Modern architecture demands the surrounding landscape to suit its vertical lines and size, something that traditional gardening may have a hard time achieving. Large containers are now more and more popular for landscape management with landscape designers, because they are convenient, modern, elegant, and they have a stunning effect on the surroundings if complemented by clever choices of plants.
Using Large Containers for Great Effects
Landscaping projects are often daunting, because they demand the garden space to somehow fit or complement the buildings found in the immediate proximity. Here are a few ideas about how to use large containers in order to obtain outstanding effects:
- Group more planters in the same place to soften the harsh edges of a building, and to give it a more natural touch.
- Use singular large pots to mark corners of architectural spaces, in order to give them weight and definition.
- Focal points can be created by placing large pots filled with colourful plants in strategic places that naturally steal the eye.
- Large planters are also a good idea when you want to add an organic element to a space that looks too barren, such as straight, unembellished walls.
- Another great idea to help you with your landscape project is to create boundaries to garden spaces, by surrounding them with large planters.
How Large, How Tall
Certain rules must be obeyed in order to create the desired effects. For instance, large pots work great with spilling plants, but there are other designs with their own demands. The rule of thirds, as specialists call it, implies that one third of the height should be reserved to the pot and the other two thirds to the plant itself; the rule can also be applied vice versa, with the pot being taller and occupying two thirds of the height, and the plant occupying the remaining one third.
It is very important that the entire ensemble looks as good as you can make it look. While large containers have many benefits, even from a design point of view, you need to keep in mind that they are not so easy to manipulate and move around, which is why it is important to have a plan drawn out before you start working.
Materials
Whenever large containers are involved, a talk on materials is needed. There are many landscapers that prefer modern materials that mimic the appearance of heavier materials. Fiberglass, for instance, is a malleable, versatile material that serves great for creating large garden pots. Large planters made of fiberglass are lightweight and are not pretentious as far as maintenance is concerned.
Glazed clay, terracotta, metal, wood, granite, and light cement are other types of materials that are often employed by large landscaping projects. However, you need to keep your budget in mind, as well as how heavy they will be, once they will be filled with soil and plants. Some materials, like clay and terracotta are more prone to breakage and chipping, and they may be more difficult to look after, while metal and light concrete are more durable.