Gardening in Containers

Anyone can garden in a container, even those without a square-inch of earth to call their own. And if it can hold soil, it can hold plants-whether it's a terra-cotta pot, stone urn, window box, trough or kitchen pot.

Gardening in Containers is written by some of the most respected names in the gardening world. Experts like Sydney Eddison and Jane Hutson show you how you can grow great container plantings. You'll discover all sorts of containers, creative ideas for designing plantings, tips on soil preparation, watering and maintenance, and suggestions for suitable plants. This is a practical book, with creative ideas and projects that you can complete in an afternoon.

Discover how to:

• design containers for year-round interest
• create water gardens
• care for plants in containers
• include containers in larger gardens
• select appropriate containers
• grow roses, bulbs, and trees in containers

"You can expect authoritative advice on all aspects of container culture...there are displays subtle enough to inspire small-space gardeners, and extravagant arrangements more likely aimed at ambitious mavens yearning to produce opulent effects."

-- Alice Joyce, Booklist

More Design Guides:

Gardening in Small Spaces
Creating Beds and Borders
Exploring Garden Style

Introduction

PART 1: Containers in the Garden

Pots Have a Place in the Garden

A Movable Garden

A Tiny Water Garden

A Penthouse Garden

The Art of Container Gardening

Potted Plantings in the Shade

PART 2: Designing Container Plantings

Creative Plant Combinations

Planting for All-Season Interest

Pair Plants for Eye-Catching Containers

Window Boxes to Suit the Season

Focus on Foliage for a Soothing Setting

Make Your Own Stepping Stones

PART 3: Selecting Containers

Lots of Pots

New Life for Old Housewares

A Hoop Trellis for Containers

Build a Classic Planter Box

Create an Elegant Hanging Basket

PART 4: Container Gardening Primer

Evaluating Potting Soil

Drip Irrigation Makes Watering a Cinch

A Simple Guide to Repotting Plants

Tending Tender Plants in Winter

PART 5: Great Container Plants

Summer-Flowering Bulbs

Grow Your Own Herb Standard

Potting a Japanese Maple

Growing Succulents Successfully

Growing Roses in Containers

Forcing Bulbs

Credits

Index

There is a tendency to think of container plantings only as an accent for the patio, front door, or window, but containers offer gardeners so much more. Container gardens allow us to experiment with different plant combinations without planting a flower bed, or create a landscape where it would otherwise be impossible--say on the 37th floor of a New York high rise. And if we'd rather have those plants next to these plants, well, all we have to do is heft a pot or two, and in a minute we've rearranged the garden.

Within the landscape, potted plants fill empty spaces and serve as focal points. They're ideal for marking the entrance to a garden room or highlighting a flight of stairs. They also allow us the indulgence of adding tropical plants to temperate gardens for a few months before they must go indoors. Just about anything will grow in pots, so we can place them in either sunny or shady locations.

In Gardening in Containers, some of America's best gardeners share their tips for growing plants in containers. They'll demonstrate how to design great plant combinations; choose and care for pots; and grow plants, such as bulbs, succulents, roses, and even trees, in containers. They'll also help you choose the best potting soil, install a drip irrigation system for pots, and keep your container garden looking good all season long. For years, they've been sharing their insights in Fine Gardening magazine. Now you have their work in a single book that will guide and inspire you to create your own container garden.