Container moods

Containers are brilliantly versatile, and you can use them to create whatever mood you want in your garden– whether it's lushly tropical, or funky and stylish. Here's how:

Container colour: Paint raised garden boxes or wooden containers to create quirky colour-themed container gardens. Oil-based stains are low-key and tasteful; or try waterproof marine paints in vibrant colours. Echo stem or flower colours for a really striking effect.

Plant style: For the jungly look, pick big plants with lush-looking leaves: phormiums, hardy gingers and bamboos all thrive in large containers. For container cottage gardens, plant small-flowered geraniums at the feet of container-grown apple trees. Architectural palms, bamboos and echeverias create a minimalist, clean look. All are available, plus many more, in our garden centre.

Mood management: Clashing colours on opposite sides of the colour wheel such as purple and yellow create vibrant, exciting moods, as do hot colours: red salvias, yellow chrysanthemums and orange daylilies, for example. Harmonious colours – blues, purples, reds – are soothing and calming: pastel shades and white also turn the pressure right down.

Please ask a member of the Lakeside team for more information and advice about creating containers for special effects in your garden.