New to Container Gardening

I am new to container gardening. I just bought several big pots that I want to fill with annuals. I don’t know where to begin. Can you give me a few pointers? 

You may want to start with a basic design and as your experience grows you can become more daring. Look for plants that complement the pot and surrounding landscape. They should all require the same light and moisture conditions. Look for something tall for a vertical accent. This has been traditionally spike but New Zealand Flax (Phormium), fountain grass, taller perennials, and vines on a container size trellis will also work. Now find some fillers. These are medium size plants that provide texture and color around the vertical accent. You may want to select plants that have flowers or foliage with similar color as the container, vertical accent or trailing plants. Repeating color in various parts of the planting help tie it all together. Trailing plants include such things as vinca, deadnettle (Lamium), golden moneywort, sweet potato vine, Dichondra and licorice vine. These help anchor the planting to the container and pull it all together and keep the planting in scale with the pot. Design the planting so its overall mature height will be about twice that of the container. These are just some ideas to help you get started. Gather ideas throughout the year to keep expanding the use and design of container gardens in your landscape. Take pictures or make notes on container plantings you like. You can get great ideas from botanical gardens, magazines and other gardeners.

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