SUN WORSHIPPER

I found this beautiful old copper planter on eBay. Its shape is perfect for the terrace on which it sits – where in summer it is in the sun for most of the day. In summer, the planting should be rich and strong, so I can enjoy it from the house too; later it can be used for bulbs. Sticking to a very limited palette of colour will give it greater impact and will also make it easier to arrange with other pots.

How to achieve the look

Aged copper is a wonderful material and has the added advantage of going with almost any colour. Here I play with purples and grey, finding the grey of Plecostachys serpyllifolia especially useful for picking up the shades of the planter. Osteospermum comes in several colours, but for me ‘Nairobi Purple’ is one of the best for its simplicity and intensity.

To add a little more depth, I’ve carefully woven a pinkish verbena called Glandularia Superbena Burgundy (= ‘Usbena15’) through the Osteospermum. The verbena’s leaves are a good contrast in shape and texture and so are the flowers; the colour of the flowers, however, is close to that of the Osteospermum flowers, keeping the combination calm and effective. Old copper pots are one of my favourite types of container, and are highly sought after, but when choosing a pot make sure it’s one that will sit securely on the ground. Pots with a small base or a long, thin shape will dry out more quickly and might become unstable once plants start to grow. Drainage is important and I am always generous with drilling holes and covering them with crocks and a layer of grit. Good, multi-purpose compost, mixed in equal parts with John Innes No.2, is great, but a multi-purpose compost alone would work too. The combination relies on deadheading and on weaving shoots through the stems of their neighbours. The Osteospermum is the star so keep the other plants under control by cutting off vigorous shoots.