Study, Learn Garden Design at home

Pots In The Garden Landscape

Pots in the garden landscape can create pleasing effects in a variety of ways. They can provide extra colour or focus to a garden, they can extend garden space into living areas making the boundary between inside and outside less distinct. They can reflect surrounding vegetation, and make allusions to nature through careful use of particular plants such as bonsai.

Choose the style and colour of your pots to suit both your plants and the style of garden. In most cases, look for contrasts between the pot colour and the flowers or foliage. Either choose a pot with a neutral or subdued colour to display bright flowers or foliage, or a bright coloured pot to display green foliage.

Think carefully about using very colourful pots containing very colourful plants. Be careful not to choose pots that compete.

Ceramic Pots

Terra cotta has a natural warm colour that teams well with all plant colours, but its absorbent nature means that it soaks up water and the potting mix can quickly dry out.  Other problems are caused by algae and discolouration from salts leaching to the surface.

Glazed ceramic pots have a very decorative shiny, smooth texture that is great for showing off plants. Depending on your preference, the pots may be plain or patterned, in single or multi colours.

Concrete pots are long-lasting, sturdy and weatherproof. They can be painted in bright colours to improve their appearance but they may need to repainted every year or two as the colours may fade or the paint may peel and crack.

Using Colourful Pots

When you set up your pot display, think of the surrounds, especially the colour and texture of the ground surface and backdrop. Look for backgrounds that complement or contrast with the pot colour. Also consider changing light conditions throughout the day and how this might affect the visual impact of the pot. A dark coloured pot can look dramatic when it’s in full sunlight, but will appear drab if it remains in shade for most of the day.

Don’t group too many different coloured pots together – the effect will be probably be jumbled and unattractive. Using one or two colours in a repeated pattern (eg. matching coloured pots evenly spaced along the edge of a patio) will give a more pleasing design.

Pots without plants

Ways to use pots without living plants:

·         A single colourful pot or a cluster of empty pots can be used to hold dried or fresh flowers on a verandah or indoors. If using fresh flowers, place the flowers in a container filled with water (such as a jar or plastic soft drink bottle) and sit it inside the decorative pot.

·         Large pots can be turned upside down with a plank on top to make a bench.

·         Large tubs can be used as a water feature. Choose a tub without drainage holes and place a rubber liner inside to prevent water leaking.

·         Bird baths can be an attractive feature

Want to Know More?

Consider doing a course or buying a reference book from our school.

If you would like to communicate with one of our professional tutors, consider using our free course counselling service. click for details

If you want to browse our bookshop, go to www.acsbookshop.com

To browse our courses, go to http://www.acsgarden.com/Courses/Default.aspx

 

 

VISIT OUR ACS ONLINE E BOOKSTORE 

• Quality ebooks written by our staff
• Wide range of Horticulture titles by John Mason, author of over 40 gardening books, garden magazine editor, nurseryman, landscaper and principal of ACS.
• Ebooks can be purchased online and downloaded straight away.
• Read on an ipad, computer, iphone, reader or similar device.
• New titles published every month –bookmark and revisit this site regularly
• Download sample pages for free, to see what each book is like.

Titles include:

Commercial Hydroponics 3^rd edition

One of the worlds best selling hydroponic books, first published in 1991 by Kangaroo Press. Dozens of colour photos, unique and rarely published advice on how to grow over 100 different types of plants (vegetables, herbs, flowers, indoor plants) in hydroponics.  http://www.acsebook.com/products/2232-commercial-hydroponics-third-edition.aspx

The Environment of Play 2^nd edition
A unique and inspirational view of designing play spaces for children. Full of photos, an inspiration for parents, child care workers, teachers, play leaders, landscape designers and park management professionals. First edition was published in the 1980’s by Leisure Press in New York.     http://www.acsebook.com/products/2247-the-environment-of-play.aspx

Growing Trees and Shrubs for Small Gardens 2^nd edition
First edition published by Kangaroo Press/Simon & Schuster.    http://www.acsebook.com/products/1684-growing-trees-and-shrubs-for-small-gardens.aspx

Tropical Plants 2^nd edition
http://www.acsebook.com/products/2245-tropical-plants.aspx

Trees and Shrubs for Warm Places First edition   A valuable reference for growing plants not only in the tropics and sub tropics, but also greenhouses, inside the home or even hot courtyards in a temperate garden. Never before been published. The book contains colour photos of close to 300 plants and descriptions of many times that number (and largely different to the plants covered in our Tropical Plants book).  http://acsebook.com/products/2238-trees-and-shrubs-for-warm-placescoming-soon.aspx

Garden Design Part 1    1^st edition
A huge book with around 300 inspiring colour photos; that explains how to design a garden in a way that is able to be understood by a beginner, but full of tips and ideas that can help even seasoned professionals.    http://www.acsebook.com/products/2242-garden-design-part-1.aspx

Garden Design Part 2    1^st edition
Following on from Garden Design Part 1, this presents approximately 300 more photos, and a huge amount of inspirational reading to help you (in particular), understand the different styles of garden and the options open to you as a garden designer, or a home owner.   http://acsebook.com/products/2244-garden-design-part-2.aspx 

Starting a Nursery or Herb Farm 3^rd edition
Another best selling print book, now available as an e book. Previously published by Night Owl (first ed) and Simon and Schuster (2^nd ed).   http://www.acsebook.com/products/2241-starting-a-nursery-or-herb-farm.aspx

Starting a Garden or Landscape Business 2^nd ed.
Previously published by Simon and Schuster; this is a must read for anyone wanting to set out on a career in horticulture.  http://acsebook.com/products/2239-starting-a-garden-or-landscape-business.aspx

Discounts offered for students of ACS Distance Education