With container gardening, success relies on a few key guidelines. First, balancing the size of a pot with the spread of the plants once fully grown and making sure that no single plant grows too big to overwhelm the others. Checking plant labels for the height and spread when making a selection will help. Secondly, you’ll need to select plants which favour similar growing conditions. Unless the plants require special mixtures, a multi purpose compost is often sufficient. You can also add water retentive gel to help retain moisture in hot spells.
Whether you prefer a pretty mix of flowers to suit a cottage garden scheme or a more modern look, our step-by-step guides will show you how to create beautiful displays you’ll love this summer.
Top tip
It’s essential to keep watering your container regularly, especially during the summer months and never allow the compost to dry out completely
Cottage garden planter
Choose a good-sized pot that’s big enough to take a rose and some smaller plants around the edge. We’ve
