Outdoor Areas

March 25, 2020 – Published in Design & Decor Spring 2017 issue

The miracle of life in a pot

Photography Alan Carville

It doesn’t take a large area of land to make a glorious garden. A porch or balcony are just as ideal to show off a container garden of versatile pots. It only needs a little planning and imagination and the result can be quite astonishing. The simple flower pot has changed into something that has become as dazzling as you want it to be. The range of pots available locally is quite amazing, anything from terracotta pots to the more practical and often brightly coloured plastic ones. Louis Micallef from Green Suppliers in Burmarrad talks to us about seasonal plants.

There are a surprising number of trees that survive quite happily in pots and containers. A few examples of these are Citrus trees, Cypress trees as well as the lovely Oleander tree with its glorious endless summer blossom. Fragrant plants such as the glorious Jasmine or Honeysuckle do just as well in a container and perfume the warm air with their glorious scents.

Spring flowers such as the Geranium, Pansy and Petunia are extremely hardy and can be mixed to add vibrance to your selected area. These plants normally come ready potted in small pots and can be easily transferred into any larger pot or container. They come in a wonderful variety of colours and variations.

Known for its colourful tropical flower, the Anthurium whose nearly all year round eyecatching flower, is easier to grow than you think. Anthuriums come in a variety of colours, including the ever popular red, pink, salmon, green, orange and pale green. The flowers have a stunning waxy appearance and with the right care, each flower spike can last between four and six weeks. However, the right conditions to keeping them are a must. They do not like direct sunlight, though light is important. They thrive well in humidity and anything between 80-100% is ideal. Saying that, a well lit bathroom is the ideal place especially since after one has had a shower there is a lot of humidity in the air. Lower humidity is fine as long as they are watered regularly.

So Anthurium care is simple. Put your plants in the proper location and water them properly. Avoid the three deadly mistakes, over-fertilising them, forgetting to water them or allowing water to collect around their root system and your plants will do very well.

If you are looking for an annual bloom, the Gazania is the ideal plant. The care of the Gazania is very simple as it does not involve much of anything other than watering.It is hardy and care is almost non-existent. They take droughty conditions better than most plants, and thrive very well. However the more you water them the bigger the blooms. The plant is often referred to as the African daisy. It is an easy-to-grow bloom, tolerant of sandy, dry and poor soil. Heat and salt air don’t deter the growth of this beautiful bloom also making it ideal for seafront growing.

There is no limit to a visually gorgeous and scented container garden.

“Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul”
Luther Burbank

Contact Louis Micallef at Green Supplier Ltd, Flower & Plants Growers, Mdawra Road, Burmarrad. Enquiries: 2157 1428

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