SMALL-SPACE GARDENING Great ideas and advice

Bring your containers to life with seasonal ideas from our columnist Isabelle Palmer, The Balcony Gardener

PL ANT OF THE MONTH Cauliflower

ast year, I grew lots of crops in pots for table decorations and was my centrepiece. It produces one large head and plenty of ‘cut and come again’ smaller heads you can harvest later; and it’s perfect for pots. Sow seeds in a propagator, cover with 6mm of compost and leave on a warm windowsill or in a greenhouse at around 18 to 21ºC. Germination takes 10 to 14 days. Transfer the seedlings to individual pots (7.5cm) and grow on in a warm, light position. After the last frost, plant out into large containers – or one per or moisture-control compost. Water well and fertilise through the growing season.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO MAKE AN ENTRANCE

Having recently moved, I came to the realisation that my garden is a blank canvas, waiting for me and my family to make it our own. My first thoughts were to start at the front, as this is the area that welcomes visitors. I’ m lucky enough to have inherited a beautiful tiled area between the front hedge and the house, which emulates a courtyard garden. This then got me thinking of surrounding the front door with a selection of pots to house stunning plants. While I normally veer towards a simple style, the thought of being greeted every day by an environment of natural containers really appeals.

One of the key elements in this style of planting is texture. Keep your colour scheme simple, with the pots being one colour and the plants either making a statement in a contrasting shade, or complementing them in similar tones – for example, black or white pots filled with a variety of greens and white, or terracotta or zinc pots filled with purples, white and silvers. The plants should be different heights, allowing each to fill its own space. You can use trellis or hanging planters to create the look.

Arranging the pots at the front door will create a symmetry that leads you inside. If you have space, add a bench and lanterns to give visitors the warmest welcome possible.

Turn the page for Isabelle’s pick of the best trailing and climbing plants. Follow her on Instagram @thebalconygardener

Use this strong support for large plants and heavy single stems. It’s made from high quality, galvanised steel and comes in a lovely

Bacopa cordata

ISABELLE’S PLANT LIST

What to grow this month

TRAILING

Bacopa cordata ‘Gulliver White’ ‘Capri’ Variegated ivy

CLIMBING

(Russian vine) Vitis ‘Boskoop Glory’ (outdoor grape vine) ‘Silver Lining’ ‘Snowdrift’ ‘Wisley Cream’

GOOD FOR LOW-LEVEL POTS

Pelargonium Chrysanthemum Runaway Bride Snow White Blueberry ‘Sunshine Blue’ var. Cotinus coggygria ‘Young Lady’ (Japanese holly fern)

GOOD FOR PLEACHING

Prunus insititia ‘Merryweather Damson’ Cordon plum ‘Victoria’ ‘John Downie’ ‘Appletini’ (mini apple tree) Olive tree Pear ‘Williams’ Bon Chrétien’ Pear ‘Doyenné du Comice’ Ligustrum japonicum (Japanese privet) ‘Lucidum’

Pelargonium

Q&A

Is it important to stake and support plants even if they ’ re in a container?

In a word: yes. It is vital to support plants as they grow in order to allow the stems to strengthen as the plants strive for light. Supports will stop them falling over in the process and avoid distorted growth.

How to...

GROW TREES IN YOUR FRONT GARDEN

Pleached – or espaliered – trees can make a statement in your front garden and will create a hedge without taking up too much space. Training trees like this to produce a narrow screen is a great option for small areas. It shoots along a supporting framework.

The trees can be created from scratch as a project or bought directly from suppliers, already trained across their framework. A lovely way to start is by using fruit trees, a natural and unique look. There are also many master classes available online to get you going if you want a project.

Espaliered trees can also offer a natural windbreak and help low-growing plants to thrive. What better way to utilise a south-facing front garden than to have your own mini orchard?

ISABELLE’S PICKS TO CREATE A WARM WELCOME

Wall-mounted garden trellis, £35, Etsy

Sahara bamboo lantern, £48, Broste Copenhagen at Amara

Bola artstone plant pot in black, from £24.99, Hortology