Container moods

Containers are brilliantly versatile, and you can use them to create whatever mood you want in your garden – whether it's lushly tropical, or funky and stylish. Here's how:

Container colour: Paint raised garden boxes or wooden containers – both available in our garden centre – to create quirky colour-themed container gardens. Oil-based stains are low-key and tasteful; or try waterproof marine paints in vibrant colours. Echo stem or flower colours for a really striking effect.

Plant style: For the jungly look, pick big plants with lush-looking leaves: phormiums, hardy gingers and bamboos all thrive in large containers. For container cottage gardens, plant small-flowered geraniums at the feet of container-grown apple trees. Architectural palms, bamboos and echeverias create a minimalist, clean look. All are available, plus many more, in our garden centre.

Mood management: Clashing colours on opposite sides of the colour wheel such as purple and yellow create vibrant, exciting moods, as do hot colours: red salvias, yellow chrysanthemums and orange daylilies, for example. Harmonious colours – blues, purples, reds – are soothing and calming: pastel shades and white also turn the pressure right down.

Please ask the staff in our garden centre in Enniskerry for more information and advice about creating containers for special effects in your garden.