How to Start Your First Container Garden

One way that you can create a natural sanctuary in a busy street, on a balcony or along a rooftop is by creating a container garden. It is easy to accentuate the welcoming look of any deck or patio with pots of colorful annuals. Or you can consider filling your window boxes with beautiful shrub roses or any other kind of small perennial that you like. Whether you arrange your containers in a group for a massed effect or highlight some smaller space with only one specimen, you'll be delighted with this simple way to make your own garden space.

Creating a container garden allows you to easily vary your color scheme, and as each plant completes flowering, you can replace it with another. Whether or not you choose to harmonize or contrast the colors of your plants, if you make sure there is variety in the height of each plant you will have a better effect. It's also a good idea to think about the shape and texture of the leaves on your plants. Strap-like and tall leaves will be a great vertical background to more wide-leaved, and low-growing plants. You can choose plants with longer flowering seasons or be prepared with replacements if you prefer plants with a shorter flowering season.

If you cannot afford fancy and expensive pots, never fear, you can always purchase inexpensive plastic ones and then paint them on the outside with water based paints. Be sure and purchase matching saucers so there is something to catch the water when you or nature water your plants.This will also save the cement floor of your deck from getting stained, or if you are putting your garden on a timber floor, the timber floor from rotting. Also, always use a good quality potting mix as this will make sure that you have healthy plants that live longer.

If you are fortunate enough to have steps that lead up to your front door, putting a pretty pot with a flowering plant on each one will delight your visitors. Indoors your potted flowering plants can create a cosy and welcoming atmosphere.

One of the first things you want to do when deciding to create a container garden is to figure out ahead of time where you want your pots of flowering plants to go. That way you can plants that suit each area, such as for example an area that maybe doesn't get a lot of light versus one that does.

If you have a lot of space at your front door, a group of potted flowering plants off to one side will be more visually appealing than two similar plants placed on either side of your front door. Unless of course they are really spectacular looking plants!

When putting together a group of plants to one side of your door, group the pots in odd numbers and vary the height and type of plants. One way to tie the group together is to add large rocks that are similar in appearance and just a slightly different size. You can also put together three or five pots of the same type and color, but have them be different sizes.

With a little imagination and a creative mind you will soon have a container garden that will be envy of your neighborhood!