Pots: Bloom Gardener's Guide: Fill your containers with plants, tend to their needs, watch them flourish

by Harriet Rycroft

A beautiful and comprehensive handbook covering everything you need to know to grow plants in pots all year round, no matter how small or large your space.

Pots includes top tips on how to plan and prepare your containers , a directory of plants to dip into, and pro advice on achieving year-round interest and structure. The guide also includes winning combinations of flowers, foliage, and bulbs , and plenty of information on caring for your display so it lasts from season to season.

Gardening in containers is versatile, exciting, and rewarding for both you and the wildlife around you, so whether your plot is a courtyard, balcony, patio, or simply a window box, Pots can inspire you to transform it with vibrant planting.

This title is from the  Bloom Gardener's Guide  series, complete and comprehensive gardening handbooks. Bloom is an  award-winning independent print magazine  for gardeners, plant admirers, nature lovers, and outdoor adventurers, and winner of the Garden Publication of the Year at the Garden Media Awards 2021. Other titles in this series include Cut Flowers and Shade.

160 pages, Paperback

Published October 4, 2022

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great little book! We've just moved to a house with a very compact, paved garden. So pots are probably the best way forward for me. Most books about container gardening are more about planting up pots as a sideline. They feature arrangements of tender plants and bulbs as apposed to more permanent planting focused on shrubs and perennials. Harriet Ryecroft, writing from her own experience, says basically anything is possible and encourages you to have a go. She doesn't limit her approach by listing a set of rules, which is refreshing. The colour illustrations throughout are photographed from her own garden. There is a chapter which lists plants as a starting point rather than a comprehensive guide. She includes a key which indicates the hardiness or preferred outlook for each variety and highlights those that are good for pollinators. I found the latter particularly useful as a starting point as I am keen to cultivate a wildlife friendly container garden. Having downsized from a larger plot, I transplanted a lot of perennials and a large potted shrub that I couldn't bear to part with when we moved. So I was really looking for some guidance about how to nurture these old friends rehoused in containers before I started to add to my collection. This book provides the perfect starting point. Coincidentally, the author and her garden were recently featured on an episode BBC Gardeners World, which has only increased my confidence further.

[Sharondblk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a rather large balcony, and over the last couple of years I have started growing plants, both on the balcony and in the house. I have some idea how to look after them, but when I saw Pots by Harriet Rycrofy was available on NetGalley I requested it very quickly.

Harriet is English, but the advice she gives in this book is universal. She has a sensible, calm, down-to-earth approach that is both comforting and informative. There are things I've never though about, like grouping plants, as well as advice on plant care, planning and the dreaded re-potting. This book is filled with inspiring photos, while being realistic about what is achievable. Highly recommend..

This book actually made me look properly at my garden, and I'm really proud of what I've achieved, even if it is a little haphazard.
The book inspired me to plant a bay tree, and I've been wanting to grow my own sage for a while. I've just come back from Bunnings (the "garden centre"), so I'll be off to add my new additions to my little balcony garden.

[Leyla Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

With our garden space getting a lot smaller and many people renting, a pot garden is a great way to indulge ones love for plants. Ms Rycroft explains all the requirement for plants and joys of growing in pots. Also how to move your plants through the day/year to get the best benefits from a pot garden. From bulbs, perennials, bushes, trees and flowers all in a series of pots that will change your vista from day to day.
Great photos, very useful information and very easy to read.
Thanks you NetGalley and the publishers for the DRC

[Kelly Paradis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I'm a beginner gardener, so I was really soaking up all the handy advice in here. When I picked it up, I didn't realize that it was only for growing plants outside, and also that it would primarily focus on gardening in the UK. Where I live we are definitely not going to be growing anything outside that will bloom for Christmas. But the photos were lovely, I appreciated the details on all the different types of plants and their needs, and the practical suggestions for setting up a garden no matter what space you have. Highly recommend to other beginner gardeners.