Frances Tophill uses pots for colour
Frances Tophill shows how to give your garden a much-needed colour boost now
In January, all thoughts of gardening tend to go out of the window. There is little to tempt us outside, where it’s cold, damp and dull. But it is for that very reason that I think it is exactly the time when we most need to inject colour into our outdoor space, bringing a little brightness to the bleak beginning of the year. Making a large statement container is ideal for this time of year, as plants prefer not to go directly into freezing ground. Place your pot near the door or where it can easily be seen from inside the house, so you get maximum benefit. All of the plants in this scheme are long-lived and can either stay in the pot, to be thinned once things get too crowded, or removed and replanted in the ground when it warms up, to bring winter interest to your garden year after year.