Dramatic Shape Urns at www.japanese-home-gardens.com

The distinctive and dramatic shape urns shape of urns makes them look best alone. Rather than clustering them like pots, position them singly or in pairs to highlight any special features, mark a focal point or to lead the eye toward a distant point of interest. They can be placed at ground level, but are often used to enhance architecture and look good positioned at the top and bottom of a flight of steps.

THESE CONTAINERS vary widely in shape and size and the types of plant that suit them. Large Tubs are ideal for shrubs as well as summer-flowering bedding plants and spring-flowering bulbs. Urns are smaller and hold less compost. They are usually more decorative in character and so are perhaps best devoted to summer-flowering plants and displays of bulbs in spring.

Many different types of container are available in clay, plastic and fiberglass. Stone urns can become special features, while wooden Tubs can liven up a dull patio. Hanging containers can be made from plastic, terracotta and different metals. As a general rule, pots with a diameter smaller than 9in should not be used for hot,dry situations. Some vases and urns, though attractive, have relatively small planting areas. Always check that they will give sufficient depth of soil or compost to accommodate plant root systems both in the center and at the edges—4in is only just sufficient for small edging plants.