3 Reasons to Plant in Containers

Containers can be stylish garden fixtures in their own right, irrespective of what they hold. Aesthetically, adding plants in pots adds another layer of interest and depth to the landscape with the varying heights they offer. Pots and containers offer many advantages over planting in the ground. They allow you to have a great amount of control over soil type, nutrients, and drainage. They can be portable, provide easy access, and rein in aggressive plants.  

Portable Perennials

Citrus trees can be grown in pots and brought inside when the weather cools.

The cold winters and hot, dry summers of the Inland Northwest really limit our available plant palette. Making your plants portable, however, can open up new possibilities. Growing non-hardy plants like citrus in pots allows you to bring them inside for the winter to protect them from freezing temperatures. Tender succulents, tropical plants, and other favorites from southern climates can be planted in containers and enjoyed outdoors during our warm months. After a summer outdoors, they can be transitioned to houseplants for the winter. Similarly, plants that are stressed by our long, hot, sunny summer days can be moved to more sheltered, shady locations at the peak of summer. For ultimate portability, choose lightweight plastic pots and a well-drained potting mix. If you love the look of ceramic and terra cotta pots, consider planting in a plastic insert for the best of both worlds.

Accessible Annuals

Canna lilies in a carved ceramic pot add a tropical flair to this lakeside landscape.

For annual plants that are only going to last one growing season, it can feel like a lot of work to get down and plant them in the ground for a few months’ beauty. Planting annuals in pots, however, can lessen that burden. Depending on the size of the pot, it can be lifted onto a counter or provide substantial height itself, making it easier on the body. Potting soil is also usually easier to work than native soils, which can be compacted or full of clay or rocks. It’s simple to customize soil conditions for specific plants, adjusting the nutrients, acidity, and organic matter in each container according to the plants’ needs. When the growing season is over, empty pots can be put away until spring rather than leaving bare swaths of dirt, or decorative containers can be left in place to serve as winter interest.

Reined-in Roots

Small trees like curly willow can be grown in containers to control their roots.

Most gardeners have had to deal with aggressive plants with spreading root systems and know the work involved in containing or eliminating them. Planting these troublesome species in containers can be a great solution to include them in your garden with less risk. Many plants in the mint family are well-known for their rhizomatic growth, so pots and planters are an excellent way to enjoy their aromatic foliage and flower spikes without running afoul of their root systems (they can, of course, still spread by seed). And if you simply must have extremely invasive species like bamboo or horsetail in your garden, containers are the only way to responsibly grow them.

It’s not just perennials that make good container plants, however. Small trees can be maintained in planters, both for visual interest and to prevent unwanted habits. Trees that sucker or invade sewer and irrigation lines, like willows, sumacs, or aspens, can be enjoyed in a planter instead. If you’re up to it, root pruning every couple years can help to ensure the vitality and longevity of your potted tree.

What Water Feature Works for You?

Water is a dynamic element, both in nature and in your yard. A water feature can be the focal point of your landscape or simply add atmosphere in the background. From natural streams to shooting fountains and bubbling rocks to metal rills, the endless variety of sizes and styles makes a water feature a feasible part of any landscape design. Not sure if a water feature is right for you? Take a look at the projects below to see some of the many ways a water feature can work in your landscape.

Transform Your Entrance

This moat-like water feature creates an experience for visitors.

The landscaping around your home defines visitors’ experience as they enter. A water feature by the front door beckons guests towards it while setting the tone with its visual and auditory displays. This project takes things a step further, with its bubbling basalt fountain emptying into an artificial stream that flows along the front of the house. A wooden bridge traverses the stream, marking the transition into the home and creating an immersive entry journey. By choosing not to treat the water with chlorine, the homeowners have made their water feature into a resource for wildlife from the nearby conservation area as well.

Keep It Natural

A woodland stream offers a contemplative spot to rest.

A stream-like water feature doesn’t have to be a show-stopper. It can be an understated natural feature in landscapes with native, unmanicured areas. Here, a small stream with modest waterfalls creates an opportunity for a calm, contemplative sitting area. The sound of running water anchors the space in nature, despite it being a short walk from the residence. The stream also provides water to passing wildlife, giving the water feature an ecological purpose in addition to its aesthetic function.

Repeat a Pattern

This core-drilled boulder fountain ties into matching boulders throughout the landscape.

Water features don’t need to be expansive to make a statement. This self-contained fountain is crafted from a boulder that echoes others in the landscape, including a large dive rock across the pool. A simple bubbling flow tumbles down the boulder into a basin hidden below a gravel-covered grate. The subtle action of this water feature allows the stone itself to hold equal prominence. Repeating that material throughout the landscape creates a site-wide pattern that integrates various areas into a cohesive design.

Tie It Together

The mix of natural and man-made materials makes this water feature a unifying landscape feature.

When a water feature is a focal point in the landscape, its design can be a keystone in the overall style. On this project, the contemporary architecture is complemented with more natural, organic landscaping. The courtyard water feature combines the two, comprising geometric poured concrete and natural basalt boulders. The basin and equipment is hidden beneath metal grating and gravel, which also conceals the mechanism for a fire pit burner. This anchors the water feature visually, further integrating it into the landscape.

Create a Theme

A statement-making fountain defines the style of this entry space.

Not every water feature has to be custom-built on site. A traditional fountain design offers a self-contained option, and the wide variety of sizes and styles available means that there is truly an option for any landscape. Fountains are often a piece of art in themselves and can define the style of a space. This classical home features a statement-making European-inspired fountain across from the entrance, establishing a geometric, symmetrical theme that is carried through the landscaping surrounding the house.

Seven Styles of Stone Steps in the Landscape

Stone steps take a functional necessity and turn it into a landscape feature in and of itself. The character of the stone adds interest and depth to what can be a mundane element. Below are seven different uses of stone steps in the landscape, each with its own character.

Rock Garden

These stone stairs traverse a boulder retaining wall, but the abundant vegetation softens all the rock to create a lush landscape. Creeping thyme spills across the quartzite steps, with mounding perennials and bunch grasses tucked into planting pockets.

Into the Woods

The verdant woodland setting for this project calls for unobtrusive materials and restrained design. The quartzite stone slabs that make up the staircase are from a nearby quarry in Montana, while the plant palette is primarily native species. The vegetation infringes on the staircase, blending the man-made with its natural surroundings.

Color Coordinated

With a long steep slope to cover, the series of retaining walls and staircases could have been overwhelming. The light tan stone steps, however, play off the tan accents on the residence and garage, unifying the landscape and architecture. With the retaining walls utilizing the same natural basalt as the garage foundation and the concrete patio tinted to match the dark gray house paint, this project embraces a color-coordinated vision.

On the Waterfront

This patio is the perfect place to enjoy the lake, and a great pit stop in and out of the water. There’s no sandy beach to enjoy, but the tan stone steps bring in a beachy vibe while providing easy access directly into the water. The rough texture of the stone gives the surface good traction when wet, unlike wood or metal steps.

Turning Back Time

For the transition from a manicured upper tier of the backyard to a wooded slope below, boulders harvested from the site anchor the staircase in the landscape’s history. The imperfect, irregular surfaces would be unsuitable for stairs with heavier use, but as an occasional staircase they function well.

Bridging the Gap

Stone steps don’t have to go up and down—here they go across. Two stone slabs cantilever from each side of a small stream to form a bridge across. The stone forms a stable footing while blending into the woodland setting.

Stone Landing

Here a single stone slab is used at the back door of the house. Not only does it physically transition between the interior floor height and the patio, but it also provides a thematic transition from the modern house design to the more relaxed, natural landscape. The stone step serves as a teaser for the materials used throughout the backyard.

How to Incorporate Art in Your Landscape

Incorporating art into your landscape can elevate it to another level, but it can be hard to figure out how to bring art in without it feeling like an afterthought. If you’re in need of inspiration, here are six ways to include art in a thoughtful manner.

Lead the Eye

Art is a great focal point in the garden. A piece of art draws the viewer toward itself, which creates a flow through the landscape. Whether it’s a major statement that defines a space or a smaller piece that teases the viewer from afar, art can be used to lead the eye and direct people through a landscape.

This partially hidden pagoda sculpture invites visitors in to discover the landscape.

Create a Theme

Art can also be used to establish and strengthen a theme throughout the landscape. It can unite disparate elements or echo similar ones. A bold piece of art can dictate the style of a whole space. Meanwhile, on constrained properties where different parts of the landscape are separated from each other, repeated artworks can create a rhythm among themselves and connect those spaces.

This standing rock sculpture echoes the use of natural materials throughout the landscape.

Add Whimsy

At its most basic, garden art brings personality into the garden. It can be an opportunity to showcase a durable collection, or just to make wishful thinking into reality. You might never get a blue heron drinking from your water feature, but with a piece of art you can have one year-round. You won’t see a cactus or agave surviving the Inland Northwest winter, but a sculpture has no problem. Garden art can simply be a fun expression of your whims.

Steel barrel cactus sculptures bring a touch of the Southwest into this Spokane backyard.

Include the Old

Landscapes can grow stale or simply not meet your needs. In the event of a landscape makeover, elements from the old landscape can be incorporated as art in the new landscape. If you’re decommissioning a fountain, consider adding some drainage holes and turning it into a planter. Salvaged bricks can be turned into a decorative patio inlay, or an old gate could become a trellis. Get creative to preserve the history of your site while adapting it to fit your lifestyle.

This metal jungle gym was original to the house; the homeowners preserved it as a sculptural centerpiece.

Inject Color

Art can provide forms and colors that no plant can match. It offers predictable, year-round interest with little to no care. Glass sculptures and gazing balls, glazed ceramic urns and bird baths, and powder-coated metal trellises and screens are just a few options for bright, cheerful color that can keep your winter garden from feeling boring while being just as dynamic in the growing season.

These colorful glass sculptures anchor the planting bed year-round.

Give it a Job

Art doesn’t have to be an aside in the garden; it can be a functional part of the landscape. If you’re putting in a fence, it could feature a decorative pattern. Your bird feeder could hang from a metal sculpture instead of a simple hook. Upgrade your flower pots to statement-making planters, or switch out your coir door mat for something more fun. If it’s something you look at or use regularly, make sure it brings you joy at the same time.

This metal garden gate was commissioned from a local artist and matches a larger gate at the driveway entrance.

If you’re looking to design your landscape and don’t know where to start, get in touch with us at Pacific Garden Design to talk about your project!