May 2008

When placing statuary and large containers,
less is more

From Buddhas to bottle trees, and cauldrons to coffee pots, statuary and container plantings can add weight and yearlong interest in a garden. And as Americans’ interest in gardening has grown, so has the variety of available ornaments.

But between your must-have finds from home centers, galleries and flea markets, and the pieces people give you as gifts, it can be easy to over-accessorize.

“The important thing when you are adding statuary, pottery or art is to be sure it fits in the garden,” said horticulturist Mark Viette. “It has to be soothing and calming.”

So sometimes less is more.

“With lots of things in one area, your eye doesn’t know where to look.” Viette said. “You really want to have one main focal point.”

Contain the cost of container plantings

Larger concrete and metal garden containers tend to be substantial enough that they don’t freeze and crack during the winter. “On the other hand, you can’t move them” once they are filled, Viette noted. So be sure you’ve picked the right spot before you get out the potting soil.

“You might have one at this corner and one at this corner,” but that’s probably enough, he said. “In fact, the only time I put more than one container close together is when they’re the same color.”

Put gravel in the very bottom, and if the container is large, put an upside-down plastic pot from a nursery or several empty plastic soda bottles in next.

Your plants might need only a foot or so of soil, Viette said, “and you really don’t want to fill that whole container with an expensive potting mix.”

Line metal containers with plastic, and put holes in the bottom of both the plastic and the container. That will allow for drainage and protect the metal from corroding effects of fertilizer. Keep in mind that some metals, like cast iron, cannot be drilled.

When refreshing container plants each year, remove or cut back old foliage, then take out about the top 12 inches of soil and replace it with fresh soil.

Mark Viette appears on “Down Home Virginia,” Virginia Farm Bureau’s monthly television program. Viette and his father operate the Andre Viette Farm and Nursery in Augusta County and have a live radio show broadcast by more than 60 mid-Atlantic stations each Saturday morning. They also are members of the Augusta County Farm Bureau. Andre Viette currently serves on the organization’s board of directors, and Mark Viette is a former board member.

Find the station nearest you that airs “Down Home Virginia”. Or view the show online.