In the race against time to prepare for Christmas, nothing beats seasonal pots for providing splashes of cheery colour outdoors. As the shortest day approaches, the brightest, longest-lasting flowers are the most appealing, promising a lovely display well into the New Year.
However, winds are surprisingly dehydrating, so check that containers do not dry out. Grouping pots not only provides each with protection, but also has much greater visual impact. Mix and match different styles, such as warm terracotta with copper verdigris or glazed pottery with contemporary steel, ensuring that the eventual size of plants are in proportion with the size and shape of the pot. Plus, it’s better to overfill than to have an underwhelming display later.
These six pot recipes will bring beauty to your garden during the winter. Be sure to position them where they can be seen and enjoyed near the house.
Evergreen display
To guarantee a good show at this time of year, plant up a container with the toughest winter plants. Ornamental cabbages are great value, while autumn-flowering cyclamen provide months of interest with marbled foliage that far outlives the dainty red, pink or ‘Silver Sand’ does well with bright colours, but only survives in frost-free spots.
