Friday 30th October, 2026
Hi
I am in the market for some pots. This, it turns out, is a decision which needs a lot of thought and time. For me anyway. This is due to the fact that not only do I have to imagine what the pot will look like in the position at home in which I want to place it (thinking about the house style, colour etc.) I also have to think about what is going to go in it, and how that will match the shape, colour, texture etc. Arghh! There is a lot of standing around thinking, and not much in the way of decision making at present. Oh well. Lucky we have just received a new shipment of pots for me to ponder over during my work hours. Looks like I might be dreaming about pots for the foreseeable future.
Pots are a great way to soften an entrance which is mostly concrete and glass, or brick and plaster, with some colour, movement and texture. Plants at entrance ways make a home feel more inviting and "alive" to welcome visitors. Currently the pots at my front entrance are a bit of a mish-mash of things I have inherited from previous owners, neighbours or friends and odds and sods. They include one of a pair, whose mate was broken in transit in the move between my old and new houses. It would be nice to have a bit more cohesion between these orphans, so that even with a diverse collection of plants it feels like there is more commonality. Let's see what our budget will allow!
Pots; hard to choose!
Pots
As mentioned above, buying a pot can be a bit of an investment decision as you are likely going to have it for many years. A classical style will be versatile with many decor types and the traditional terracotta colour is a natural addition to most garden looks. Some of the tips when planting-up in terracotta include making sure you soak the pot first. This will ensure that it doesn't draw water away immediately from your new plant. Being porous is a definite plus, as it will allow water and air to move naturally in and out, helping with drainage for your plant. Another tip is to cover the hole in the bottom with some broken shards of terracotta or a large stone. Position it so it doesn't block the hole but slows down the exit of water, and potentially soil, from your pot.
Use the best potting mix you can afford. Not only will it drain well in winter, but in summer it will help retain moisture, and slow release fertiliser in the mix will usually feed it for several months. You may have to do a "top up" of slow release fertiliser in summer as regular watering when it's drier does tend to wash through any nutrient more quickly. Finally, when potting plants try to avoid putting a small plant in an enormous container. The soil which doesn't yet have any roots in it will hold a lot of moisture around the plant and sometimes lead to root rot. Terracotta is heavy, so it is more stable for tall plants and doesn't tend to blow over so easily. A perfect pot for your
Standard olive,
Bay or
Pohutukawa.
Fibreglass pots have the added advantage of being extremely lightweight and durable. They are also weather resistant (heat and cold) and less likely to develop "weathering" colour changes, which can happen with natural products such as terracotta. They also provide a more stable environment for plants with little heat change. Due to their lightweight they are great for areas where weight load matters, such as on a upper balcony, or where they need to be moved to accommodate changing decor on a deck. They are also a lot more expensive, so that's a consideration, bearing in mind they will most likely last a long time.
Our friends the bees
I was watering in the garden centre and noticed the large number of bees on the
Standard Cotoneaster plants, where they were quietly going about their business of collecting nectar. They are such an important part of the ecosystem, and one we take for granted sometimes. In fact bees and other pollinators are the reason we can enjoy so much home-grown fruit. They spend their lives doing the work for us, which results in the pollination of many of the special plants we need for eating. Apples, pears, plums, cherries, blackberries, nuts, herbs and many other plants are bee pollinated.
Bees are especially expert at collecting nectar, as they use this to make their honey, and as they do so the pollen sticks to their furry bodies. As they move about they transfer pollen from one plant to another, and
voilà flowers receive the pollen they need to initiate fertilisation. Bumblebees do buzz pollination, which means they shake the flowers and that releases the pollen onto their bodies.
Blueberries,
Passionfruit and tomatoes are pollinated in this way. If your orchard has been liable to have a poor "set" of fruit in the past, maybe you could consider planting bee-friendly varieties of plants to encourage them to visit. These are visitors you definitely will be happy to host.
Happy bees on a Cotoneaster
Plants which bees particularly love include some
Herbs, and these can be scattered through your orchard or near your productive trees. Examples include
Lemon Balm which is said to calm bees.
Comfrey is a must have in any garden as it rich in potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus so is a great addition to your compost heap. Leaves when chopped and lain on the surface of the soil will rot down and add nutrient back under your mulch. Bees and other pollinators love the abundant flowers. Other bee-helpful varieties of plants include
Geraniums,
Hebes,
Callistemon (bottlebrush),
Echinacea,
Ceanothus and, as mentioned above, many herbs (
Borage is another example). Check out these when you are next in store.
Another plant which the bees and butterflies love, which is a fantastic addition to the garden, is
Tibouchina also known as Lassiandra, also known as Pleroma. Just to confuse you, there are also plenty of common names for these plants including Glory bush and Princess flower. There is a tradition in botanical naming to revert to the oldest name given to a plant. This happened when features became apparent which set the first-named Tibouchina species apart from other, similar plants. Pleroma means "fullness" in Latin, which refers to the way the seeds fill up the fruit capsule. All you really need to know is that they are easy to grow in full sun, in soil with good drainage, as long as they are protected from severe frost. We have a couple of varieties in store and are expecting more next month.
Spiraea is a plant which is found across the northern hemisphere growing naturally in Asia, Europe and North America. The one in my garden has been flowering for weeks and weeks and it's a mass of tiny white flowers in arching sprays. Another one to please our insect friends.
Gaura/Butterfly Bush
On the topic of desirable insects,
Gaura don't so much attract butterflies as look like butterflies. Their pretty flowers have four petals resembling a butterfly perched on the end of the stem. Popular for long-flowering and easy care, they love the sun and prefer a well drained spot. If you keep them trimmed (cut dead flowers off) you will be sure to have flowers for many months over the summer period.
Swan Plants
If you have got kids or grand kids then you probably know about
Swan Plants. Many a school science project has involved the transformation of caterpillars into monarch butterflies, as viewed on your friendly neighbourhood swan plant. Watching a chrysalis open is one of life's most exciting waits when you are seven. To feed a monarch butterfly caterpillar you need milkweed or
Asclepias Fruticosa as, unlike the very hungry caterpillar, they are monophagous i.e. only eat one type of plant. The Latin name for swan plant originates with the name of Apollo's son, the mythical god of medicine, who was supposed to be able to bring the dead back to life. A little bit of a contradiction because all parts of this plant are toxic. However, not to monarch caterpillars who love to munch on it. Milkweed and Spurge are general terms used for members of the
Euphorbia family (Euphorbiaceae) which are popular garden plants in their own right.
I'm hoping to get into the garden this weekend. All the best for a great weekend whatever you are doing. If you are off to the Taranaki Garden or Fringe Festival - enjoy! Regards Tracy.
Cheers from Lloyd, Tony and the Wairere team.
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