Container Gardening Made Easy: year-round planting tips

Living in rented accommodation with limited outdoor space, I have come to rely on container gardening over the years and in doing so, I have fallen in love with how it allows me to create several ‘mini gardens’ each with its own charm.

Sep 02, 2025

2 mins

Photography courtesy of Claudia de Yong Designs

Over time, I’ve learned which plants thrive, which ones struggle, and how to maintain a continuous display of colour throughout the seasons.

It might seem counterintuitive in a small space, but larger pots are your best ally.

In small spaces, large pots create instant impact, elevating plants to eye level adding vertical interest. Floral grandeur is achieved at hip height immediately, drawing the eye upward making the space feel fuller and more intentional.

Larger pots hold more compost meaning they retain moisture for longer (great as this means less watering) and they provide more room for roots to spread and plants to flourish.

Large containers also offer greater flexibility – you can combine several different perennials in one pot, creating dynamic seasonal displays.

Using two beautiful Zinc Planters from Agriframes – the circular Classic Hooped and the Square Regency, I’ve planted a selection of perennials to demonstrate how just a few well-chosen plants can deliver vibrant, long-lasting colour from summer right though to autumn.

Step ONE:

Prepare your Zinc Planter ready to create your display.

While it would be easy to plant a single evergreen shrub such as Buxus or Bay for example, in each of these containers and call it done, I want to show you a more rewarding approach – one that supports biodiversity and fills the smallest spaces with nectar-rich perennials that benefit pollinators and create a dynamic, living mini garden.

One of the joys of container gardening is how adaptable it is. If a plant isn’t thriving or past it’s best, it’s easy to lift out and replace with something fresh.

You can experiment freely, switch things up seasonally, tuck in bulbs for Spring, and add a few annuals for extra colour bursts.

In large pots you can place a smaller inner container raised on bricks or upside-down pots inside the outer one. This reduces the need for large amounts of soil making it easier, lighter and more manageable.

STEP TWO:

To avoid having to fill a very large container with lots of compost, find a smaller inner plastic pot, raise it with bricks or an upside down pot - put some crocks at the bottom and fill this with soil.

Place the potted plant in the soil in it's pot to get an idea of depth needed for planting.

step three:

Now you have the exact depth for planting - remove the plant from it's nursery pot and tease the roots out at bottom before planting.

Lay out all plants and play around with height and form to find the best way of planting the container.

For renters especially, by having containers which can come with you when you move, make it easy to take your garden with you. It’s a way to create a sense of home and place even in a temporary setting.

step FOUR:

Enjoy the beautiful display you have created.

Garden Container Tips:

1. Choose the right container - Big is essential for scale and ease of care. Large pots are more resistant to storms and drying out whilst small pots need constant watering and feeding. Make sure any pots you use are frost resistant.

2. Let it flow - Drainage is essential in pots as you don’t want plants to become waterlogged or they will rot. Add broken terracotta pots, roof slate, pea shingle or torn bits polystyrene in the base of pots to help with drainage.

3. Layer for Success - Layering height within a pot is essential – choose colours that go together, use taller plants at the back of the container. Plant up with different form and structure for added interest. Bulbs can also be planted for Spring colour when perennials have died down.

4. Lift it up - Use pot feet on the base of pots especially terracotta to allow for crucial air flow, proper drainage and prevent constant wicking of ground
moisture. Pot feet really help the longevity of pots & these Agriframes post are perfect as they come with pot feet already attached ensuring proper drainage and air circulation without any extra effort.

5. Plant with the Seasons - Plant pots according to the seasons using Peat Free Compost (Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter) and don’t exclude edibles or herbs- Don’t exclude climbing plants or those that trail and in the Winter months you can add shrubs with berries and even ornamental Kale for great effect.

6. Create mini gardens - Don’t just plant a single specimen unless that’s the look you want to go for – by planting different varieties you are creating so much for pollinators and biodiversity. Add annuals when needed and don’t be afraid to experiment.

7. Place before you fill - Once filled large pots are heavy and difficult to move so make sure you are happy with the position before planting.

8. Maintenance Tips - Deadhead regularly, prune any leggy growth and water well after planting. Mix slow-release fertiliser into the compost at planting time and apply liquid feed every 2–4 weeks during the growing season.