The Containers 2009
Whether we choose strong or subtle colours, lavish or simple planting schemes, container gardening is the most versatile way of making the greenhouse garden even more beautiful. Katrina spends many hours choosing the plants for each container that will suit the location. No two years have the same planting, as there's an endless variety of plant combinations to choose from and use. "I always think, that this year is the best. It can't get any better, but the next year it is great and different".
Katrina uses a happy mix of traditional annuals, basket stuffers and semi-hardy plant material in all the containers. Often Perennials are used in containers but they do have to be removed before September and put in the ground if you want to keep them alive for the winter months. Mostly as Katrina says, "With containers I can experiment with
unusual annuals and tender perennials. It is a place where I practice garden design without having to dig. In short, it's a place where I can have my cake and eat it too." Customers enjoy seeing all the different planting combinations that they could do in their own planters at home, even novice gardeners will be rewarded with terrific containers with a little work.
Katrina finds herself describing plans for a container to a customer by walking around an imaginary cluster of pots while indicating with her arms the topography created by the plants different height. And with her hands explaining the shapes and textures that will soon give the spark of life to make the container sizzle. Most people think of container planting as static creations; pop in a few annuals, give them a little water, then stand back and wait for the colour. Katrina thinks of container plantings as flower arrangements that change through the season. A walk through the Vale's Greenhouse garden will inspire you to greater container heights.