Transform your garden into a burst of spring colour with the vivid pot design from skilled gardener James Horner.
Hey there! Let's dive into the creative ways of upcycling in the heart of Benton End's walled garden. When a majestic Monterey pine tree bit the dust, it opened up a world of possibilities – from turning the trunk into large table tops and block seats, to the more fleeting use of branches as decorative linings for wire baskets.
You might find this inspiring: another flower pot recipe born from Cedric Morris' 'Easter Bouquet' and a deep exploration into the Benton End irises.
Now, let me break down the steps to achieve this unique container look:
Container and composition:
We used a wire basket from Bayntun Flowers, but it wouldn't have held soil without a lining. So, we built up from the central base with hundreds of 12cm pine tips from the fallen tree branches, adding volumes of loam-based potting soil as they went up, keeping the sides from caving in.
Check out these plants that we tangled together in this arrangement:
- Fritillaria persica 'Adiyaman' – Resplendent spires with pendent maroon flowers, roughly a meter tall and 30cm wide. AGM. RHS H4, USDA 5a-8b.
- Erodium pelargoniiflorum – Apple-green foliage ruff topping a woody root. Flowering profusely all spring and reaching approximately 20cm tall and 30cm wide. RHS H5.
- Iris bucharica – Proclaimed the easiest Juno iris to cultivate, featuring soft-yellow standards and falls of a truer yellow, about 30cm tall and 20cm wide. AGM. RHS H5.
- Tulipa sylvestris – Notable for the reflex of its petals, ideal for naturalization. Around 30cm tall and 10cm wide. RHS H6, USDA 3a-8b.
- Narcissus 'Eystettensis' – A miniature daffodil dating back to the 15th century, only 20cm tall and 10cm wide. RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b.
- Paeonia lactiflora – A peony discovered in Benton End, yet to be precisely identified. Grows 60cm tall and 90cm wide. RHS H6, USDA 3a-8b.
- Lamium purpureum – An early flowerer adored by pollinators, reaching about 15cm in all directions.
Cultivation and care:
All the bulbs, along with the peonies, were potted up in autumn and occasionally watered in winter. The Fritillaria persica and Iris bucharica were kept in a cold frame to maintain their preferred dry condition. The tulip, peony, and daffodil are more tolerant of inclement dampness.
The container was planted up in late winter, as soon as all the bulbs began to push through the soil. The soil surface was then topped with a covering of Erodium pelargoniiflorum and Lamium purpureum, both of which readily self-seed about the garden and were transplanted from the beds.
For more creative tips on repurposing fallen branches in your container garden, explore the ideas of natural decorative elements, structural features, and planter components throughout different garden settings. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the aesthetic appeal and environmentally friendly aspect that these methods bring to your container displays. Enjoy your gardening journey, and keepYourGreenThumb moving!
- Incorporating natural elements like fallen tree branches into gardening projects can add a unique charm to your home-and-garden lifestyle, such as lining wire baskets with branches for container gardens.
- For a vibrant container arrangement, consider planting Fritillaria persica 'Adiyaman', Erodium pelargoniiflorum, Iris bucharica, Tulipa sylvestris, Narcissus 'Eystettensis', a peony discovered in Benton End, Lamium purpureum, and Paeonia lactiflora in a wire basket from Bayntun Flowers, using pine tips from the fallen tree branches as a lining to hold soil.
- To complement your upcycled container garden, delve into the world of irises at Benton End, where Cedric Morris' 'Easter Bouquet' and other varieties thrive, adding a touch of beauty to your home-and-garden lifestyle and enhancing your gardening hobby.
