Succulent filled pots and con­crete forms add inter­est to this win­dow sill.

1. They make your gar­den big­ger: Growing plants in con­tain­ers is a great way to expand your gar­den space. Pots can go any­where: on pave­ment, a win­dow sill, a deck, up a flight of steps.

2. Allows you to con­trol the soil your plants grow in. Your gar­den soil may not be the great­est but when you plant in a pot, you con­trol the soil and can pro­vide excel­lent grow­ing con­di­tions that the soil in your gar­den may not have. My gar­den is sandy and full of tree roots. My pots give me a dream gar­den of rich soil.

A large planter with a sculp­tural plant makes a state­ment in a side entranceway.

3. Adds to your gar­den design by cre­at­ing struc­ture: Get the biggest pots you can afford and make it a state­ment, they can really add to your gar­den design.  Pot design has come a long way, and you don’t have to choose between plas­tic and terra cotta.There are so many inter­est­ing shapes and mate­ri­als. New types look like cement or terra cotta but are win­ter hardy, a huge bonus, as terra cotta pots will crack in a win­ter freeze.

4. Adds ver­ti­cal space to your gar­den. Use the wall to attach pots to the wall, increas­ing the space you have for gar­den­ing. Foliage cas­cad­ing from pots always gives a lush feel.

5. Takes advan­tage of your sunny spots. You might have a shady front yard, but a sunny spot along the side of your house, a great place to put a large pot filled with flow­ers, foliage or even veg­eta­bles. There’s noth­ing like hav­ing a walk through your gar­den and being able to pluck a fresh tomato out of a pot.