How to Create a Flower Garden With Potted Plants

Flowers in pots can make a big visual impact.

Growing a flower garden is not limited to just the backyard flower bed. A grouping of flowers planted in multiple flower pots can mimic the look of a flower garden. This planting strategy can be useful for patios or decks. It also works well for apartment balconies where a flower bed would not be possible. A flower pot garden can make the same impact of color and texture as a garden planted directly into the earth. Follow some steps for a flower garden that includes enough plants to cover a 4 1/2-foot-by-5-foot sunny area. Plants can be added and subtracted to make the garden fit any size area.

Things You'll Need

• 24-inch diameter flower pots, 2
• 18-inch diameter flower pots, 3
• 12-inch diameter flower pots, 5
• 2 large purple Hydrangea plants
• 9 white and purple pansy plants
• 6 white snapdragon plants
• 5 purple mini-petunia plants
• Garden gloves
• Potting soil
• Garden trowel
• Watering can

Instructions

1. 

   Clay pots are inexpensive and make good planters.

   Pick out your containers. The flower pots can match in shape and color, or they can be completely different. Be as creative as you would like with your containers. Look for containers that can hold soil and drain water.

2. 

   Keep your hands clean and safe with a pair of gardening gloves.

   Put on your gardening gloves. Always wear gardening gloves when potting plants. Some potting soil contains chemicals to help the plants grow. Gardening gloves provide protection against chemicals getting onto your skin.

3. 

   Hygrangea flowers are part of a flowering bush that does well in containers.

   Plant the hydrangeas. Fill the 24-inch pot about 3/4 full with the potting soil. Using the garden trowel, make a hole about halfway down into the soil. Place the bare roots of the hydrangea into the hole. Pack the soil around the plant. Fill the pot with potting soil, stopping about 1 inch from the top. Repeat with the second hydrangea plant.

4. 

   Snapdragons and pansies make great pot mates.

   Plant the snapdragons and pansies. Fill the 18-inch pot about 3/4 full with potting soil. Dig five holes in the dirt. Two should be in the back of the pot and three up front. Take two bare-rooted snapdragon plants and place them in the back two holes. Cover with soil. Place three bare-rooted pansy plants into the remaining three holes. Cover with soil. Fill the pot with potting soil, stopping about 1 inch from the top.

5. 

   Petunias grow quickly in containers.

   Plant the petunias. Fill one 12-inch pot about 3/4 full of potting soil. Dig one large hole. Place a bare-rooted petunia plant into the hole. Cover with dirt. Fill the pot up with potting soil, stopping about 1 inch from the top. Do this for each petunia plant.

6. Place your pots in a sunny location. Arrange your pots with the largest in the back. The smallest plants should be in the front.

7. Water your flowers. Flowers in pots will need more water than flowers planted in the ground. The soil should feel moist to the touch.

Tips & Warnings

• The recommended flowers for this garden are shades of purple and white, but each flower comes in many other colors.

• Ask a local nursery about other plants that do well in containers

• Non-flowering plants can also be added to a potted flower garden for interest.

• Do not plant large plants in small containers. Plants can quickly outgrow a container if not given the proper room.

• Do not try to mix plants that do well in the shade with plants that do well in the sun.

References

• Bella Online; Growing Hydrangeas in containers
• Old Fashioned Living; Growing Snapdragons
• Gardeners Net; Growing Pansies
• Better Homes and Gardens; Petunias