Pots in the Garden, Expert Design and Planting Techniques {Ray Rogers

$29.95 Lifelong gardener Ray Rogers is a garden Container gardening has grown up! editor and writer, working on more than 40 No longer a technique just for apartment garden titles. He has written for The American in the dwellers or novice gardeners, the use of Gardener magazine, Green Scene, and American ornamental containers on decks, patios, Cottage Gardening and is coauthor of The terraces, and in the garden itself can save time, pot pots garden Philadelphia Flower Show: Celebrating 175 space, and money. More importantly, it offers Years. Ray has appeared on a variety of radio expert design and experienced home gardeners unique creative and TV programs, including Martha Stewart challenges, site fl exibility, and experimental Living, and has taught in the George s fun. In fact, it’s no exaggeration to say that Washington University Horticulture Program. attractive, well-planted containers are an i planting techniques Currently a consultant for a specialty nursery, n essential component of today’s gardens. he continues to pursue his horticultural th Pots in the Garden: Expert Design and interests as a home gardener, as an amateur Planting Techniques presents a fresh approach e hybridizer of Hippeastrum (amaryllis), and as to container plantings and design. Author an award-winning horticultural exhibitor. g and award-winning horticulturist Ray Rogers He lives in North Brunswick, New Jersey. ard doesn’t simply provide a fi nite number of Photographer Richard Hartlage is an “recipes” for specifi c planting combinations. associate principal at AHBL, Inc., managing Rather, he takes you on an engaging the landscape architecture division and exploration into basic design principles, e working with private and public clients around including how to use color, mass, texture, the country. His garden designs have been n repetition, and spacing, as well as how to create featured in the New York Times, Horticulture, focal points, use water, exploit the potential of Traditional Home, Pacifi c Horticulture, Garden empty containers, and more. Rogers arms you Design, the Seattle Times, and other with the knowledge to pick out and design publications in the U.S., Japan, and Europe. ROG your own plantings with confi dence. Instead Richard lectures regularly on gardening and of falling back on familiar choices such as garden design, while his photographs and petunias, ivy-leaved geraniums, and trailing E articles appear in a variety of horticultural R vinca in the window box, choose distinctive magazines and books. He is a contributing S/HA pots and develop planting combinations more editor to Garden Design and author of the suited to your garden’s specifi c conditions, local book Bold Visions for the Garden, as well as climate, and your own personal style. R photographer for Plant Life: Growing a Garden T BY RAY ROGERS Stunning photographs by Richard L in the Pacifi c Northwest by Valerie Easton. A Hartlage provide guidance and inspiration, Richard lives in Seattle, Washington. G PHOTOGRAPHS BY RICHARD HARTLAGE as well as help visually explain each principle. E You don’t have to be a professional designer For details on other Timber Press books or to receive our or artist to understand this book. Pots in catalog, please visit our Web site, www.timberpress.com. ISBN-13: 978-0-88192-834-1 In the United States and Canada you may also reach us the Garden simply refl ects one long-time at 1-800-327-5680, and in the United Kingdom at gardener’s accumulated thoughts on and [email protected]. E A experiences with container gardening and the N Designed by Jane Jeszeck, www.jigsawseattle.com basic principles behind good garden design. Produced by Unleashed Book Development £20.00 pots in the garden pots in the garden 1 2 pots in the garden pots in thegarden expert design and planting techniques RAY ROGERS photographs by RICHARD HARTLAGE TIMBER PRESS contents introduction: pots in your garden 7 6 focal points 81 7 the appeal of emptiness 94 i the elements of design 11 1 color 12 ii bringing it all together 103 2 line and repetition 24 8 designs that work 104 3 form and mass 40 9 other sensory elements 112 4 space and placement 52 10 expert container techniques 117 5 texture 68 11 choosing a pot 149 4 pots in the garden iii plant groups for containers 163 18 tropicals 223 12 annuals 166 19 trees and shrubs 235 13 aquatics 177 14 bulbs 184 index 244 15 cacti and other succulents 193 16 climbers and trailers 201 17 perennials 211 pots in the garden 5 6 pots in the garden introduction: pots in your garden LET’S FACE IT: many of us have a rather limited space in which to garden, and most of us do not have all day to spend outside pursuing our hobby. Understandably, we want to use that precious space and our valuable time to their fullest potential. One of the most space-saving and time-effi cient ways to enjoy our gardens is to include container plantings in our efforts. Container plantings do not need to take up much room (although they can fi ll your entire garden if you like), and a well-planned container, or a group of them, can be easily maintained in a surprisingly short amount of time. Container gardening not only makes smart use of your space and good use of your time, but it is also as satisfy- ing as gardening in the open ground. Not only can you grow many of the same plants that thrive in your beds and borders, but you also have the fl exibility to move the plants around easily if you, or they, are not happy with the origi- nal spot. Additionally, container planting allows you to avoid transplanting, which can be hard on your plants, and using containers gives you more control over the specifi c soil, water, light, and other conditions your plants need potspots in inthe the garden garden 7 to thrive. With container growing you are not bound by trailers, and aquatics. Throughout the book, Richard Hart- a plant’s size in the same way you are with ground plant- lage’s superb photographs illustrate my points beautifully ing. You can elevate a low-growing plant to eye level or and will no doubt provide plenty of inspiration for your above or bring a tall plant down to eye level or below. You own gardening adventures. can cover up walls and railings with plants and fi ll window Don’t worry, though: you won’t need a master of fi ne boxes to add to the appeal of your yard, deck, or porch. arts or a degree in horticulture to understand this book. Indeed, one of the most attractive aspects of container What follows are one long-time gardener’s accumulated gardening is its malleability. If a plant or a combination of thoughts on, and experiences with, container gardening, plants is not working for you, you can replace it with some- horticulture in general, and the basic principles behind thing that does. If that new terra-cotta pot does not quite good garden design. Neophytes and seasoned garden- suit your current plant selections, no problem: just swap ers alike should fi nd plenty of inspiration and instruction it for a gray or green pot that does. Mix and match, trial within these pages. and error, and wait (or not) and see: all of these techniques As you read this book, think about how you can adapt apply to gardening in general and to container growing in the design elements, the illustrated planting combinations, particular. and the cultural information for your own garden. Imita- These are some of the classic arguments made for tion may be the highest form of fl attery to some, but not container gardening. Yet, it is my belief that not only is to me: you’ll pay me the greatest compliment by using my container gardening a time and space saver, it can easily words and Richard’s pictures as inspiration for your own be a preferred method of gardening, no matter the size of container creations. your garden. Also, just as inground gardening can be taken to the next level by applying various elements of design, so can container gardening be enhanced by considering these same elements. In these pages I discuss basic design elements, including color, line, form and mass, space, and texture, and I explore such topics as creating focal points, using empty containers, and bringing it all together in your overall garden design. I have also included essential and practical information on growing plants in containers and have examined the pros and cons of using all major plant groups, including annuals and perennials, trees and shrubs, cacti and other succulents, tropicals, bulbs, climbers and 8 pots in the garden pots in the garden 9 10 pots in the garden part i: the elements of design pots in the garden 11 1: color think of how often you have heard Many volumes have been written someone express a strong reaction on color theory, and everyone who Color is arguably the most important (negative or positive) to orange or works, even occasionally, with color element in container plantings and magenta or bright red, as compared will no doubt have strong opinions on in gardening overall. It is also a good to their response to line or form or the subject. What follows is a basic starting point when thinking about texture. It is no secret that color also introduction to using color. You are designing a container planting. Bright elicits certain feelings and emotions, heartily encouraged to explore this or subdued, analogous or contrast- sometimes incongruous.

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