How to Create Beautiful Flower Pot Gardens

How to Create Beautiful Flower Pot Gardens

• 1

  Choose a flower pot that is large enough to allow plants some growing room. Be sure that there are drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. Choose a pot that is in scale with the rest of the surroundings where the pot will be placed. A small pot placed under a large tree, for example, will look out of place and fail to make a bold statement. Plastic or resin composite pots are much lighter than ceramic or terra cotta pots.

• 2

  Choose plants for the pot that will grow to different heights and have different textures. For example, a mixed container garden can have some native grasses or cosmos as the tallest plant, some zinnias as the medium height plant and some trailing petunias for the lower level. Plants that have the same or similar color foliage and blooms, such as shades of yellow, will draw attention to the container. For a professional look, the tallest plants should not grow more than one and one-half times the height of the container. For example, if the container is 12 inches tall, the ultimate height of the tallest plants in the container should be no more that 18 inches tall. Choose plants that have similar sun and water requirements.

• 3

  Place the pot where you want the container garden to be located. A large pot full of potting soil will be difficult to move. Locate the pot where the light level is suitable for the plants you have chosen.

• 4

  Cover drain holes in the bottom of the pot with a few pebbles so that they cannot get clogged by potting soil and add potting soil. Fill the pot three-quarters full of potting soil.

• 5

  Add plants to the container garden so that they are planted at the same level as in the nursery pots, adding potting soil as needed. Plant the tallest plants in the back if you expect it to be viewed from one side and in the middle if it will be viewed from all sides. Add the middle and low plants; the low plants should trail over the side of the pot. Add potting soil around the plants as you work to secure them in place. Water plants well to settle soil and cover any bare soil with a decorative mulch.