Round & Round The Garden #4

It's week four of Round & Round the Garden and we are almost halfway through our project. So much has changed since that first post when all we had was a mudpit outside our back doors, it been so interesting documenting the process. The last week has seen the completion of the painting of the tyres, however they are not quite ready to be revealed as yet. I have finally, however been able to plant up my lovely planters from Next which I have been dying to showcase.

When I visited Next for a tour of their Warrington Home & Garden store I was most surprised by the range of outdoor products they now have. I am a huge lover of shabby chic and cottage styles so when I spotted these beautiful Dairy Bucket Planters on display I knew they would fit in perfectly with the garden I had in mind!

Next very kindly offered to send me them to try out myself so when they arrived I eagerly tore of the packaging to see them in the flesh. They do not disappoint - embossed with the dairy design, they are made of lightweight material so even when they are full of soil and plants they are not too heavy to move about. I really do love them and think they offer something different for my displays.

I filled them with some beautiful bedding plants donated by Plant Me Now. Plant Me Now are an online garden centre and one of the largest online bedding plant suppliers. They grow the plants on site in their Solihull Garden Centre and sent directly straight to your garden cutting out the expensive middle man and minimising the risk of deterioration from storage and excessive transportation.

Practical packaging which I could store the plants in too

 I have to say the plants arrived in beautiful condition. For £9.95 you get five premium plants, delivered in a plastic carry box which they can then be stood in and watered until you are ready to plant. All the plants were well established, healthy and most had flowers on. It was a beautiful delivery to receive!

I was sent Begonias, Geraniums, Dahlias and Petunias, all of which are great for bedding plants with the Geranium and Petunias also used as trailing plants. They flower from May to October so despite being slightly late to the party, I'm hoping we will still see more flowers for a few weeks.

I first part filled the planters with multi-purpose compost, a soil which most plants are fine in. I then placed each plant, still in its own pot, in the planters so I could decide where each one went and what looked best together. I planted the Petunias and Geraniums at the edge so if they do start to trail they will hang over the edge.

Plants positioned in the planter

Once I was happy with the layout I carefully squeezed the plastic pots they were in a gently eased them out. I put them back in their position in the planter and piled soil around them, making sure they were well supported and deep enough so their roots were covered. I gently pressed them down around the base of the plant into the soil, topped them up with a little more compost and once each plant was in I then gave them a good watering.

The planters are now completed and in situ and I love sitting at my dining table and admiring them through the patio doors. The bit of colour in a previously drab garden really brightens my day, and as it all comes together week by week it makes me feel so happy to admire all our hard work.