New Jersey garden designer and educator Laura Janney works from the premise that plants bring happiness. Through her design studio, The Inspired Garden, she helps homeowners determine their preferred garden style, then draws up a plan that will create true joy.
Containers factor significantly into her work, with clients requesting pots and planters that are colorful and dramatic, especially by the front door.
"Clients who approach me for container designs want to create a welcoming entrance and enhance curb appeal, making their home feel inviting right from the first glance," she says, adding that they also want the plants to persist with minimal input and to avoid damage from New Jersey's ubiquitous deer. Keeping these main criteria in mind, Laura sources seasonal plants and creates dynamic compositions. While container designs will always vary a bit to match the home's style and the client's color preferences, she adheres to some principles and plants that have proven themselves invaluable.
STARTING POINTS
Laura points out that an outstanding container design really starts with the container itself.
"When selecting containers, I prefer ones that are circular at the top with a 15-inch diameter," she says. "This size is ideal because it's large enough to make an impact but not so large that it overwhelms the individual beauty of the flowers." She also points out the benefits of taller containers. These really highlight the plants, and in the larger view they add height and save space.
For the actual design, Laura recommends aiming for a balance of color, height and texture-but she believes there's one key to a perfect design.
This story is from the July - August 2024 edition of Horticulture.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July - August 2024 edition of Horticulture.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
WEEDING OUT WORRY
Two books give perspectives on gardening's importance to mental health
Prized Perennials
GAPS IN THE GARDEN? TRY ONE OF THESE AWARD-WINNING PLANTS AS A SAFE-BET FIX
A TOAST TO CORK
A trip to Portugal inspired Greg Coppa to peel back the botany of the cork oak
THE GARDEN CENTER'S GRIP
SOMETHING WEIRD HAPPENS when gardeners enter a garden center. We change. Suddenly, somehow, we're overcome with this vague yet powerful, transcendental feeling of liberation, and we become aware of money we probably have and hopefully won't otherwise need.
OUTSIDE OF THE BOX
AS BOXWOOD BLIGHT DAMAGES THIS STAPLE EVERGREEN, IT'S TIME TO LOOK AT WORTHY ALTERNATIVES
NEW MOUNDING ANNUALS
Also known as summer snapdragons, angelonias produce spikes of outward-facing flowers throughout the hottest, most humid time of the year.
AN ANNUAL AFFAIR
Combine a designer's best advice with the year's new varieties for a summer's worth of showstopping containers
A Big Role for SMALL GRASSES
The unexpected benefits of small native grasses
GOLDENSEAL
A woodland herb worth guarding
RICHARD HAWKE
Try and try again