By Joan Wright
A patio is a perfect place for entertaining family and friends, a place to dine al fresco and a place to relax, and you can give your patio an instant makeover with colourful flowers in beautiful containers.
Hanging baskets are ideal for trailing plants, provided they are held on strong chains and positioned so that water will not drip on people or furniture. Position some pots on pedestals to add height and interest.
A tiered stand is perfect in a corner for displaying pot plants, while a row of troughs can be used to edge the patio. A patio is also a place to display weathered driftwood, old garden tools or a whimsical sculpture.
Use trellis panels to add vertical interest and screen part of the patio, providing privacy and protection from wind. Paint a wall depicting an object such as a fountain, an archway, or a distant rural scene.
What you decide to grow depends on climate and position of the patio. All day sun? Make use of water-wise plants such as succulents. If your patio is in shade for most of the day, then pots of ferns, clivia, primula and cineraria are what you need. Group plants according to their needs. Use a commercial potting soil and add coarse sand for plants that need excellent drainage.
Add water-retentive granules to the mix for plants that like moist soil. Permanent plants of tall heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), Ficus benjamina with weeping, variegated or plain green leaves, bamboo and palms can be grown in large pots, and climbers can be trained on trellis.
Phormium "flamingo", Cordyline australis "Sunrise" and miniature citrus (kumquat and calamondin) make stunning subjects for large containers.
There are pots to suit every plant. A collection of pots can look more effective if given a coat of matching paint. Sage-green and grey-blue work well, but if you like colour, be bold and paint pots watermelon, pumpkin or cobalt blue.
Colourful annuals which perform well in containers include pansy, calendula, antirrhinum, stocks and verbena on sunny patios, and primula, viola and primrose for shaded areas. Alyssum is ideal for hanging baskets.
Think of containers as gardens in miniature. Try tawny-coloured chrysanthemum, orange Osteospermum Sunny "Sheila" with ornamental grass Carex "Bronze", or perhaps you would prefer a pastel grouping of pink Osteospermum Sunny "Bianca" with mauve diascia and purple cascading lobelia.
Add a touch of sunshine with Rosmarinus "Wilma's Gold", yellow petunia and Lysimachia "Midnight Sun". Combine purple angelonia, Scaevola "Summertime Blue", Carex "Variegata" with green and gold grass-like leaves, and Helichrysum petiolare "Limelight".
Regularly remove dry foliage and spent flowers. Container grown plants will thrive if given a regular dose of fertiliser and make sure they are kept well watered.
- For more information see www.lifeisagarden.co.za