Accessorize Your Garden With Easy-Care Containers

May 27, 2009 - PRLog -- Looking for quick and simple solutions to decorate your home and garden?  Whether it’s potting up veggies and herbs, planting flowers, or adding a large sculptured evergreen, containers are easy and practical solutions to add your own style to your outdoor rooms.
“People are too busy or don’t have the space to plant a full-scale garden, but they can manage a ‘garden in a container’,” explains Jon Carloftis, renowned garden designer. “They’re less maintenance and time consuming for the pleasure returned, and that’s what gardeners want.”
“I love working with containers because they make gardening less overwhelming, particularly for beginner gardeners,” he says. “They provide a simple starting point, a focus for design.”

Containers come in terra cotta, cast stone, and cast iron to brightly glazed pottery and lightweight polyethylene. Carloftis says selecting the perfect container depends on personal taste, needs, and affordability. Here are some tips for picking the right pot for the right spot.

American Traditional
Cast stone is the traditional material for American decorative garden containers and gives you an immediate look of classic antiquity.  Sustainable and durable, they replicate the look of hand-carved stone or marble but at a much more affordable price.  

“Cast stone containers make a strong focal point for your garden and entranceway,” says Carloftis. “I like to have something tall and elegant in the center surrounded by something shorter.”

He recommends selecting quality cast stone in rich hand-applied patinas that weather naturally outdoors, like the ones from Campania International.

Earthy!
Terra Cotta containers, a classic feature of Mediterranean gardens, are now affordable enough for every garden. This natural earthen material, which ages to a lovely patina, is timeless and looks good almost anywhere.

Terra cotta is perfect for veggies and herbs because the porous material “breathes” and improves heartiness. These classic clay pots come in a wide variety of quality and prices for every budget.




Glamorous
Make a powerful fashion statement and transform a staid garden setting into an eye-catching landscape with glazed pottery in bold color and artistic designs.

“Experiment with new things,“ says Carloftis.  “It’s about mixing colors and textures to create your own look.”

Vibrant colors from classic black to rich earth tones or two-toned glazes provide style and contrast especially when positioned with other pieces, such as cast stone, or as a focal point nestled in a garden bed. With names like Bell Bottom Blue and Woodstock Green, Campania’s fun Lipstick Pots add personality with bold colors and contemporary styles.

Lite & Carefree
For those who want lightweight and flexible features, polyethylene and fiberglass containers are excellent choices. “You won’t compromise style or attractiveness with upscale look-alikes,” he says.  

Campania’s Lite pots replicate the look of terra cotta, cast stone, iron, or lead that you have to touch them to know they aren’t the real thing. They are easy to move and are perfect for apartments or decks. They are virtually indestructible and can withstand severe weather conditions.

Plant your pretty spring annuals in large containers around your deck, poolside, or patio and move them around as the seasons change for a fresh look.

Classic Beauties
Except in the severest climate, cast iron containers offer gardeners high strength and durability. A classic material for urn shapes, cast iron is especially appropriate for those who wish to create an historical or traditional look.

For a contemporary look, cast iron comes in modern, sleek designs with sculptural shapes that bring a new vitality to this category and offers wonderful design opportunities for the garden.

Quick Container Tips
Before you rush out and grab the first containers you see to pot up your plants, here are a few tips to remember:

•   Larger containers help protect the plant’s roots from changing temperatures.
•   Terra cotta pots “breathe” and allow more air to the plant’s roots.
•   Put gravel or plant shards in the base for good drainage.
•   Containers that are grouped according to design and construction look best.
•   Classic containers look best in more traditional settings; while contemporary minimalist gardens are stunning with innovative materials. Natural- looking containers look best in more rustic gardens.
•   Raise the container with specially made pot feet or strips of treated wood to aid drainage.
•   Light weight containers are great for big jobs or plants that move from the deck to the sun porch.

From selecting containers as individual works-of art, to choosing them for style and durability, they are attractive options that transform your terrace, patio, deck, and indoor spaces into your own garden gallery.

Visit Campania’s full line of containers, fountains, benches and garden accessories at www.campaniainternational.com.

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