If you plan to grow large trees or shrubs, you need an equally large container. It must be in proportion with the plant and must blend in with the design of your garden.
There are a number of things to think about when considering large containers. Many large plants, trees and fruit shrubs will need as large a container as you can provide, if they are to flourish and attain anywhere near their potential proportions.
Larger plants are best grown in raised beds or in special large containers chosen so that they fit in with the overall design of the garden. Even large containers need to have drainage at the bottom and an automatic watering system is of great assistance in keeping the plants moist.
Match the container to the plant
Try to match the style of the container to the style of the plant. Trees and shrubs with a spreading habit look best in wide-brimmed pots. Very often large but containers are made from terracotta, but other materials, such as stone or glazed earthenware, are also suitable provided they can accommodate the root system of the plant. Keep the containers and their contents in proportion. It is always possible to pot on a tree as it grows into a larger container, and any small plant alone in a large pot will look bare and isolated. It’s best to fill in the space around the main plant with low-growing herbs or small vegetables for this will keep the planting in proportion.
Barrels and tall pots
Half barrels make good containers and can accommodate quite large trees. They look natural and will fit in with almost any surrounding. You may be able to find old barrels in a junk shop or scrap yard or ask at your local brewery.
Tall pots sometimes make excellent features on a patio garden. Ali Baba pots are very decorative on their own and hardly need to be filled with plants. If you are planning to plant up a very tall pot, be careful. There are few plants that work well in really big containers. Choose some trailing nasturtiums or something equally simple.
Very large containers need to be placed carefully in the garden and particular care has to be taken over the background. The design of a garden is composed of many things, the background colors is very often forgotten.
