Cottage-Style Container Gardens

Pastel Pot

Compact versions of cottage-garden perennials grow well in pots, where they make a looser and more natural alternative to tender bedding plants.

Materials

wide pot
broken clay pot pieces
soil-based potting mix
slow-release fertilizer granules
plants

Used in this project:
carex 'Ice Dance'
delphinium
purple betony (Stachys officinalis) 'Hummelo'
veronica 'Rosenrot'

Steps

1. Place broken clay pot pieces over the holes in the base of the container, then half-fill it with soil. Plant the delphinium toward the back and arrange the other, lower-growing plants, in front. Fill around them with more soil, and mix in slow-release fertilizer granules. Water the plants well.

2. With the correct care, this can be a long-lasting container that flowers year after year. In early spring, remove all dead growth to make way for the new spring shoots. At the same time, remove the top layer of soil, and replace with fresh soil mixed with fertilizer granules.

3. Divide the plants every two years, more frequently if needed. Lift the plants out of the pot and use your hands to tease sections apart. Discard any old or weak clumps, then replant the healthiest offsets into fresh soil with some fertilizer.