Until I saw this elegant display of poppies at Great Dixter, it never occurred to me to grow them in pots. I’ve gotten obsessed with the pot idea for several reasons. Mainly, I’m not very good at direct seeding. Instead of big glowing swaths I only get a smattering here and there. It occurred to me that sowing them in pots would solve the problem. If any of you can relate, read on.

Putting the garden to bed for the winter is no day at the beach. And what do you do with the motley assortment of leftover plants that don’t fit anywhere? Here are some ways you can recycle them.

Many of you know about my yearly sojourns to visit family in Vietnam. Every time I go, I discover something new - what caught my attention this time were the sumptuous assortment of containers.

Stuck in the house, winter travels shelved. But no worries, I’ve added a good dose of the tropics to my indoor plant collection. Bring on the bromeliads.

Don't you hate waiting for plants to get big? Practicing patience in pots helps. By that I mean container gardening - and I'm not just talking about the ornamental factor. In my efforts to have what I want, I've discovered more practical uses for stashing plants in pots. Read on to find out what they are.

Who wants to look at this all winter?  Unfortunately, outdoor urns and pots that aren't frostproof have to be covered to prevent freezing and cracking. What can you do? Take a look at what I did with a bunch of greens, a bit of wire, some bungee cords and an old tomato cage.

Don't give up on your containers at the end of the summer!  Add shrubs that will provide interesting shape, color and texture to keep you entertained well into winter.

Keeping up with the care of annual containers is a big job. Personally, I can never keep up with them - all that deadheading, feeding and fussing makes me nuts.  Want to try something easier? Plant perennials instead - find out how to put sizzling combinations together that look great past labor day. 

If you don’t have enough of your own evergreens to pick from, buying them for holiday decorating can get pricey. Maybe it doesn't all need to be greenery! Read on for some ideas that might help you. 

Getting orchids to rebloom has always been a hit or miss proposition for me. Read about a method worth trying in this weeks post.