They can be grown where there is no garden at all and, if potted in portable containers, are easily moved around the patio according to the season, to follow the sun or shelter from the cold.
Displays are easily restaged to bring flowering plants into prominence and hide those past their best. Exacting plants can be given special compost mixtures – lime–free for blueberries and rhododendrons, for example, or gritty for cacti and succulents.
Container types
Clay Earthenware and terracotta pots are traditional and have a warm, congenial appearance. Although available in a huge size range, those with diameters of 15–20cm (6–8in) upwards are the most useful for patio display. Some are easily broken if carelessly handled, and not all kinds are reliably frost–proof.
Plastic Some styles look very utilitarian, but larger sizes can be decorative, even brightly coloured. Plastic pots are often stronger and more durable than appearance might suggest, and lighter for moving around than other materials. They have good moisture retention, but some plastics become brittle after constant outdoor exposure.
Stone Heavy but impressive and very durable, and often a conspicuous feature whether planted or not. True crafted stone is much more expensive than reconstituted imitations, which can nonetheless look quite authentic. Plants grow well in either.
Wood The ideal material for making your own containers, whether square classic topiary containers or simple window boxes for sills and ledges. Half–barrels are sturdy and capacious, suitable for shrubs, trees and collections of smaller plants, or for turning into patio water gardens.
Metal Zinc and galvanized steel look traditional, aluminium and stainless steel very up–to–date. Elegant or industrial in appearance, they can echo their hard surroundings and give a contrasting hint of precision to informal plantings. Rust on mild steel can be appealing.
Basketwork Wire, cane, split bamboo and other woven materials look light and airy, adding rustic charm or contemporary simplicity to hanging or standing baskets. All kinds need a durable liner to retain soil and moisture.
Container care
Potted plants depend on you for their nutrition. Check them regularly for water – daily in hot weather – and feed every ten to fourteen days from about six weeks after planting or repotting.
In addition to drainage holes at their base, containers need a good layer of drainage material (pebbles, broken tiles, polystyrene fragments) inside before you start filling them with compost.
Strong winds can be worse than sunshine for drying foliage and compost. Move leafy plants and smaller containers into more sheltered positions, especially in winter and spring when they are more vulnerable.
Bring tender plants and thin–walled containers indoors in frosty weather or wrap them up with insulating materials: allowing a pot to freeze solid can be lethal to roots.
Repot plants into fresh compost every spring. Larger containers can be revived by replacing the top 5–8cm (2–3in) of old compost with a fresh supply.
This is an extract from
'City Garden' by Andi Clevely
