Among the framed scenes in Frame & Flora, our ongoing exhibition spotlighting the beauty and functionality of our landscape, is a cluster of containers found along a sandy path between the Kapnick Brazilian Garden and the Kapnick Caribbean Garden.
Together, they form a tapestry of color and texture, composed entirely of potted plants. It looks complicated, but containers are ideal for beginner gardeners, an easy way to learn about plant combinations, growing conditions, and basic plant maintenance.
Here, two of our horticulture experts, Andrea Grace and Bash Avila, share tips on creating your own works of botanical art. They can be clumped together to create a living portrait or used as freestanding accents to adorn an entryway, front porch, lanai, or unembellished corner of a yard. And, like many of the examples you’ll see below from throughout the Garden, add attention-getting tropical ambiance to walkways and shaded spaces.
Choosing containers
Simple terracotta pots are a budget-friendly choice. Just know that they’re porous, and soil will dry out quickly. Daily watering may be in order. Glazed pots, on the other hand, capture and contain moisture. You can get away with watering them every two to three days, depending on your plant choices. No matter which you favor, make sure the pots have good drainage so you don’t drown your plants.
Soil requirements
A standard, nutrient-enriched potting mix works well for most any container arrangement. If you’re planting succulents, you may want to add a handful of perlite and/or sand to encourage swift drainage.
Container gardens can’t draw nutrients from the ground, so fertilizing them is important. A granulated fertilizer will last a few months; water soluble ones should be administered about every two weeks.
A cost-saving trick
We packed the bottoms of some oversized containers with plastic starter pots—the ones nursery plants are grown in—to take up space and cut back on the amount of pricey potting soil needed. That practice also reduces the containers’ weight, making them easier to move. The soil in our large containers is about 18 inches deep.
Picking plants
Now for the fun part! When you visit the nursery, keep in mind that sun-loving plants are grouped together, as are those requiring shade. Note how much water your plants need so that you can cluster your thirsty plants and your arid ones accordingly. Don’t be afraid to ask nursery growers for help!
We use the “thriller, spiller, and filler” philosophy for most of our containers. Thrillers are tall, showy plants; spillers are vines and vine-like plants that flow over the container’s edge; fillers are mid-sized plants, often annuals, that add color and texture. If you intend to cluster a lot of containers, as we did, your “thriller” or “spiller” might be the only plant in a pot.
For a contemporary arrangement, go for a monochromatic look—a spectrum of reds or greens, for example. More traditional designs will mix an array of colors, like a bouquet. If you like the latter, consider the color wheel and combine blooms or foliage from opposite sides—purple and yellow, for example. And, if you’re using multiple pots, try to find a unifying color. Our arrangement, for example, has pale green foliage plants throughout the arrangement, carrying the eye from container to container.
Some of our favorites
Our tried-and-true container plants include:
- Palms
- Chinese perfume tree (Aglaia odorata)
- Variegated dwarf triangle fig (Ficus triangularis)
- Cordyline
- Bougainvillea
- Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)
- Wire vine (Muehlenbeckia axillaris)
- Silver falls (Dichondra argentea)
- Annual flowers, such as marigolds; Gaura, a genus known for its slender-stemmed flower stalks; and Euryops, a genus in the sunflower family.
A final word
Don’t be afraid to try new things and don’t go too hard on yourself if you end up ripping out plants and starting over! Even here at the Garden, we’re constantly experimenting until we strike on the perfect aesthetic combination and care regimen. (Note: plant tags offer general guidance only; once you plant your containers, you’ll find out how much water, sunlight, and nutrients the plants really need.)
Have fun and happy gardening!
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