| Container gardening is a great innovation of gardening. Container gardens are one of the fastest growing segments of gardening. I personally don’t know who had the first publicly recorded, “container garden”, and it’s probably too trivial to spend time thinking about it. But I think it is an old practice, with a new name. I remember flowers being planted in old tin pots, old work boots, empty milk cartons, jars, etc. Basically, we used stuff around the house that wasn’t usable in its original form. So don’t be a small thinker when it comes to what is or isn’t an appropriate container. Just learn what to do, so whatever is grown in it, blossoms.
There are some nice benefits to having a container garden such as:
Containers can be grown where traditional gardens are not possible including apartment balconies, indoors, window boxes, rooftops, small courtyards, decks, patios, and wherever a backyard if not available.
Container gardening makes it possible for you to position the pots, or planters in areas where they can receive the best possible growing conditions.
Container gardening allows people to bring part of nature into their personal living spaces.
I like the fact that I can grow plants not native to my area of the country climate and sometimes get awesome results especially where I can control the temperature, like indoors.
Growing in containers also minimizes problems of plant pests and diseases, or at least makes these easier to control.
Anyone can design and enjoy container gardening. It can be an ideal solution for people with physical limitations that prevent them from working down at ground level.
It can also be the answer for those with soil problems.
Container gardens can soften the hard edges of the deck, balcony or terrace. Individually they can become focal points in the garden, or in quantity can be used to define and create spaces. Just don’t overdo it. Remember, “too much of a good thing, ain’t gonna work”. For those of us who stop to look and admire beautiful gardening, but more specifically container gardening, you’ve probably seen some horrid stuff. I have, and I thought to myself, “this is messed up”. On the contrast, I hope I’m not the only one who has stopped to admire a beautifully landscape area, or ask the owner about the flowers in each container. I am always amazed at how beauty can be created and love the fact that I can enjoy it through, smell, touch, feeling and sight. |