Planting flowers is the quickest and easiest way to spruce up your front or backyard. But if you want to take it up a notch — still without spending a lot of time — consider planting flowers in a container.
You can stay on the simple path when it comes to container gardening by simply purchasing an appropriately sized pot and planting flowers. There’s nothing wrong with that, and you’re sure to find pots in a wide variety of colors and sizes at your favorite gardening supply store. But if you want to get a little creative, we have some ideas:
Get the Kids Involved
Buy inexpensive clay pots, some acrylic paints and call the kids outside for a painting party! You’ll want to scrub off any stickers first — soak the pots if necessary. But if you do, make sure they are completely dry before painting. Apply your base coat with a foam brush. (Pro tip: thin the paint with a little water so the paint spreads easily.) Allow that to dry and then add your design. Make sure to have your kids sign their masterpieces. When done painting, spray with a clear water-based spray acrylic. Next day, let the kids plant what they want in their pots.
Add Height for Extra Appeal
Ever admire the planted containers at the garden store? You’ll likely notice that there are a variety of plants in one pot, typically with a tall plant surrounded by shorter ones. You can recreate the same effect at home — just make sure you select plants that prefer the same amount of light.
You can also achieve height with the container itself. Tall flower pots are dramatic and add a certain sophistication to your entry. They can also sometimes be pricey, however. If you want to achieve the look without the expense, consider building a wooden container that can either be stained or painted. You could also buy clay pots in varying sizes that can be stacked — find cute inspiration here.
How Unusual!
Just about anything can become a pot for plants. Rustic buckets, old wagons, wheelbarrows and more can hold flowers and other plants. A flea market is your best friend when it comes to finding old and/or unusual items at a reasonable price. You can also repurpose items from your pantry. For example, instead of throwing out that large plastic container of coffee once it’s empty, simply paint and pot it with pretty flowers.
Tires are something else that can be repurposed. Keep them black, if you want, or get out the spray paint. You can hang them for use as a vertical planter or lay it flat and plant flowers in the middle of the tire. Another cute idea for vertical gardening is to use a cloth shoe caddy that you might hang over your door and plant either flowers or herbs in each pocket. Just remember to drill holes in the bottom of your repurposed container for drainage — unless you’re using something that will already drain.
Create a Vignette
Pots of beautiful flowers can certainly stand solo, but grouping them together in a collection will add to their appeal. Let one container be the star of the show, whether it’s an interesting shape, color or a larger size. Grouping pots in a triangle pattern is a common design trick. Keep it to just three pots in a classic shape or branch out with more for an irregular triangle. Your colorful vignettes can also be used to liven up a brick wall or other blank expanse.
The Best Backdrop for Your Flowers
Flowers are pretty no matter where you put them, but they will look especially nice in front of a brand-new home in Balmoral. Check out our list of homebuilders and then think about making the move to our Humble, TX community!
