Good container garden design is an important component for a successful gardening experience. When determining the design, consider the pot, the foliage, and the overall appearance you would like to have. The perfect container garden will adequately fill the space, have a pleasing color theme or feel to it, and contain an interesting combination of colors and textures.

Container Use and Size

The size of the space and purpose of the container has a large impact on the container garden design. Small containers are ideal for sprucing up a table or a window ledge. Large containers or groups of containers help to decorate bigger areas such as a dull corner of your yard. Planters are also helpful in traditional gardens to eliminate pests and control invasive plants. Container gardens are also great for hiding unsightly items such as utility meters because the container can be moved when needed. The correct container needs to look great without being inconvenient or getting in the way.

Look and Feel of a Container

A container garden design needs to have a theme or feeling that is consistent with the space. The design should include the foliage and decorative items as well as the container itself. A container garden with a children theme could include black-eyed susans and petunias accented with rubber ducks or plastic trucks. A southwestern theme could be communicated by using cacti and crocuses planted inside of a pot which is coated with sand and wrapped in rope.

To choose a color scheme, look around the space for inspiration. The container can be made of an accent color or it can have the same color scheme as your space. A color wheel can be helpful when adding additional colors or creating a new color combination. Do you prefer monochromatic colors or a palate of complimentary colors?

A mixture of plants with different foliage is the secret to a visually pleasing container. For example, ornamental grasses with long, straight leaves look impressive next to the broad dark leaves of geraniums and the fuzzy gray leaves of lamb’s ear. Garden centers are the place to go when designing a container. You have a chance to experiment with a wide variety of plants. Then, you can choose the ones you like best rather than purchasing plants you cannot use. Magazines and the internet are full of plant pictures and designs to help you on your way.

Height and Width

The shape of the foliage and accent items is another component to container garden design. The focal point of your container is the first item to catch your eye. Tall items such as a banana plant, a fountain, or a statue works well for this purpose. In order to use smaller items as a focal point, consider raising them with a brick or using a climbing plant on a small trellis. For a wider focal point, you can use a plant with wider foliage or group a number of the same plant together.

Mid-level and filler plants are the last items in a successful container garden design. These items should compliment the focal point and build on the theme. They are also needed to keep the container from looking bare. Parsley, basil, and medium sized rocks work well as medium sized components. Low-level items such as thyme, ivy, and mulch will cover the container and might even flow down its sides giving the design a more natural feel.

The perfect container garden will influence the comfort and relaxation of its environment. Besides the fact that it gives you an excuse to shop at your favorite gardening center, designing a container can be just as much fun as the container itself. Once you know the right size, appearance, and mood you are looking for, there are endless combinations of containers to design.