Peter Dowdall: Container gardening brings the dullest space to life

Containers have a place in every garden and home

Wed, 31 Jul, 2024 - 12:24

Container gardening has become huge over the last few years. There are of course many reasons for this. Many of us now don’t have an actual garden and can only grow in pots and containers.

Another reason for the popularity of container gardening which becomes quickly apparent as we age and begin to suffer from that twinge in the back is that the higher the containers and raised beds are, the easier they are to tend.

We tend to think of raised beds only in terms of kitchen gardening, that is for edible plants but there is nothing in the rulebook of gardening to say that raised beds can’t be used for ornamental plants.

Raised beds can be brick built and plastered to tie in with the colour and style of the home, in which case their siting becomes very important as they are there for life. These types of raised beds can be an excellent way to flank a patio or paved area to make it feel more comfortable and perhaps more connected to the home, helping to create that “outdoor room” feel.

Raised beds can be an excellent way to flank a patio or paved area.

Alternatively, they can be made from timber or metal. These can then be permanent fixtures or mobile, depending on the size and weight of the bed. You could even term a large plant pot, a raised bed.

One of the most significant advantages of raised beds and container gardening is the ability to move plants to suitable conditions. In other words, if you want to grow particular plants in full sun or shade, you can move the beds to where you want to grow them.

Containers and raised beds also allow for precise control over watering. This is important in two ways. Firstly, and more commonly an issue in Ireland, the soil can be well-drained, as it is free to escape from the bottom of the container or bed, important when we are experiencing high rainfall amounts.

Equally important is the other extreme and when our gardens may be experiencing drought, we can add water easily in and around the plants in beds, thus preventing water wastage.

A raised bed allows us to create an artificial growing environment. I don’t mean artificial as in fake or plastic, but in terms of the growing conditions, we can create what we want and what may not be naturally occurring in our garden. If you want to grow alpines and succulents in a raised bed, then you can incorporate the correct growing medium which will want to be very free-draining and filled with grit and sand.

Or perhaps you may want to grow, hungry plants and instead, these will require a humus-rich soil, with plenty of organic matter added to help retain moisture and nutrients.

Containers, by their nature, have a finite root space and thus often offer a limited amount of nutrients and as such you will have to keep an eye on the plants for any signs of distress or deficiency. If you are changing your pots with the seasons then it is easy to ensure your plants are getting nutrients by introducing fresh soil and compost every time you plant.

If, however, you are leaving a more permanent plant in the pot you will have to be a bit more diligent. Deficiencies in iron and other nutrients will generally show up in the leaves.

Containers have a place in every garden. They can bring even the dullest of areas to colourful life. Where container gardening and raised beds come into their own, however, are for those with no access to the soil and no “garden” as such.

Perhaps the only outdoor space is a small, paved area or an apartment balcony. They can enable the grower to create lush gardens on small patios, balconies, or even windowsills. Gardening in pots and containers can often be one of the nicest ways to garden because it allows you to change with the seasons.

If you have a large garden then pots can simply be moved in and out of position depending on their flowering period. If, however, you do not have a large patch then you might need to re-use the same pots and change the contents with the seasons. One good idea is to plant a main perennial feature plant in the centre of the pot, such as a shrub or small tree, and work seasonal plants around the side.

Perhaps the biggest advantage of using raised beds and containers is one that I spoke of at the start, allowing those with back problems or limited movement to enjoy the magic of gardening and working with the soil.