Space-Challenged Gardens

For an ultimate container garden, plant flowers in either ordinary plastic, functional terra-cotta or decorative relief pots. First, to keep the soil from running out of the bottom when watering, place gravel, pot shards or even a nylon stocking in the bottom of the pot. Then mix a slow release fertilizer into your soil, such as Oscomote, before filling the pot. Plant the tallest plant in the center with cascading plants around the edges. A great cascade is lobelia since it stays in bloom for a long time. Last tip to keep the heavier, deeper pots light is to fill the bottom of the pot with packing peanuts (half way to the top) and then fill it to the rim with soil.