"Gardening Containers" Gardening containers have taken a real designer leap recently. Just a few years ago, a flower pot was the only receptacle available to grow your plants indoors or outdoors. But now, the choices are infinite!  However, we don't have to get a loan out to decorate the garden. Various objects can be used to grow plants in, including old watering cans! In a formal garden, choosing neater gardening containers and traditional styles will enhance the area much more than say a bunch of old saucepans or watering cans. Although in a cottage garden, these objects really do work. Painting them with a good outside paint or varnish will lengthen their life and look great on the patio or scattered around the garden. Doing it yourself is a great way to go, but make a plan first or you'll end up with clutter rather than style! And in the US, Amazon is a good place to start!
Put a little gravel or stones in the bottom of your gardening container, and fill with a good compost. Always keep the compost damp. Growing plants in containers does need a little more observation than plants directly in the garden. Pots tend to dry out, and the roots have nowhere to go to get water. The plants you grow will need a little planning as well. Trailing plants will grow over the edges of their container and will leave a hole in the middle. They can look very untidy. Stick to flowers and shrubs that grow in a bunch, or grow a smaller plant in the middle if possible. Try a colour theme for your patio. Grow different flowers in each container, but choose varying shades of the same colour. Or go for blue and pink or your favourite combination. Perhaps your conservatory looks out onto the patio. Why not match the flowers to the curtains. It's surprising just how stylish this simple idea can be.Herbs are great gardening container plants, and if you have the space to bring them indoors,many will carry on growing for some or all of the winter months. Find out more about container herb gardening here...Container Herb Gardening
A line of carrots or beetroot will need a long deep container to grow well and fully develop the roots. Lettuces, especially the 'cut and come again' types work well in pots. Leave one next to the kitchen door so it's always to hand. Remember though, they will need regular watering, especially in hot dry weather. I've watered my gardening containers four or five times a day, but that was during a hot spell in France one summer! With a little imagination, gardening containers can be a practical and decorative plus to your garden. They are especially useful if you have decking or a terrace to decorate. Find out more about terrace gardening on this page......Terrace Gardening Happy Gardening! Grow Your Own Winter Food: A good diet incorporating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables is a must if you want to stay fit and healthy and keep the bugs at bay during the cold winter months. Growing your own winter food is just one way of ensuring you get the freshest, tastiest produce packed with goodness straight from the garden to the kitchen table. This easy-to-follow self-sufficiency book shows you how to grow your own fruit and vegetables for winter use and includes facts on each fruit, vegetable or herb as well as nutritional value, recipe ideas and storage suggestions.  Grow Your Own Winter Food is perfect for those with limited gardening experience, with gardens big or small who are looking to become more self-sufficient. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow Your Own Winter Food Grow It, Cook It!: Many crops, including herbs, can be produced in a relatively small space with a little pre-planning and organizing: in containers, on a balcony, and indoors. Herbs are perfect for enhancing the flavour of cooking, treating minor ailments, and preventing colds and flu. Your own back garden will not only produce the best food on the planet for you and your loved ones, it is also economical, environmentally friendly and more fun than shopping. Gardening is more than a hobby; it's a way of life. .  This book provides all the information you need to keep your family and friends healthy, fit and enjoying life to the full. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow It, Cook It! Grow Your Own Pharmacy: If, like me, you want to be able to eat the best food on the planet, grow your own!  • Clear instructions on planning, planting, growing and harvesting the fruits, vegetables and herbs required for a healthy vitamin intake. • Recipes and menus to help incorporate the fruit and vegetables into your daily diet. Grow Your Own Pharmacy Herbs and Spices: Some herbs grow vigorously, some are tender and need special growing conditions, some are annuals, some perennials, some you can grow indoors, all can be grown in pots or directly into the ground. There are also certain spices, such as chillies, that can be grown in temperate climates.  This clear and concise directory of herbs and spices provides all the essential information to help you grow a selection of these flavour-enhancing foods in small or large spaces. Ideas for which herbs and spices go best with which foods also accompany each description, so that you can really enliven your repertoire of recipes. Order it now direct from the publisher... Herbs and Spices Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense is packed full of great ideas and tips. Granny brings traditional home-making up to date with cooking, gardening, needlecrafts and even games to play with the kids...Click on the link below to order your copy.  Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore and preparing nourishing home cooked meals for the family will certainly keep them away from the goodie shelf. Gardening encourages physical exercise and a good healthy dollop of fresh air. And you can get the kids involved too. Before the days of computer games and electronic pets, children used to have fun without rummaging about in the fridge every five minutes. Enjoy a few rainy-day games and crafts of yesteryear with today’s kids. They’ll love it and so will you! Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense Back To Garden Decor Flower and Garden Tips Homepage Click here to subscribe to "Creative Gardening" - your FREE monthly ezine! http://www.flower-and-garden-tips.com/gardeningcontainers.html |
"Grass Planter" 
