Do thoughts of container planting and conjure up images of elaborate urns with 'country house' flowers and tendrils of ivy? Think again!
Try planting a clean-lined, modern pot with New Zealand native grasses. In a container the grasses make a real a statement. Simple containers complement the simplicity of the grasses- a theme seen in fashionable Chelsea Flower Show, this year. And seen here in New Zealand simultaneously.
Carex comans - a wonderful subject for a pot
Glossy blue planters and a New Zealand native grass
There is tremendous interest in our New Zealand native grasses at present. And deservedly so. These plants have beautiful colours, often becoming deeper or bronzy in the winter months, and move wonderfully in our famously windy climates. Grasses can tolerate a range of conditions and are extremely low maintenance.
Try the combination above - glossy blue pots planted with the Festuca coxii a fine leaved, blue-green grass from the Chatham Islands that will grow to 20-35 cm. Or try a larger container with Chionochloa rubra a tussock that will grow to…. or Carex comans 'Frosted curls' which has a fascinating spiral form.
When choosing your pot, remember that unglazed terracotta dries out quickly and will need frequent watering in hot or dry weather. Try planting in a plastic pot, and then place this inside your terracotta container; lining with heavy black horticultural plastic; or even lining with an old piece of carpet to cool the pot and help retain moisture.
How To Tips
Select a grass that will suit the size of your pot, and not burst or overwhelm it.
Add gravel, pebbles or pieces of a broken pot to the bottom to assist drainage.
Use a soil formulated for pots that contains slow-release fertilisers and is friable. (Commercial potting mixes have been sterlised to minimise the risks of disease and weeds.)
Place some soil over the gravel then place your grass in the pot, ensuring that the soil level is about 2-3cm below edge of the container.
Add more soil around the grass plant, filling the space between the pot and the plant to the plant's existing soil level firming gently to avoid air pockets.
Ideas From the Shows...
Chelsea 2000: Sleek modern pots filled with grasses
Ellerslie 1999: Outsized containers in the 'Naturally Native' garden
For more design projects and features articles, click below
