Gardens Not Limited to Ground

While Webster would have you believe that gardens are limited to "a piece of ground for growing flowers, vegetables, etc. ... (or) a plot of fertile land," gardeners who love containers now better.

Lovely gardens can be planted and maintained in containers of various shapes and sizes and there are lots of good reasons to garden this way. First, if you live in an apartment or town house with limited space, containers are an excellent way to grower flowers and even vegetables. If you have a deck or patio, flowers in containers are a beautiful decorative addition to your landscape.

In previous editions of "Horticulture" magazine, Christopher Reed discussed the "decorative art" of gardening and the convenience of being able to "move the decorations around."

I like to have several containers of different types of flowers to enjoy blooms on my patio all summer, the same way I plan my larger landscape to have blooms throughout my yard, in a variety of colors and locations.

Remember that a variety of container sizes, shapes and colors can be as intriguing as a variety of plants. Want height but not large, heavy containers? Lay a sturdy board across some cement blocks. Tall containers in front of the blocks can conceal your shelves, and the opportunity for additional smaller containers on the shelf will allow more variety in plants.

You might even want to bring some of your houseplants outside to enjoy some full sun. Watch that you don't collect insects and don't give shade-loving plants mid-day sun or you could burn their leaves.

Another advantage to many containers is the opportunity to give plants with different growth requirements the best type of soil composition to suite their growing needs. From rich soil and lots of peat for impatiens to alkalinity for pinks and high acidity for camellias, putting each on in its own container guarantees a healthier plant.

Purchase basic potting mixes or prepare your own potting soils from materials from your favorite garden store. Don't forget several inches of gravel in teh bottom for good drainage and to help anchor the pot against wind.

While we're on the subject of drainage, realize the disadvantage of container gardens: these plants are in an alien environment and must be cared for almost daily. Especially on hot days, make sure they are getting plenty of water, and don't forget to fertilize as container soil can be leached fairly quickly.

Spend some time at your garden center selecting containers that work well together by size, shape, variations, color coordination etc. There are many good books on container gardening to aid you step-by-step in increase your summer enjoyment.