most attractive pots close to the house. It’s
so important to look out of the window and
take pleasure in what you see.
When arranging pots, try to avoid things
looking f lat and static. Think contrast: vibrant
orange f lowers next to glaucous leaves; purple
and bright green foliage side by side; or broad,
shiny leaves next to something fine and
feathery. Try to vary the height, too. It’s not
always the case that the tallest plants should
be at the back, although be careful not to
let a giant specimen block out all the light.
Something like dill, which offers height but
also transparency, is ideal. Plant supports such
as obelisks or wigwams help add interest, too.GROWING TOGETHER
One of the good things about using generous-
sized pots is that they give you scope to grow
different plants together, extending the
cropping period for the container and creating
exciting combinations of texture and colour.
Mixing and matching can be great fun –
for example, think speckled green and red
lettuce alongside deep green parsley and
t he elect rif y ing ora nge of ma rigolds. It ’s
not difficult to create a space that’s attractive
and inviting, but there are some practical
considerations, too.
It’s important to ensure that not all the
plants are growing at the same rate, otherwise
they will crowd each other. Radishes are very
useful here, because they grow so quickly.
Sprinkle a few around your lettuces and they
will soon be ready to eat – the lettuces can then
expand into the space that’s freed up. Similarly,
you can place other crops around the base of
perennial plants – perhaps lettuces around
globe artichokes, or creeping thyme around
the base of a blackcurrant bush.
When combining crops, consider height. It
might sound obvious, but don’t grow climbing
beans in the same pot as a fruit tree unless you
want it to be smothered. But if you are growing
beans, why not add a few sweet peas? The
height of the plants will be complementary
and the f lowers will add colour and scent,
as well as helping to attract pollinators.
Companion planting can make your garden
more beautiful and more productive.Taken from Grow Fruit & Vegetables in Pots: Planting
Advice & Recipes from Great Dixter by Aaron Bertelsen
(Phaidon Press); Photography by Andrew MontgomeryGood companions
Apart from looking good together,
certain combinations of plants can
provide a healthier growing environment.
Here are a few tried-and-tested pairings:O Mediterranean herbs, such as
rosemary, thyme and lemon thyme.
Rosemary is useful for deterring cats,
and a handful of crushed lemon thyme
is good for repelling mosquitoes
O French marigolds with mixed salad
leaves – the flowers help to deter
whitefly
O Tomatoes and basil – because they’re
so often eaten together
O Figs and thyme – another great
flavour combination
O Fruit trees and nasturtiums – the
flowers will attract aphids and keep
them away from your other plants
O Purple kale with French marigolds- the flowers help to repel beetles
O Carrots with chives – the herb helps
to deter carrot fly
Red lettuce
and feathery
fennel make an
attractive coupleGROWINGmost attractive pots close to the house. It’s
so important to look out of the window and
take pleasure in what you see.
When arranging pots, try to avoid things
looking f lat and static. Think contrast: vibrant
orange f lowers next to glaucous leaves; purple
and bright green foliage side by side; or broad,
shiny leaves next to something fine and
feathery. Try to vary the height, too. It’s not
always the case that the tallest plants should
be at the back, although be careful not to
let a giant specimen block out all the light.
Something like dill, which offers height but
also transparency, is ideal. Plant supports such
as obelisks or wigwams help add interest, too.GROWING TOGETHER
One of the good things about using generous-
sized pots is that they give you scope to grow
different plants together, extending the
cropping period for the container and creating
exciting combinations of texture and colour.
Mixing and matching can be great fun –
for example, think speckled green and red
lettuce alongside deep green parsley and
t he elect rif y ing ora nge of ma rigolds. It ’s
not difficult to create a space that’s attractive
and inviting, but there are some practical
considerations, too.
It’s important to ensure that not all the
plants are growing at the same rate, otherwise
they will crowd each other. Radishes are very
useful here, because they grow so quickly.
Sprinkle a few around your lettuces and they
will soon be ready to eat – the lettuces can then
expand into the space that’s freed up. Similarly,
you can place other crops around the base of
perennial plants – perhaps lettuces around
globe artichokes, or creeping thyme around
the base of a blackcurrant bush.
When combining crops, consider height. It
might sound obvious, but don’t grow climbing
beans in the same pot as a fruit tree unless you
want it to be smothered. But if you are growing
beans, why not add a few sweet peas? The
height of the plants will be complementary
and the f lowers will add colour and scent,
as well as helping to attract pollinators.
Companion planting can make your garden
more beautiful and more productive.Taken from Grow Fruit & Vegetables in Pots: Planting
Advice & Recipes from Great Dixter by Aaron Bertelsen
(Phaidon Press); Photography by Andrew MontgomeryGood companions
Apart from looking good together,
certain combinations of plants can
provide a healthier growing environment.
Here are a few tried-and-tested pairings:O Mediterranean herbs, such as
rosemary, thyme and lemon thyme.
Rosemary is useful for deterring cats,
and a handful of crushed lemon thyme
is good for repelling mosquitoes
O French marigolds with mixed salad
leaves – the flowers help to deter
whitefly
O Tomatoes and basil – because they’re
so often eaten together
O Figs and thyme – another great
flavour combination
O Fruit trees and nasturtiums – the
flowers will attract aphids and keep
them away from your other plants
O Purple kale with French marigolds- the flowers help to repel beetles
O Carrots with chives – the herb helps
to deter carrot fly
Red lettuce
and feathery
fennel make an
attractive coupleGROWING