With the increasing need for space and endless building of houses and flats, our own private small garden tips for gardens become more of a precious topic while gardens are still your sanctuary. No matter how small or large your small garden, containers provide colour and vibrancy throughout the year. They also elevate plants, bringing them closer to eye level, making them more prominent. But it isn’t always about what you plant in them, the actual container itself can be “the talking point”.
‘Containers’ usually brings the image of a ceramic/terracota pot to mind, but sometimes it’s good to think outside of the box. We live in a bit of a ‘throw away’ society and with all the pressure to recycle recycle recycle, why not ‘recycle’ all those things you have piled up ready to take down to the tip!!
Look around the garden or in the shed, an old pair of wellys would look great with some summer geraniums and bacopa in them. How about that old redundant watering can!! An old crate, wether plastic or wood, can look stunning filled with a variety of herbs. But not mint, keep any type of mint on its own, it will suffocate and overrun other plants. Even an old wheelbarrow filled with tomatoes and salad leaves would provide an abundant crop. These are all valid small garden ideas!
Have a rumage in the kitchen cupboards, all those old pots and pans you haven’t used for years could be given a new lease of life. That old collinder thats gone a bit rusty or is missing a handle, what a great hanging basket. Jugs, teacups, old hessian shopping bags can all make different and quirky planters. That chipped and broken old chest of draws, pull out the draws and plant away.
Their are no hard and fast rules as to what you can and can’t do when it comes to containers as long as you follow a few simple small garden ideas and tips:
1 Anything wooden, line with plastic, an old compost bag or bin liner will do the job
2 Make sure their is adequate drainage, unless an aquatic plant, roots will suffocate and die
3 Use either a good multi-purpose or shrub compost, depending on what you are actually planting
4 To ensure longevity, feed your container plants after a few months of planting, tomato food is a good basic for most plants
5 Don’t cram too much in, give plants a little room to grow
Almost any plant will live quite happily in a container providing it has the right care, and some plants, for example bamboo, will benefit the gardener by being in a container, this will restrict the roots and keep it at bay, thus reducing the risk of it invading the rest of the garden or next doors!!
So have a look around, be immagianative, be creative, but most of all have fun and enjoy your gardening.
I hope to chat soon.
Ruth