CONTAINER GARDENING IDEAS AND INSPIRATION

by Woodthorpe Plant Shop June 9, 2022

Why we love container gardening at Woodthorpe Park Plant Shop;

1. For us city gardeners with limited space they provide an easy and simple way to create mini gardens whether we have a yard, a balcony or garden plot.

2. Containers mean we can control and manipulate growing conditions, for instance we can use different composts to compliment plants, ericaceous compost for acid lovers and added grit for Mediterranean plants and succulents.

3. Containers offer the opportunity to create displays that can be easily moved allowing us to shift tender plants that don't tolerate frost inside over winter.

4. Containers allow us to create displays that pinpoint very specific goals like feeding pollinators or growing food.

5. Most excitingly containers give you a license to let your imagination and creativity fly. You can unleash your inner designer knowing nothing is permanent.

We've recently created loads of container show gardens at the Shop to provide you with inspiration and ideas for you to take home. We'll share the details with you below, but first let's just take a quick look at what makes the perfect container garden.

The formula for a perfect container garden.

When planning a container there are 3 key elements to think through; THRILLER, FILLER, SPILLER!

THRILLER - the plant that will be star of the container show. In this container its the statuesque alocasia

FILLER - the plants that fill the container out. In this example its the variegated peace lily and bromeliad.

SPILLER- the plant that breaks the shape of the container up by trailing over its edge adding just that little bit more interest. In our picture its the epipremnum