Design

I like my pots looking abundant and overflowing with sumptuous plant combinations.

I plant a full, large pot crammed with 3-5 plants. This approach seems to work well for pots, rather than in the garden where restraint is sometimes considered key!

For my pots, I love selecting plants in full bloom from garden centres, and experimenting with plant combinations as I walk around.

Thrillers, Fillers & Spillers

I will choose a tall "thriller" plant, some mid level "fillers", and a cascading "spiller". I look for contrasting foliage shapes, complimentary or contrasting colours but in a similar tone/intensity; and I often try out a wild colour or shape for a touch of pizzazz.

Equipment

I arrange and plant them up in a large plastic pot, and then slip this inside a slightly larger decorative pot. You can then easily swap out yur plastic pots with the seasons; and pop the off-season pot “out the back” for a rest.

With so many plants, I recommend using a large 35 litre plastic pot and top quality potting mix. Don’t forget to check your plastic pot actually fits inside your decorative "outside" pot.

Care

Feed your newly planted pot at the start of the season with a good general purpose topdress fertiliser eg Osmoform or Nitrophoska Blue; then again after 2-3 months.

Water well throughout the season; and monitor plants for pests, weeds and damaged foliage.

Trim them back at the end of the season to keep their size/shape in check, and tuck them away out of sight.

Start them off the following season with a hard trim and topdress fertiliser.

I like pot plants looking at their best throughout the season, and tend to treat them as disposable, replacing any plants as needed if they fail.

Plant List for this Autumn Pot

1. Salvia “Black Knight” (tall)
2. Sedum “Matrona” (mid level, taller)
3. Sedum “Munstead” (mid level, front)
4. Euphorbia “Tui” (mid level)
5. Loropetalum “Plum Delight” (cascading)

Decorative Pots

I have just discovered "Cotto-Lite" pots - these are light weight, antique finished pots in dusky terracotta colours (pictured).

We can create a fabulous seasonal pot for you - $225ea. Orders/equiries welcome.