One of the most stunning ways to make a big backyard statement is with a large planter overflowing with a myriad of gorgeous blooms. It’s the ideal way for filling a large-yet-bare space as well as creating a focal point for smaller blooms to grow around. What’s more, they allow for a huge array of varieties, with everything from boxwood shrubs to palms being ideal for filling in their epic space!
There are a variety of wonderful big container styles available, including GRC, Thai limestone, premium glaze and more, all with incredible aesthetics that will make your blossoms pop.
Here, we are going to talk about to position and fill bigger containers, as well as which varieties are simply ideal for growing in them:
- Positioning your container
You have to be discerning when it comes to positioning your large plant in pot. Big containers comprise a heavy mix of soil and fillers, making them incredibly difficult to reposition after potting. Therefore, it’s important for you to choose the most ideal position for them before filling.
The best way to choose their position is to look at the blooms you will place in them: how many hours of direct sunlight do they require per day? Because, although you might like the idea of the container being situated as the focal point of a particular courtyard corner, that spot might not actually receive sufficient sunlight for the bloom to thrive.
Another important consideration is how close you place it to a water source. Naturally, bigger blooms need more watering, so you don’t want to be making multiple trips with your watering can. Instead, try to place it in a spot that receives plenty of sunlight but is also situated near your hose so that you can easily water the bloom when it needs it.
- Time to fill the containers
The first thing to avoid when planting in bigger containers is using regular soil from your garden. This soil is too heavy and dense and won’t allow water to drain properly. What’s more, it can easily become contained with fungi, pests and weeds, rendering it useless. Instead, you should always opt for a high quality soilless potting mix as this can facilitate a flourishing growth. You can also make your own potting mix that can be more specific to your chosen bloom. This is especially so when you consider the quality minerals and nutrients you can place in them.
However, you might not like the idea of paying too much for high quality soil that will likely fill the whole container. Instead, you can fill the bottom of the container with lightweight, non-toxic elements like bagged packing peanuts or tin cans, and then place a layer of landscaping fabric on top of it. This will save you from filling the whole container with expensive soil that you might otherwise use for that container alone!
- Choosing the perfect plants
You should avoid choosing compact, smaller species as they don’t really know where to go in a big container. What’s more, choosing smaller varieties always ends up more expensive as you will need more of them to actually fill the container!
Instead, you should opt for the time-tested thriller, filler and spiller method – it always works a charm. You start by adding the star, the centre point, otherwise known as your “thriller”. This can be a bright and vibrant plant like a jester ornamental millet or Tuscan sun.
Next, it’s time to choose your filler, which can be a mix or single variety, something like lantana or petunia plant. Finally, it’s time to choose the spiller, which will cascade over the container’s edge and complete its beautiful aesthetic. Think anything from blue star creepers to million bells to give that all-encompassing, luxurious container effect!
