Tuesday, October 1, 2013

How to Choose & Site Pots in the Landscape

300 acres, 3 'mostly' matching pots totaling 3 centuries of age and no pots placed on the property, yet.  
(Does the pot, below, tell you, "Touch me."?  If it does it means you are an old soul & kindred spirit.)


Pots must be so wonderful they can remain empty, if desired.  Here, they needed to match the history of the home & be within a certain size range.


Perfect, above, they do not draw attention to themselves.  And still allow seating on the low stone-capped columns.


2 men/pot setting them in place.  My general contractor said, as the pot, above, went up, "...That's a ballsy spot."  As if he earned a response.


3 years getting to this layer, placing pots.  Best part?  Looks like they've always been there.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
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Pics taken at jobsite last month.  Found the pots, plus several more, at Scott Antique Market a couple of months ago.
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Did you pick up on the major component of getting the right pot in the right spot in your landscape?  Something few are good at, patience.
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Knowing to choose pots that can remain empty is such an important 'discovery'  I claim it as one of my inventions.  If you think through the carbon footprint of 'annuals & potting soil & fertilizer' for container plantings along with your time & money you'll understand beautiful empty pots.
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Of course planting sublime pots is a layer of fun in the right season of a busy life.

5 comments:

Kathy said...

Wonderful pots, beautiful home! The age of the home?

Tara Dillard said...

This farmhouse is ca. 1900
xot

Nita Stacy said...

Many of the houses in my neighborhood have perfect spots for pots just like this! And many of those spots go unpotted! My own three brick pedestals went un potted till I moved in and one of my first things to do was purchase large cement fruit filled urns to go on them. I wanted huge ones. I could have done big cement pots but was afraid I would struggle to keep them full of the right vegetation year round...so I went for the urns. I bought new and they looked to clean...so I dirtied them up at first by rubbing mud all over them. It's now been 8 years since they were put in place and they have weathered beautifully. A hail storm a few years ago...helped to pit their surface just right. Now they look like they've been there for many years.

But...I can't seem to get other neighbors to realize the importance of pitted cement pots on either side of their stairs. I even told my next door neighbor where to find some. I spotted a pair at a local garden center. I came home one day to find they'd bought small green shiny ceramic pots for the space.

I said..."I see you bought pots."

They said. "we went to see the ones you told us about but they were so big and plain. Don't you think these small green ones are perfect?"

I wanted to scream...."no! they are totally wrong! I told you where to get the perfect ones! Why didn't you listen!"

I told myself not to worry too much...that when they moved...surely the next owners would see their error and buy something els. For gosh sakes...they only weigh about 5 pounds each whereas mine weigh like 80 each.

Now...two owners later...those damn little shiny green pots still sit there on either side of the steps. New owners moved in a week ago and they promptly planted sad little mums in them.

My mistake...I should have gone over and smashed them the day the old owner moved out. Next time that house sells...I will. I'll take them in the middle of the night and smash them so hopefully the next owners will think something else should go in the spot.

Carol said...

Those old pots are fantastic. I will use your philosophy from now on when selecting pots for my home.

Merlin said...

Have you ever done the "aging" buttermilk/moss thing?? franki