Gardeners of any skill level can take on this flower planter project; it can be tailored to suit your style and can be completed in an afternoon (shopping included!) Select a large planter and annuals of your choice. Why use annuals? Annuals are hardy and bloom throughout the season. At the end of the season, you will pull them out of your planter, discard them, and replace them with new plants the next season. Learning how to arrange flowers in a planter is quite easy, simply follow the steps below:
There are 6 steps to completing this project:
Annuals are most appropriate for a seasonal planter because they are just that – seasonal. Unlike perennials which typically just flower for a few weeks each year, annuals flower all throughout the season which is just what you want in a decorative seasonal planter.
Frost kills annuals and damages newly planted perennials – the May long weekend is our ‘safe date’. If you push the season and plant your planter before the risk of frost has passed, be sure to monitor the weather and cover your annuals with a bag to give them an added layer of protection if it looks like there is a potential for overnight frost.
Separate plants into three categories: Tall, mounding, and cascading. Selecting plants in all three categories makes for an interesting planter with layers of plants. You want to have your tallest element (your focal) in the centre of your planter and get lower with the plants as you work your way closer to the perimeter of the planter.
These are your mounding plants. Choose 1-3 varieties and get a minimum of 3 of each variety. Some examples of mounding plants are petunias, geraniums, marigolds, begonias (part-shade) and impatiens (part-shade).
Plant your cascading plants closest to the perimeter and position them so any trailing pieces are falling over the sides of your planter. Here, an English ivy was repeated multiple times around the perimeter of the planter. Compact the soil by pushing it down with your hands and make sure that all your new plants are securely surrounded by soil.
Newly transplanted plants need a lot of water to settle into their new environment. The great thing about seasonal planters is that they are quite low maintenance. Sunlight and water is really all they need to grow and thrive. Giving your planter a water-based fertilizer every few weeks will further help your plants bloom and multiply.
This article was published in partnership with Threads and Blooms.
