A mixed pot that brings fab early colour to the garden

Mixing plants together in the same container is a great way to add some ‘oomph’ to your patio now. So many winterinterest plants are grown in isolation but now is still a great time to mix plants together to create interest.

A foolproof method is to choose a ‘backbone’ plant that will be the tallest to sit at the back of the container, then choose a plant half the height in front of it, then plants half the height again to decorate the edges of the pot.

■ Now’s the time to check deciduous shrubs in pots for weeds and suckers at the base of the plant and remove them while the plants are still ‘skeletons’.

■ Check evergreen shrubs and topiary for water because they can be surprisingly dry in

Flowering plants such as anemones, saxifrage, miniature daffodils, violas and bedding daisies (bellis) are brilliant for livening up the edges of pots with instant colour. For a longer-lasting display, try frost hardy, trailing evergreen sedums such as ‘Blue Carpet’ or ‘Coral Carpet’, which will give an added bonus of summer flowers. Mulch the compost around the bottom and centre of the plant with grit and they should survive the winter. winter. Push your finger into the compost and if it’s dry all the way down then the plant needs a soak. Evergreen shrubs that have dried out in winter often show no symptoms (leaves shedding or going brown) until later in the year.

This is a pot that will make a highlight on the patio from now until well into spring. It contains two bold evergreens (Euphorbia martini and carex ‘Everillo’) that will look good all year. Completing the display are an anemone ‘Blue Shades’ and a saxifrage, which is available in many colours at this time of year.

l■ Treat plants in pots to a mulch before spring. After clearing away weeds, old leaves and old gravel or bark mulches, remove the top 5cm (2in) of compost and replace with fresh John Innes compost. Spread a 3cm (1in) layer of new mulch to finish it off. 1 3

Keep filling with compost and firming it down as you go, making sure the plants are upright, roots are covered and there’s a gap to allow for a layer of grit. Then spread grit in between the plants to give a good finish, keep weeds down and improve drainage. Leave a slight gap before the top of the pot so that the grit doesn’t spill over the edges when you water.

Colourful winter pots give spirits a boost while waiting for spring to arrive

Mix equal parts John Innes No 3 compost and multipurpose compost and half fill your container. Place an upturned 5cm (2in) plastic pot over the drainage hole before you start, to prevent it from ge ing clogged up.