Garden design, garden planning, garden layout, planting plants and planting schemes

Gardening with planters

Posted on March 12th, 2010

Gardening with planters is a very enjoyable, easy and rewarding way to achieve great results and real impact in the garden. How to get the best results? Some simple rules apply and a little planning is all that is required to achieve stunning results.Gardening with planters and containers is very popular and a particularly favourite way to grow seasonal bedding plants, but containers are also a very useful and practical means for growing shrubs, trees, fruit, herbs and even vegetables.

Frequently container gardening is all about adding a splash of colour to give an extra wow affect, other times containers can be used very effectively to brighten a dull corner, obscure an unwanted view, frame an entrance and in the case of small areas to provide planting opportunities where traditional methods of planting in prepared ground is not possible (hard surface areas).

Whether we wish to decorate indoors or outdoors, at home or at the office, at the entrance or on the patio, on the rooftop or on the balcony and even tricky areas like steps, the scope for gardening with containers is practically endless. Choose planters wisely, probably most will be used in outdoor situations, we must remember to choose containers that are frost proof, which allows surplus water and rain to drain away and not drown plants. Some planters have an inbuilt irrigation means of providing water to the plants when needed, this labour and time saving feature is increasingly becoming very popular. For larger planters, it might be worth considering mobile stands or other means of easily moving the planter around the patio area?

When it comes to size, size matters, so better to think BIG. Larger planters are more flexible because they allow the plants to develop better, look better and ultimately achieve a more balanced and appealing mature appearance. They are also usually require (because of greater capacity and less likely to ‘dry out‘) less watering than smaller pots and how often do we see stressed plants ’potbound’ because they have simply become too big and outgrown the container? Larger planters widen the choice of plants from which to choose, allow us to plant up more plants and achieve more impressive results with interesting combinations.

There is a wide selection of planters now available in a range of sizes, shapes, finishes, colours and materials. So whether the preferred style is cottage gardening or post-modern, planters can bring interest and have real impact in our efforts to enhance the indoor/outdoor areas of our living/working garden environments.

Planting Garden Planters for instant pleasure

Posted on July 3rd, 2009

Using the innovative modular patented Deroma ‘Repeat’ Planters with carefully selected Specimen Plants provides not only a superb visual and fragrant treat but an instant and practical solution to achieving impact in the garden and patio areas featuring specimen and architectural plant stock.

The modular design of the Deroma ‘Repeat’ Planters makes them the obvious choice for an instant but imaginative and flexible choice for spatial definition, and featuring a clever internal automatic means of irrigating the plant rootball there is no more need need to worry and inconvenience of  regular watering of plants. Deroma ‘Repeat’ takes care of this, allowing you more time to relax and enjoy the views.

The featured installation demonstrates clearly the versatility of using the Deroma ‘Repeat’ planters in gardens and with some thoughful consideration of plant selections, superb compositions are within easy reach for instant pleasure.

 Deroma ‘Repeat’ range comprises of four unique planter types, the Rosenpot (Large individual planter) and the modular units, vase, corner and trough. All available from our showrooms: GARDENSTUDIO, in Terenure, Dublin 6W.

Planter gardening

Posted on June 25th, 2009

Here are a few photographic examples from a recent project in which the client required an instant but attractive garden featuring subtle tones. The task was to design  a planting scheme using a Planter layout which would provide some screening of patio areas but also good access and visibility to lawn and wider garden areas. 

Here we feature a range of specimen plants in an eye catching arrangement whilst exploiting the unique modular design features of the Deroma Repeat Planter range. 

The Deroma Repeat series is available from GARDENSTUDIO, Terenure, Dublin 6W. For more details: info@owenchubblandscapers.com

BLOOM 2009 – a blooming success

Posted on June 1st, 2009

This years’ event the third in succession is certain to exceed all expectations. The weather has been magnificent and the paying public have come in droves. On Sunday alone the attendance figures were in excess of 18,000 and by the end of the show on Monday in excess of 60,00 visitors will have attended. 

As one of many particpating exhibitors, BLOOM 2009 has proved to have been an enormously successful event, and visitor interest in garden products contrasting starkly to some pre-event concerns that the current economic conditions and recessionary fears would have a significant dampening effect. Not so, the level of interest and purchases made by visitors at BLOOM 2009 was simply overwhelming and dispelled any evidence of recession.

We featured a cross selection of products from our GARDENSTUDIO and all proving very popular. Not surprising, there was great interest in our Victorian Summerhouses, TITAN stainless steel water features and of course our range of ORB Swing seats.

From the moment doors opened at 10.00am right throughout the day to closing time at 6.00pm, there was a consistent heavy traffic of visitors to our stand effectively resulting in opportunities for any break to be few and far. This has been very much the case since the show started last Thursday! Monday is the final day it will no doubt be as busy as previous days and one could be confident that it might in fact be the busiest of all days.

Although the fine almost Mediterranean type weather has been a contributory factor in the success of this years’ event, there is no doubt that the organisers and exhibitors have also made great efforts to make this year’s show better than ever. Ultimately great thanks and acknowledgement must be made to the paying public who once again  demonstrated clearly in their tens of thousands that under the right circumstances taht there is considerable demand and interest in gardening and that over the last few days at least there was little evidence of any recessionary gloom.

Here are some photos of our product exhibits taken just before show opened on Sunday. I would also like to congratulate Eddie O’Brien, the Entrepeneur and inventor of  The Hangout Gazebo Clothesline (as featured on RTE’s Dragons Den) who co-exhibited on our stand with great success. The Hangout is an outstanding example of Irish enterprise and innovation and was hugely popular with visitors to BLOOM 2009.  Not surprising when you consider some of the Hangout’s product attributes including energy and cost savings, environmental friendly, multifunctional all weather clothesline which is also a useful garden centrepiece and ideal for a variety of garden entertainment activities. Congratulations and well done again Eddie who is seen demonstrating hanging clothes using the Hangout.

Patented Garden Planters with stunning forms

Posted on April 26th, 2009

The stunning and patented 'Repeat' garden planter range from Deroma

The 'Repeat' collection looks good from every angle.

Perfect Patented Planters

Posted on March 1st, 2009

We’ve just received a sample order from Deroma (Italy) of their new ‘Repeat’ range of Planters which comprises a series of stunning looking but most advanced Planter design available on the market. We are absolutely overwhelmed how they managed to create something so beautiful, so simple but with so much intelligence and functionality. Congratulations and well done to the product design team at Deroma.

But what makes these planters so good, well for starters, they are light weight, in-built water reservoir, UV resistant, robust, becaus eof double wall construction there is no risk of any bulging by plants of outer wall. They can be used indoors as planters or outdoors as pots. The range comprises a series of four unique designs: Repeat Trough, Repeat Rosen Vase, Repeat Corner (front & back versions) and Repeat Rosenpot. They can be used individually or in an endless series of modular combinations making them ideal for for a high-end target customer for homes (Patios, Decking, Conservatories) or public spaces such as Hotels, Restaurants and Offices.

The ‘Repeat’ range is made of rotomoulded plastic they are resistant to frost and UV. Deroma means excellence in design, form and function and the authentic original products and the Deroma ‘Repeat’ range is available exclusively in Ireland from Owen Chubb Garden Landscapes Limited. 

For more information, visit:

http://www.owenchubblandscapers.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4

Gardening with Planters

Posted on February 21st, 2009

Gardening with planters is a very enjoyable, easy and rewarding way to achieve great results and real impact in the garden. How to get the best results? Some simple rules apply and a little planning is all that is required to achieve stunning results.

Gardening with planters and containers is very popular and a particularly favourite way to grow seasonal bedding plants, but planters are also a very useful and practical means for growing shrubs, trees, fruit, herbs and even vegetables.

Frequently gardening with planters is all about adding a splash of colour to give an extra wow affect, other times planters can be used very effectively to brighten a dull corner, obscure an unwanted view, frame an entrance and in the case of small areas to provide planting opportunities where traditional methods of planting in prepared ground is not possible (hard surface areas).

Whether we wish to decorate indoors or outdoors, at home or at the office, at the entrance or on the patio, on the rooftop or on the balcony and even tricky areas like steps, the scope for gardening with planters is practically endless. Choose planters wisely, probably most will be used in outdoor situations, we must remember to choose containers that are frost proof, which allows surplus water and rain to drain away and not drown plants. Some planters have an inbuilt irrigation means of providing water to the plants when needed, this labour and time saving feature is increasingly becoming very popular. For larger planters, it might be worth considering mobile stands or other means of easily moving the planter around the patio area?

When it comes to size, size matters, so better to think BIG. Larger planters are more flexible because they allow the plants to develop better, look better and ultimately achieve a more balanced and appealing mature appearance. They are also usually require (because of greater capacity and less likely to ‘dry out‘) less watering than smaller pots and how often do we see stressed plants ’potbound’ because they have simply become too big and outgrown the container? Larger planters widen the choice of plants from which to choose, allow us to plant up more plants and achieve more impressive results with interesting combinations.

There is a wide selection of planters now available in a range of sizes, shapes, finishes, colours and materials. So whether the preferred style is cottage gardening or post-modern, planters can bring interest and have real impact in our efforts to enhance the indoor/outdoor areas of our living/working garden environments.

Using Planters for Winter Colour

Posted on December 15th, 2008

A very simple but effective way to achieve a colourful impact in your garden during the winter months is to spruce up the area with some carefully selected planters packed with attractive shrubs full with seasonal colours. Some simple rules apply and success is practically guaranteed. Here leading landscaper Owen Chubb offers readers some practical professional advice on what you need to do to bring colour to your Winter garden.

By the time December arrives, many believe the gardening year is at an end? Not so! Although many gardens are distinct by the lack of colour, most of the deciduous plant stock has shed leaf at this stage and the herbaceous perennials have gone to ground for the dormant season. But gardens need not look so gloomy and here are some simple tips to help put the colour back into the garden. Before you begin, some basic planning is required.

Plants – choose wisely, remember to select plants that look good or their best during the winter months. Choose plants with interesting foliage or better still select varieties which flower at this time of year, there are many to choose from including Skimmia, Coprosma, Hellebores, Mahonia, Cyclamens etc.

Size Matters – yes, select planters that provide adequate space for rootball to develop, avoid planting tall and large plants in shallow planters, or planting compact ground cover plants in large planters.

Form & Colour – applies not just to the plants, size and shape also applies to planters. There is such an array of planters from which to choose. Try clustering planters in groups, in Cottage gardens, a range of sizes can look particularly attractive, whereas in a more architectural formal garden, using one size can reinforce the desired effect.

Planting for impact

Here are some suggestions for interesting combinations:

• Cordyline (tenax) underplanted with the vibrant almost neon like yellow striped Acorus ogon

• For a more architectural look, try planting a specimen plant such as a Half Standard (ie Lollipop form) several varieties to choose from including Bay Laurel, Holly, Camelia etc and underplant with Buxus Sempervirens (common Box) or Euonymous Gaiety. Underplanting should be clipped to reflect the formal look.

• A classic seasonal look, try Skimmia japonica Rubella, with its rich green tapered leaves and masses of flowers/berries. Underplant with the green and yellow striped Carex Evergold.

• Pack extra punch in smaller containers but masses of vibrant colour, try the vibrant red tinged foliage of Hebe Heartbreaker as feature plant and mix with the striking black grass like leaf of Ophiopogon Nigrescens.

• In sheltered areas, Nandina Domestica with its varied foliage colours of green, yellow and red with its masses of red berries can look stunning when combined with the striking bright yellow foliage of Acorus ogon.

• The silver spiked leaves of Astelia Silver Spears provide some seasonal glitter when underplanted with the light green variagated foliage of the dwarf Skimmia Merlot complete with its red berries.

• A striking opulent colour effect can be achieved with a specimen of Phormium Yellow wave mixed with the rich vivid purple colour of Heuchera Palace Purple.

• One of my favourite combinations is to use a specimen half standard olive tree, underplant with Acorus ogon and cyclamens. And for a mesmerizing effect during hours of darkness to place an uplighter in the planter and white light streaking through the silver blue green hues of the olive tree produces an unforgettable Christmas effect.

Many other combinations are possible even with the inclusion of seasonal bulbs and seasonal flowers including cyclamens, hyacinths, winter pansies etc. With some simple planning, striking colour combinations can be achieved and all designed to give a much needed lift to the otherwise drab appearance of winter gardens. Select containers with interesting profiles and colour which will extend the contrast with preferred planting colour schemes.

Finally do not forget to water and apply some feed to the planters to avoid any drying out. It may not be sunny but it is surprising how gentle winds can dry out planters.