Effective Simplicity

21 It is relatively easy to create a bright mix of flowers for a dramatic display. It takes a little more thought and planning to a achieve elegant simplicity using one single species per pot. The results can be very effective. The rule is either to choose a plant with an eye-catching shape, or one with a mass of flowers.

Plants that belong to the first category include the South African honey bush, one of the most architectural plants for the garden. It grows to 4 ft (1.2 m) in a pot, but needs to be brought indoors over winter. Japanese maples, especially the Acer palmatum species such as “Bloodgood”, have a bonsai-style curvy shape and fall color, and grow to 5-8 ft (1.5-2.5 m). The black bamboo and dwarf grasses, hostas and yuccas should all be on your shopping list. But the cordylines are the most effective, especially the purple, strap-leaved C. australis. Use topiarized box for the Italian look. Try a single stem with a series of balls, the largest at the bottom, the smallest right at the top.

For flower power the range is even greater. Agapanthus, cosmos, felicia, fuchsias with thick, rust-red stems, hydrangeas, gorgeous bright red salvias, and sweet peas, all make vivid plantings. The season kicks off with tulips. Always stick to one variety per pot, or the color scheme loses impact. Floppy verbenas, such as the pink “Sissinghurst”, can be trained up a frame of canes that really shows off their colors. Lilies are a must for the summer, especially the easily grown, highly scented, white Lilium regale. And if you need something extra, try the annual climber Rhodochiton atrosanguineus. It has purple, bell-shaped summer flowers with a splendid protruding black “clapper”, and grows to 6 ft (1.8 m) – a real eye-catcher.

21a Viola”Molly Sanderson”

21b Clipped box in a ribbed pot

BRIGHT AND SIMPLE

LEFT: Tulips are so beautiful that you do not need to use highly ornamental pots – a simple square container is more than adequate.

MASSED REDS

RIGHT: Pelargoniums offer a range of colors but nothing beats classic red. They are always highly impressive when in full flower.

SUNNY SIMPLICITY

LEFT: Gardens need surprises, a clever change of emphasis, or something that brings them alive, such as this cheerful trio of sunflowers in pots.

BRIGHT YELLOWS

BELOW: Potted marigolds, here Calendula “Lemon Beauty”, make a bold, bushy group. Individual pots are very good at filling any gaps that appear in the border.


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