Going potty!

Want to cheer up an empty space? Don't want to/can't plant in the ground? Dull courtyard? Sad entrance way? Empty balcony full of small pots with dead plants in them? It's never been a better time to choose some flowerpots and plant them up. There is so much choice, it's just a case of looking around. I've done some looking for you: Just in two shops so far, we have these Habitat concrete pots in muted colours and various sizes. Or the small 50's influenced IKEA pots at 2E50 you can spread them around on a low wall or a ground floor windowsill, instant brightener, as are these lovely green rubber pots from Habitat! Or these ribbed fawn pots from IKEA. Or these elegant black zinc Habitat containers. Or the zingy pink and grey ones. Or the IKEA zippy green and red ones. Or these funky modern angled white pots from Habitat. Or the classic vibrant blue Habitat...the choice is yours.

Your display will look more effective if you use the same pots and colours in different sizes or replace lots of small pots with one larger container with a few plants in it.

You'll need some old terracotta smashed into pieces (wear goggles whilst you smash it and put it between two layers of cardboard so the pieces don't fly everywhere) or some billes d'argille (little balls sold in bags in garden centres) in the bottom of the pot. If the container you've chosen doesn't have a hole in the bottom for drainage, put your plant in a slightly smaller thin plastic flowerpot and then inside your container. Raise it slightly inside the container (put it on top of 3 large stones or some terracotta) so it's not touching the bottom of the larger container. That way it won't be sitting in water when the winter comes or it rains (most plants do not like their roots constantly in water, particularly bamboo). Fill up with earth specially produced for containers and choose your plant.

A shortish job that will bring lasting effects and pleasure. Remember, if you're buying terracotta, stone or cement pots, they are really heavy so best to take help and the car or a taxi from the shop.