Plants in pots for someone who has no clue

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I have a gravel area in the back garden that I'd like to put some potted plants on to break it up but I don't know what to plant or how to plant! I apologise to gardeners everywhere.

I need some super low maintenance plants that I can't kill, what fits the bill? And I need help with the whole process. From my limited knowledge, plants seem to come in pots but you need to buy a bigger pot to put them in with drainage holes and then a decorative pot? Does this need holes in it?? And what sort of soil do I put in? And do you put stones/bits of broken pot at the bottom?

Help!

Whatever new pot you put your plants in, it will need to have drainage holes or plants will sit in water and rot.

If you want very low maintenance pots, ask at your local garden centre for recommendations for statement plants for all year interest. For instance, a small acer would have green foliage in the summer and beautiful coloured leaves in autumn. Or maybe an azalea which would have leaves all year round and attractive flowers in spring. Check what kind of soil it needs - azaleas for instance like ericaceous compost.

With a little more effort you could have seasonal pots, e.g. pots with spring bulbs in.

You need drainage holes, and some pebbles or broken crocks in the base.

What kind of soil you use depends on the plants you want to grow. Azaleas, rhododendrons and heathers need ericacous compost (not sure of the spelling).

Other plants, ordinary compost and add some handfuls of blood, bone and fishmeal as a fertilizer.

You can grow pretty much anything you like. I have roses, fuchsias, buddleia, spring bulbs, gladioli, clematis, all in pots of various sizes.

It doesn’t matter what pot you have so long as there are holes in the bottom. Put something like polystyrene lumps, broken bits of terracotta, or stones in the bottom. Fill with compost and some grit mixed in for drainage too. One of the fool proof things to plant is nasturtium seeds. Plant them in May, put the pot in a sunny place and watch them grow. Just water if it looks dry.

I think grey pots look good with any colour flower !

I would advise you read either Gardener's World web artiçles or RHS web articles - they will tell you all you need to start.

The key think is accepting some of your plants may die. Don't spend to much on a single plant or buy something that needs fussy care!

I also would advise a few big containers looks better than lots of little ones.

Basically all you need is:
-pot with holes (bigger the better)
-multi purpose compost
-plant or seeds
-water
-light

Example article: www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/gardening-for-beginners-container-gardening/

You don't need an inner and an outer pot for containers in the garden. That would be the usual arrangement for houseplants, you need an inner pot for drainage and an outer pot to look pretty and (usually) without drainage holes so water doesn't leak onto furniture.

It's too late for spring flowering bulbs which are nice in pots, but lots of garden centres, DIY stores and supermarkets are selling pots of them in flower. You could get some for an instant effect now, they'll die back after flowering but should come back next year. Things like daffodils, grape and regular hyacinth, snowdrops, dwarf iris, fritillary, tulips, bluebells, loads of stuff.

Then there are the summer flowering plants that are available as tubers and bulbs right now. Dahlias are my favourite.

Thanks for the advice!

If you can, buy a couple of larger planters to put largish plants in, for structure. Plants like Hydrangeas, Fatsia Japonica and Cordylines give structure and height. Climbing plants such as clematis, Jasmine and honeysuckle growing up obelisks are happy in pots.
I have loads of pots in my courtyard and grow just about most things, interspersing the permanent plants with annuals grown from seed.
Have you thought about a small water feature, or pond?

Agree you don’t need an inner and outer pot.

You need holes so that when you water it, the excess water runs out onto the ground. If you had an outer pot without holes, your plant would still be sitting in water.

I’d recommend watching a couple of episodes of gardeners world to see what kind of things you like.

My personal recommendation is lavender - it’s evergreen, low maintenance, lovely flowers and the bees love it too.

Hi! I have a Rododendron which has some pests and I don't know what to do to get rid of them. If someone knows what to do I will appreciate. Thanks

'Super low maintenance plants you can't kill' and 'plants in pots' don't really go together I'm afraid. All of the plants suggested on the thread would need regular watering in drier periods and in hot weather, possibly daily.

Plants in the ground can send out roots deeper down into the soil to find water. They can't do that if they are trapped in a pot. If it doesn't rain, their only source of water is the person who imprisoned them there. And that means you.