The traditional flower pot,with sides that slopeoutwards slightly, has been used in gardens since the Roman times. Until recently, this type of pot was always made out of terracotta, a once-fired, porous, red clay, which is very attractive but can crack and flake with weathering in very cold temperatures. Sometimes, elements are added to the clay before it is fired to make it frost- proof. If you live in a cold area where frosts are likely, make sure that the terracotta you buy has been treated in this way.
Decorative, glazed ceramic pots, often from the Far East, Italy, and Spain, are now widely available. They come in a beautiful range of colours, but tend to be even less frost-proof, as glaze can easily crack. However, many are frost-resistant so always check before you buy.
As terracotta is a highlyporous material, it absorbs a lot of moisture from the potting mixture; the moisture then evaporates into the air. Because of this, plants in terracotta pots require more frequent watering than plants in plastic pots. It is also advisable to soak terracotta pots thoroughly before planting them up, as it is essential that new plants have a plentiful supply of water to start them off.
Patina of Age
Over the last thirty years, plastic pots have become widely used. They are cheaper than terracotta, frost-proof and, because they are not porous, absorb less moisture from the soil. But this means that they do not take on a patina of age, and it is this patina which, I think, makes terracotta pots so beautiful and so much more interesting to plant up. If I use terracotta, Iusually paint the outside of the pot with a coat of live yoghurt to speed up the weathering process. Placed in a shady position, it soon becomes covered with moss; if it is in a sunny spot, grey-white patches develop. Pots made of stone or reconstituted stone can also be weathered in this way.
For a change from the traditional colour of terracotta, which tends to be on the harsh side, you can give pots a colour- wash (LEFT), by applying a wash of dilute, water-based paint. I find that the blue-green colours and terracotta-pinks are the most effective — try to avoid yellows as they do not work as well as the other colours.
Pot Collection
Small pots can often make more of an impact on a terrace or patio if they are arranged in a group. They also look stunning on an old wire-work plant stand They need not be exactly the same design or size. Indeed, the grouping usually looks more effective if it consists of different-sized and shaped pots. You can also have fun mixing and maiching the different materials from which they are made. Stone, reconstituted stone, and terracotta all look fine side-by-side. More unusual is a mixture of glazed, ceramic pots, well-designed plastic, or fibreglass containers in sympathetic colours, and metal pots with subtle sheens; they can also complement each other, giving a sophisticated look.
I find that pots are also useful in herbaceous borders. Filled with flowering plants or colourful foliage, pots can add interest to a patch that lacks colour at a particular time of year. They can also help to introduce a little height to an area with low- growing plants or a newly planted plot.
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