POTTED GEMS

With so many plants bursting into flower, I like to grow a range in pots and arrange them on a metal table in the yard to remind me of what I have and how beautiful the flowers are close up. It also reminds me of my training at Kew, where myriad alpines are grown in pots to perfection and displayed in the Alpine House. Sometimes I grow them in plastic pots and transfer them into terracotta ones for the display.

How to achieve the look

Prunus ‘Okamé’, a cross between P. incisa and P. campanulata, is the centre plant in this display and sets the colour with its carmine-pink flowers. Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’ is easy to grow in pots, where you can appreciate its faint scent. I always grow a few Crocus tommasinianus in pots every year, not just for the name, but also for its perfect flowers. Primula denticulata ’Corolla Blue’, the drumstick primula, looks great in a pot, but also makes a big impression in the garden. For a softer texture, I have added two Saxifraga x arendsii, namely ‘Alpino Early Pink’ and ‘Touran Lime Green’. Both work really well in pots and flower for a long time. Lastly, there is a pot of two forms of Cyclamen coum, to add more structure and colour. Old terracotta pots are not only great for growing plants in but look fabulous too. Using some gravel to cover the soil also helps to link the plants visually, and I use a local gravel, so it ties in with the walls in the background. I always make sure the drainage is good and mix the soil individually for each plant, although most grow well in an equal mixture of John Innes No.2 and multi-purpose compost with extra grit for drainage. Plants grown in pots benefit from liquid food added to the watering can, especially if they stay in the pot for a long time.