One of the great benefits of growing plants in containers is that you can move them around. As one plant finishes flowering another container with fresh blooms can be moved forward in exchange. Obviously this is not possible with built-in containers which will be on show all the time. To see twelve ways that people have chosen to fill their planters read this article by Lauren Dunec Hoang which I found on the Houzz website.
Built-in planters are hardworking garden elements, often doubling as the backs of bench seats, acting as retaining walls for slopes or providing planting space on roof decks and terraces. However, it can be a bit tricky to figure out which plants will grow well and look good in what are effectively giant containers. If you?re looking for inspiration for your built-in planter, take a look at these 12 planting styles in gardens ranging from contemporary to traditional.1. Contemporary. To give a more modern look to built-in container plantings, you can limit the color palette and plant forms. For example, consider this rooftop planting in Sydney. You?ll notice that all the plants ? save the olive tree in the large wooden planter ? are low-growing, emerald green ground covers, with the only height variation coming from the planters. This restraint in color and height brings a modern edge to the design and focuses all the attention on the plants? textures. The soft, moss-like carpet of zoysia grass under the olive tree looks almost irresistible to touch.2. Carefree. Including plants with loose forms, like billowing grasses and vines, in built-in planters creates a more carefree feel. This roof deck in Notting Hill, West London, has a laid-back, almost Mediterranean mood thanks to built-in planters filled with swaying ?Karl Foerster? feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ?Karl Foerster?), rosemary and echeveria, and ivy and fragrant confederate jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) covering the back wall.
While they may look like miniature trees at first glance, the two lollipop-shaped plants are mature grapevines (Vitis vinifera) trained into upright forms. In summer, the vines produce sweet dessert grapes, which can be easily plucked to enjoy on the terrace.3. Evergreen. On this Manhattan rooftop terrace, boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) planted in a built-in planter behind benches forms a neat and tidy green backdrop. Evergreens offer the advantages of providing year-round structure in built-in planters ? saving time on replanting annual flowers or tender perennials ? and generally not needing much maintenance.
See more at Houzz
Feature photo: Exteriorscapes LLc
