Tips on how to brighten up your patio or front door with colourful selections.
Colour up your patio or front door this summer, with these beautiful and striking pot and plant recipes that we’ve created.
We frequently get asked a lot by our customers about which plants to grow together in pots and what colours go well together. It’s a difficult question to answer, as it’s subjective and down to personal taste, but as a general rule of thumb I always suggest using colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel, for a blending, colour co-ordinated display.
For example, pinks, purples and whites always look great together, while reds, oranges, and yellows always work well. For a more contrasting look, colours opposite each other on the colour wheel, complement each other. For example, oranges and purples bring out the best in each other, as do yellows and blues and reds and greens. Just follow these simple recipes, for a fantastic display all summer long.
Pink Gin Pots
These pink bowls are the perfect way to decorate your patio for those midsummer cocktail parties. The large bowls contains Scabious Pink mist, Oxalis Red Leaf, a pink Osteospermum and a Pink Calibrachoa. The medium sized bowl is planted up with a pink Geranium, a purple Verbena, and a pink Surfinia. The small bowl is planted up with a dark Purple Osteospermum. These colours complement each other and work well as a theme. The dark purple leaf colour is picked up beautifully by the dark purple of the calibrachoa.
Lime Margarita
These lime green bowls are zingy, fresh and vibrant. They will brighten up any areas. The large bowl contains a yellow Abutilon, Heuchera Bright and Breezy, Oxalis Burgundy, Bidens and a yellow Calibrachoa. The medium pot contains Hosta Wide Brim, Lysimachia Aurea and Bidens. The smallest bowl is planted up with a yellow trailing Begonia and Lysimachia Outback Sunset. These bowls are the perfect size and shape for growing Hostas in. They are raised off of the floor, so are less likely to be munched by slugs and snails. For added protection, a strip of copper tape can be applied just under the rim of the pot.
Tequila Sunrise (left)
These brightly coloured stripy pots are a fun addition to any patio or balcony. The colours will brighten up any dull space, transforming it and giving it a sun kissed Mediterranean feel. The large pot contains Geum Flames of Passion, Nemesia Pomelo, Calibrachoa Mango, Mimulus and a yellow Calibrachoa. The medium pot is planted up with an Orange Osteospermum, Begonia Bonfire, Begonia Papaya and Mimulus. The small pot has been potted up with Fuchsia Koralle, Begonia Apricot and Mimulus. These warm sunny colours are sure to brighten up any space even if the sun doesn’t.
Scented Terracotta Cubes (above)
For an authentic Italian feel, you can’t beat terracotta pots planted with sun loving aromatic plants. All the plants planted in these pots are sun lovers, and will love baking in your, warmest, sunniest spot. In the largest cube, there is a Trachelospermum Jasminoides climbing up an obelisk, under planted with scented Dianthus and trailing Phlox. The medium terracotta pot is planted up with French Lavender and some trailing Pelargoniums. The smallest terracotta pot contains a scented leaf Geranium and a trailing Pelargonium. Not only can you enjoy the beautiful flowers and scents, but the pollinating insects will love them too.
Patriotic Pots
With the recent Royal Wedding and the upcoming World Cup, plant up a few pots for your front door in patriotic red, white and blue. We have chosen a blue glazed Heritage pot and planted it with a blue Platycodon, red and white Dianthus and blue and white Calibrachoa.
All of these recipes were planted using tub and basket compost, and had slow release fertiliser added to the compost for a prolonged display. Deadhead them regularly and they will continue to flower into early autumn.
Article by Derek Anderson of Plymouth Garden Centre.
