Designing with Containers: Think Outside the Pot!
September 14, 2012 by Bonnie Helander
Filed under Garden Views
As the weather cools and you get outside in your garden again, consider where you need a focal point to liven up an empty or 
monochromatic space. Containers are a great way to add a pop of color or an interesting shape, texture or style to the garden scene – and you don’t even need to put plants in them!
Pots are particularly important in the shade garden where you might not have enough light and color for the eye to rest and notice the plants. A mass of ferns or hostas can be missed unless you add a feature, like a pot, to make your eyes pause and take notice.
I love empty pots and a collection of terracotta, ceramic, concrete and metal pots can always be moved around where needed. Here are some examples of using empty pots in the landscape from photos I took at the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s garden tour last spring….
A large container draws the eye to the formal evergreens.
The color of this container really complements the plants.
The pot and boulders focus your eye on the collection of hostas.
Wow - these pots make a statement!
You can also turn an empty beautiful pot into a fountain - great focal point.
So consider how you can use empty containers in your garden to make a big impact!
I am a writer and blogger with a specialty in gardening and a proud graduate of the University Of Georgia. I live in Peachtree City with husband, Dan, and enjoy hiking, gardening, being a member of the Peachtree City Garden Club and rooting for the Georgia Bulldogs!