As summer approaches, it’s a great time to add some beautiful terra cotta or concrete landscaping pots and planters to your Main Line Philadelphia patio or front porch. With so many colorful, exquisite garden plant containers and pots – how do you make a decision about size, style, and material? Is it simply a matter of personal preference, or is it necessary to hire a Philadelphia landscape designer? Here are a few things to consider in making a good selection of landscape pots, containers and planters for your Ardmore, Bala Cynwyd, Berwyn, Bryn Mawr, Devon, Daylesford, Gladwyne, or Philadelphia garden.

Matching Plants and Planters
With the wide array of lovely plant containers to choose from, resist the temptation to select containers based on style and color. In order to create an environment in which your cherished plants will grow to healthy maturity, consider the plant’s needs when choosing a planter, by asking the following questions:

• What types of plants do you plan to put in planters?
• How large will the plants be at maturity?
• Can the plants survive in dry conditions, (since planters dry out quickly)?
• Will the container be larger enough for the root ball as it grows?

Matching Plants to Your Climate
Our Main Line Philadelphia, Pennsylvania climate is not as temperate as some of the plant zones found in the eastern United States. When we use containers for planting, it is likely we will have to switch out plants during the year, or move planters to a warmer location during the winter months at Ardmore, Bala Cynwyd, Berwyn, Bryn Mawr, Devon, Daylesford, Gladwyne, and Philadelphia homes. When selecting plants, consider the following: How fast does the plant grow, and what size will it be at maturity? Is it a plant that you will be moving during cooler months? Some of the possibilities include the following:

• Spring Planting: Bulbs, early flowering shrubs
• Summer Planting: Annuals
• Fall Planting: Fall blooming plants and berries
• Winter Planting: Evergreens

What Container Material is Best?
All pots, containers and planters dry out faster than soil in the garden. Certain locations within the garden or around the house will dry out more quickly, such as sunny locations. Full sun requires a non porous pot. By the way, be sure to water daily during the summer or make sure you use a container with a drip tray or reservoir, so that it can be filled from the bottom and soak up water as needed.

• Terra cotta containers are traditional in appearance, but porous and dry out quickly.
• Stone and concrete containers maintain soil temperature and moisture well. They can be left out over the winter, but not a good choice if the planter needs to be moved.
• Synthetic resin pots stay cooler and retain moisture longer.

Making the right planter choice, and matching the plant to the planter may be a challenging task.  There are advantages to planting herbs, vegetables and flowers in planters to reduce the need to weed, or for more flexibility. Use landscaping pots and planters to create a focal point, decorate an entrance area, or create an edge in the landscape or patio area for your Ardmore, Bala Cynwyd, Berwyn, Bryn Mawr, Devon, Daylesford, Gladwyne, or Main Line Philadelphia home.

Aardweg Landscaping offers a full range of landscape design, installation and maintenance services to ensure the beauty and permanence of your landscaped property and gardens throughout the year.  As a full-service landscape design and installation company, Aardweg Landscaping has the creative garden design expertise, Pennsylvania plant knowledge, and superior craftsmanship Main Line homeowners are seeking in a professional landscape design company. For landscape design and installation — contact Aardweg Landscaping today at 610.355.0703.

Images via 1) j_peterson63 2) j_peterson63 3) Valerie Everett 4) Landscapes by Henry