Lillia Callum-Penso
The Greenville (S.C.) News

Containers: The container should be the right size for the garden you want. Think about your display before you go shopping, and choose a container that will fit your design. Try filling a round terra cotta bowl with a variety of lettuce, a combination that's both unique and tasty. Add pops of color with annuals like marigolds. A large, soft green ceramic pot makes a good backdrop for spring colors. Fill it with a centerpiece shrub or small tree like a flamingo willow and underplant with pink diascia and raspberry verbena. Add a cascading vine.

Drainage: Choose a container with good drainage, meaning an appropriate number of holes in the bottom of the pot. If the container you want to use doesn't have good drainage, you can drill additional holes. Place a piece of landscape cloth in the bottom of the container to keep soil from filling drainage holes. Coffee filters also can be used. Other options include Styrofoam packing peanuts, pieces of broken pots or a mix of sand and gravel.

Durability: If you plan on creating a more permanent container garden, make sure your container will withstand cold weather. Concrete and ceramic are good choices and hold up year-round. Although less expensive, traditional terra cotta pots are more susceptible to freezing temperatures.

Soil: Look for a soil specifically designed for containers. These soil mixes typically have good drainage and slow-release fertilizer, both of which help to extend a garden's longevity.

Plants: It's important to consider where you will be putting your container garden before selecting plants. Will it sit in sun or shade? All plants should require similar amounts of light and water, since they will be sharing the same space. Also, don't overcrowd a container. Consider the space needed for each plant you select.