Traditionally, plants are planted in containers that, for objective reasons, cannot grow in open ground – they are thermophilic, evergreen, with special requirements for the composition of the soil.
Evergreen myrtle looks great in the garden, but only winters indoors.
Sometimes there is so little space on the site that there is simply nowhere to break open flower beds and flower beds. Vases will help out in this case. They can be placed on the paving, gravel bed, lawn, decorate the porch, stairs with them.
Clematis and pansies at the front door to the house
If you’ve just started your garden, potted plants and planters will help fill the space so it doesn’t feel empty.
While the garden is growing, you can admire the container plants
In addition, they are perfect for zoning a site.
Plants in pots surround the terrace from the street side
By planting in a limited amount of soil, you can control the growth of ornamental trees and shrubs. Plants will form a compact, dense crown and will only benefit from this.
Trees in containers in the decoration of the patio
As an independent element of decor, flowerpots with plants will look spectacular in the front area, on the terrace, by the pool, in the courtyard, in the gazebo.
Terrace decorated with rattan pots
Container gardening has a lot of advantages.
- Each plant can create a unique microclimate, its own irrigation and feeding regime.
- It is convenient to look after flowers in flowerpots, and there is less dirt from them.
- At any time, the container can be removed, swapped, brought into the shelter in case of bad weather.
Flowers in containers will perfectly decorate a recreation area in a suburban area
What to consider when choosing flowerpots
There are several criteria that are followed when choosing garden vases.
Size and shape
Suitable for most plants flowerpots of standard shape with a length to width ratio of 1: 2 (the so-called landing bucket). The specific size is selected according to the parameters of the plant. Please note that garden flowers grow much faster than indoor flowers, so focus not on the seedling, but on what it will be by the end of the season.
Low and wide vases, similar to bowls, are suitable for planting annual flowers. There is too little space for perennials. The exception is succulents. They have a superficial root system, and such flowerpots are an excellent solution for creating compositions from different representatives of this group.
For shrubs, conifers, roses, tall pots are needed so that the root system can grow down.
When choosing the size of outdoor flowerpots, also consider the area of the site. The container must be proportional to the site for which it is intended, otherwise it will either get lost or look too bulky.
The larger the plant, the more soil it needs
Material
The material from which the pot is made is also important. It can be stone, ceramics, wood, metal, fiberglass. Before giving preference to one of them, weigh the pros and cons.
- The stone flowerpots look monumental, they are durable, strong, but heavy. It will be inconvenient for you to put them indoors for the winter.
- Ceramic pots (clay, terracotta) are classics of garden architecture. They retain moisture well, are stable, but due to their heavy weight, like stone ones, it is not easy to transfer from place to place, and besides, they are fragile. Another drawback is that the clay cools quickly and if frost hits, the roots of the plants may freeze.
- Wood is much lighter, fits perfectly into the natural environment, keeps heat well, but it is a short-lived material. It is destroyed under the influence of moisture and sun.
Wooden planters for plants are appropriate in a country-style garden
- Galvanized containers are durable and lightweight. They are perfect for a rustic front garden. But zinc gradually decomposes, poisoning the soil, and if a perennial plant is planted in it, it can dry out.
- Plastic with the addition of fiberglass is devoid of most of the disadvantages listed above. It is durable, lightweight, not afraid of water, resistant to temperature extremes. Pots from it can be of different designs, including authentically imitating natural materials.
Having picked up plastic flowerpots of the same shape, but of different sizes, you can make an original composition
Design
When choosing flowerpots, consider the style of the garden.
Products in the form of a bowl on a leg, pedestal vases are suitable for a regular garden. They are most often made of stone or concrete.
A bright mini-flower bed in a flowerpot plays the role of a focal point
Classic clay and terracotta pots are indispensable for the Mediterranean, colonial, Provencal style.
Mediterranean garden corner
Modern styles of landscaping gravitate towards laconic containers with a strict geometric shape.
Modern garden planters
The landscape and country garden will be decorated with wooden tubs and galvanized buckets.
Vessel mobility
Vases can be part of garden architecture – built into the paving, fixed on fence posts. In this case, they are only suitable for planting annual flowers. Leaving even winter-hardy plants in them for the winter is dangerous, since due to the limited volume of soil, there is a high risk of freezing of the roots.
If you plan to grow shrubs and perennials in containers, choose mobile vessels.
So that the boxwood does not freeze out, the flowerpots are brought into a warm room for the winter, and returned back to the garden in early spring
General requirements for street pots
Regardless of size and material, the vessel should have a thumb-sized hole to drain excess water. When landing on the bottom, drainage must be laid.
This requirement does not apply to decorative planters, as they are always used in conjunction with a flower pot.
The stand for the flowerpot provides free release of excess moisture
Plants for flowerpots
With a good knowledge of agricultural technology in flowerpots, you can grow any plants. In indoor conditions, they feel comfortable:
- dwarf forms of conifers;
- sheared forms of boxwood, myrtle;
- heat-loving plants – citrus, brugmansia, camellia;
- spicy herbs – rosemary, lavender, marjoram, savory;
- decorative cereals – miscanthus, foxtail pennisetum, feather grass, sedge;
- perennial plants and flowers – pelargonium, begonia, chlorophytum, coleus, roses;
- annuals – petunia, lobelia, calibrachoa, bacopa.
Of all types of roses in a flowerpot, ground cover ones feel best.
Plants growing in flowerpots require more attention than their counterparts in an open flower bed. They need to be watered more often, fed more. But they complement the garden so effectively that they are more than worth the time spent.
