Patios, porches, & pots

[bixaorellana]

Gardeners garden where they can, and will attempt to turn the tiniest patch into a growing space. Even those with large gardens must work with with skinny side yards, service areas and the like.

There are of course existing threads about individual patios, balconies, etc., but this thread is for anyone who wants to ask advice, show solutions, brag about small space achievements, or show off clever pot arrangements.

My own "patio" is essentially nothing but a long driveway from the street to the house. The house faces south, so each side wall contends with a sharp division of shade and sun for half of each day. The area close to the house is open, but a significant part is under an unattractive metal carport.

Looking from the porch to the driveway gates ~

Each wall has its pots and plantings.
This is the east wall, which gets afternoon sun ~

And the west wall, which enjoys the morning sun ~

Exploiting every little nook and cranny ~

A look at the "fake garden" against the driveway gate ~

Some of the hanging pots and the view towards the house from under the carport.
Since the property is entered from the dark, uninviting carport, I want to draw the eye forward to the patio section ~

Well, that is my patio with its pots and problems, but also its pleasures as a work in progress.

Let's see what you all have to contend with & what you have or haven't been able to do about it.

[mickthecactus]

That is quite brilliant but as I know from my own garden the watering can be overwhelming. But it has to be done..,

[bixaorellana]

Too true, Mick!

At this time of year, the problem can be too much rain -- rain I'll be praying for in the baking parts of the year. My big fear, maybe common to many people in this time of no travel, is compulsively accumulating so many plants that the care becomes overwhelming.

But my little green space gives me so much pleasure!

[bjd]

Despite the very many succulents/cactus type plants because of your climate, you have managed to make a green space which is certainly welcoming when you or a visitor arrives. It must be quite a job to water them all but the number of pots probably makes the space look bigger than it is. It must have been dark and depressing when you first moved in!

I say "despite the succulents..." because their spiky leaves and appearance are rather stiff, compared to our more usual local plants. And is that a fig tree in the big pot near the east wall?

[whatagain]

Real nice.
I like it when ine with a bit if imagination and some work transform an utilitarian space that nobody would twice at it into an agreeabke spot.
Proof is the dogs. They kinda seem to like it and are lazy enough to get on the couches...

[bixaorellana]

Thank you, Bjd! It was indeed grim and empty when I moved in. My focus ever since has been to break up that bowling alley aspect of the long narrow space.

As for succulents, I don't see them as stiff. I suspect that most of us who are fans of them love them for their sculptural aspects. In that left corner of the last photo, you can see I was exploiting the various tall, upright, and wavy characteristics of three different plants. Also with succulents, you get to have the whole world in your yard. Except for the Echinocactus grusonii in the lower right of that last picture and one small Agave, all the other succulents visible in that photo are from places like Africa, Madagascar, the Arabian Peninsula, etc.

And yes, that's a fig.

Thanks so much, Whatagain. I know that others here must have some equally unpromising spaces that they have transformed & I'm looking forward to seeing them.

[questa]

I remember when you first moved in and you had 3 layers of pots. My, how your garden has grown! I have some of your plants in my recently transported to the new house collection. All 8 "bogies" survived and have put out good growth but none gave me any colourful bracts this year. Any ideas why and how to get colour next summer?

[bixaorellana]

Bogies = bougainvillea, right?

Questa, the only thing I sort of know about bougainvilleas as potted plants is that they should be pruned in winter. It's a whole different set of rules here, since they're native to this country and will rampantly grow out of control and flower with no human intervention. Anyway, I was curious since the seasons in Australia are opposite to anywhere I've lived, so I looked it up. Browsing through the hits, it seem that pruning in recommended in late autumn or winter. www.nurseriesonline.com.au/gardening-articles/bougainvillea-grow-pots/

I realize you haven't been in the new place very long, but if you could take some pictures now to show the early stages, I'd love to see them. That way we can follow along to see how things develop.

[casimira]

WOW!!! What an amazing green space you have created Bixa. While this should come as no surprise I am always amazed at how you can take the most dreary, downright ugly space and turn it into a paradise.
I see the fig tree you spoke of. Soon it will be busting on out of that pot. (My fig tree is loaded and no one there to pick them as we're not there and the fence is locked to keep people out from stealing whatever they can).
Funny how people associate succulents with being spikey and stiff. Cacti yes but, succulents not so.
I see that the pooches are enjoying the lovely lounge space. 
I could go on and on but I am experiencing garden envy right now as I miss my outdoor potted plants that I can't bring to where we are staying right now save a few. There is no shade whatsoever and so many of my beauties would fry in the direct sun here.
Your space is so inspiring and really boosted my spirits in seeing all that you have done despite being deprived of not having access to all the plants available to you that you would add to it.

[kerouac2]

Of course, I have seen your lovely garden area, Bixa, but now I am left with a question -- you used to have a vehicle, didn't you? Was that before you moved to this address?

[casimira]

Speaking for Bixa, and, I may be wrong but, I think it was before moving to this place.

[bixaorellana]

Casimira, I am more than flattered by your kind words as you are probably my greatest inspiration for pot gardening. Of course most gardeners-with-a-garden keep some pots around for beauty along with those used for starting stuff, etc. But it wasn't until I moved back to Louisiana & saw how you'd deployed pots around the entrance and the side porch of your house that the full glory of what pots could do came home to me.

Jul 4, 2021 17:02:39 GMT casimira said:

I miss my outdoor potted plants that I can't bring to where we are staying right now save a few. There is no shade whatsoever and so many of my beauties would fry in the direct sun here.

That is a bummer about too much sun. Is there any appropriate place for a garden umbrella or sail shade? That way at least you all might enjoy sitting out, plus maybe a few of your babies could migrate over to the interim home.

Jul 4, 2021 17:35:49 GMT kerouac2 said:

you used to have a vehicle

Yes, @9--10 years ago.

[lugg]

Its really lovely Bixa . So much interest and contrast of colours and texture , I can see the pooches love it too. I can quite understand how it gives you so much pleasure .

[casimira]

My penchant for using pots goes back to my childhood. My grandmother and 3 aunts had a large bay window and it had an array of different plants that entranced me. Very Victorian like and not very common in the homes of my youth. I guess that I caught the "bug" from that memory.
After moving to NOLA and most especially after acquiring our house in 1985 I used that front breezeway as a garden"room" of sorts to display plants that enhanced that otherwise barren space.
They always seem to brighten up mundane bare spaces just as you have done Bixa.
I don't have near as many as I once did but I will always use any opportunity I can to pot up plants that look so much better in pots than if they were in the ground (fancy leafed begonias, succulents, small ferns and the like).
Your taking advantage of utilizing that otherwise barren and dreary space and creating another "room" of sorts as an extension of your indoor living space to go out and enjoy makes it an enchanting space to retreat to.
Your sculptures and outdoor garden art is beautifully displayed and enhances it even more.

As for bringing plants over to our current living space would be difficult in that there isn't too much room to put them. I do have a table I brought over and have a few potted plants on it. I bought a large patio umbrella to keep them from burning up. 
The ones that are still there I am going to have to haul into the far back away from the construction site. They'll do fine, I hope.

Thank you for sharing your little slice of paradise with us.

[bixaorellana]

Thank you so much, Lugg. You need to come over and see for yourself!

So kind, Casimira -- thank you.

Also, I love your history and explanation of your penchant for pots. You perfectly describe the many reasons pots are a good choice even when there is enough ground space.

Even though I can bask in compliments all day long, I hope more people will give us word or photo pictures of how and why they have plants in pots, from the skinniest window box to the most expansive terrace.

[mich64]

Your photos show your devotion to each and every pot Bixa, thoughtfully placed, so healthy and lovingly tended to. I love the wall decorations and wind chimes too.

It has become a bit of an addiction for us as well. We started adding pots to our deck around the house last year and this year we added many perennials to the garden beds along with many blooming annuals.

[fumobici]

Your patio is obviously fabulous bixa. Jacki and I go back and forth on containers, I do like the look when it works but I'm not a fan of incessant watering they demand.

[bixaorellana]

Thank you so much, Mich and Fumobici -- your kind words make my potting endeavors even more worthwhile to me!

Jul 6, 2021 1:02:47 GMT mich64 said:

We started adding pots to our deck around the house last year and this year we added many perennials to the garden beds along with many blooming annuals.

I think I forgot to specifically mention decks in the OP, but of course decks are so often a feature of home in Canada & the US.
Mich, I'd love to see your deck & its pots. Have you tried the "add image to post" feature yet?

Jul 6, 2021 2:47:09 GMT fumobici said:

I do like the look when it works but I'm not a fan of incessant watering they demand.

Quite a few of you have mentioned watering as a drawback to gardening in pots. Of course watering is a consideration, but all gardening requires attention and observation. Also, many people gardening in containers have no other garden, so their pots are not extras, but the main feature.
It is good to match your containers to your climate. Where I live, plastic is the way to go. I paint my plastic pots with copper spray paint, which actually contains some copper. That means the pots will mellow to "old penny" color instead of jarring brightness. I imagine people in a wet climate -- and with access to the good clay pots -- might prefer those for their breathability.

A note about decks, heat, & water ~ I try to keep most of my pots elevated, both for esthetic reasons and to keep them cooler during the dry season. This will also help with drainage & with preventing marks on decking.

[mickthecactus]

Great idea about spraying plastic pots!

Small clay pots can actually dry out too quickly so I paint the inside with clear varnish which works well.

[casimira]

Had you not told us about spray painting the plastic pots copper I never would have noticed. Impressive and ingenious.

I like the Italian terra cotta pots. As they age they develop a patina of mossy green that appeals to me.

Certain glazed pots are a favorite as well. Many of the old ones from the 40's (McCoy and others) don't have a drain hole though and it's maddening because if it's a large pot it's a real pain to drain. I usually try to find a plastic pot of the same size to slip into the glazed pot.

[kerouac2]

My clay pots just get those appalling white scales.

[bjd]

I was about to tell Casimira that her terracotta pots get mossy green because of her climate in New Orleans. I have had the same pots for years and they remain the same brown colour as when they started. But "appalling white scales"??

I actually use both plastic and terracotta pots. Plastic ones are much lighter to lift and the water doesn't evaporate so quickly, but I also have some old terracotta ones that I just leave in the same place.

I just scrolled up to look at your plastic pots again, Bixa. Clever idea to paint them.

[bixaorellana]

Thanks for all the positive feedback on the painted pots!

Mick, so true about the smaller clay pots drying out too quickly. Super tip about the varnish.

Casimira, to me the Italian pots are the ideal, but they are hardly ever to be found here.
If you're willing to do it, a hole can be drilled into the bottom of a glazed pot. Ask a friend with a ceramic drill bit to do it for you.

Kerouac, the white scales or crust is caused by mineral salts in the water or from fertilizer. Tip the plant gently out of the pot & put it to one side. Then put the pot(s) in the sink or a plastic tub & either soak them in or spray them with vinegar. Let that set a while to work on the crust, then scour the pot.

Bjd -- such an important point about plastic pots being lighter to lift!

[kerouac2]

The water of Paris is so hard that there is no real solution. I have already had to replace two hot water heaters over the years because they became totally encrusted with calcite inside. And that's about 700 euros per water heater.

[bixaorellana]

Today was Day Three of the big patio cleanup/repotting/rearranging,pruning etc. etc. October is when the rainy season tapers off, so soon it will be dry and baking here. I'm getting rid of one very big plant, which will give some space for other projects. The penultimate chore today was emptying out the compost bin and the last task was washing the dogs so they would be as spiffy as the patio.

I realize that this thread should be about our own patios, porches, and pots, but this video is so lush and inspiring (and yes, OTT) that I thought I'd show it here.

[bixaorellana]

Jul 6, 2021 2:47:09 GMT fumobici said:

Your patio is obviously fabulous bixa. Jacki and I go back and forth on containers, I do like the look when it works but I'm not a fan of incessant watering they demand.

Watering containers is of course problematic. Smaller ones can dry out alarmingly quickly and larger ones can be waterlogged below while appearing bone dry on the surface.

This gardener has a solution. I would have liked to have found a video showing the use of this technique in different settings, i.e., less grand & expansive, but the information is excellent and exciting in the use of containers as part of permanent landscaping ~

[bixaorellana]

I found this video yesterday and loved the very clear explanations and how the gardener's ideas were so adaptable to any number of situations.

Her use of containers in beds made me think of a series of posts bjd made back in December, starting with reply #669 here

The container lady is all about the portability of containers, which I applaud. But many of her ideas illustrated in the video could be made permanent using the bottomless pot idea proposed in reply #25 above.

[bjd]

That's a "middle-size garden"??

Funnily enough, the other day at the nursery I saw a really nice large blue pot and thought I would put it in the flower bed.

[casimira]

Feb 7, 2022 19:21:14 GMT bjd said:

Funnily enough, the other day at the nursery I saw a really nice large blue pot and thought I would put it in the flower bed.

I hope you purchased it BJD.

I cannot begin to tell you how much of these videos are so "up my alley".
Even with a super huge amount of ground to plant, I have always made room for pots to further enhance the overall visual effect of how the garden is featured. 
To have the option of viewing one's garden from different angles and be able to draw one's eye to a plant that otherwise may be overlooked if planted in the ground can make such a huge difference. It also allows one to combine plants together in a space where they can be highlighted in a way that would otherwise not be seen if planted solo.
Combining texture, color, height are all possibilities.

[bjd]

Not yet, Casi.

Actually, after looking at that video, there were others advertised on youtube. One I really like is called GardenAnswer -- a young woman in Oregon who is enthusiastic and gives lots of good ideas. I have watched a couple of her videos in the past two days. One on makeovers of narrow gardens gave me lots of ideas.