What’s the secret to gorgeous spring planters?
It turns out, there isn’t one, but there are a combination of factors which will take your containers from fine to fab.
Here are some questions to ask yourself before you even start:
- Colour – do you want one colour, a coordinated colour scheme or a mass of bright, random colours? Anything goes, but it helps to start with an idea of what you’re going for.
- Textures – nature has created so many amazing textures, in both leaves and flowers. Do you want to create a varied picture with big bold leaves juxtaposed against soft fernlike foliage and delicate blossoms against big, bold ones, or do you want to create a mass of one texture? Either is a great choice.
- Structure – this is where thriller, filler spiller comes in. The best containers have different heights – tall plants that thrill, trailing plants that spill down the sides, and mounding plants that fill in the gaps.
- Sun or shade – picking the right plants for the exposure is the only way to ensure a happy planter.
- Aspect – will your planter be seen from every direction or will it stand against a wall or in a corner? Knowing the directions it will be seen from will help you plan your design.
How to plant a gorgeous spring planter to enjoy all summer-long
Take a look at the container to the right. This is definitely one where we went for a mass of different colours and textures. We have the tall and upright form of cleome at the back, on the right. Her big leaves and strong stems contrast strongly to the divided flowers and fernlike foliage of cosmos on the left. Geramiums of different shades fill in the central spaces and at the front we have black ipomoea, trailing coleus and dichondra silver falls spilling down the container. This photo was taken fairly early in the growing season, so you can imagine what it looked like once everything had fully grown in!
This planter is designed with the tall plants at the back, so it will be best positioned against a wall or fence. If it was going to be seen from all directions we would have placed the tallest plant in the centre, with filler plants around it, and spillers around the edge so that they could trail down every side.
Here at Bloomfield Garden Centre we’re very happy to offer advice and help you pick the perfect plants for your planter or flower bed. We also offer a custom planting service – you just bring us your planters in March or April and we’ll plant them up, keep them in the greenhouse and have them looking fabulous for you by the May long weekend. Read more about that here.
For more information on our fabulous selection of spring plants, visit our online store. If you prefer to shop in person, we would love to see you in the greenhouse! Our opening hours are as follows:
- APRIL –
Tuesday – Saturday… 10am to 4pm - MAY –
Monday – Friday… 9-6
Saturday… 10-3
Sunday… 10-3
You can find us at 243015 Boundary Road, Rocky View County.
Map and directions at: https://bloomfieldgardencentre.net/contact/map/