Dish Gardens 101: Creation

With April on the horizon, we are wrapping up our informal class about dish gardens today, with an overview of how to make a dish garden.

Step 1: Select a container.

Your container will help establish the style of dish garden you're looking for. Are you going for informal or rustic? Try a wicker basket, with or without a handle. Are you thinking artistic and more modern? Look for a ceramic container, available in a variety of colors, shapes, and styles. Are you hoping for a more traditional look? Consider a terracotta pot, also available in many styles.

Step 2: Prep the container.

Line the container, whatever you choose, with a layer of sturdy plastic. Then add a layer of vermiculite to the bottom, about a half-inch deep. Doing so will help with drainage so the plants don't sit in water, which could lead to rotted roots.

Step 3: Choose the plants.

Most plants included in dish gardens are three- or four-inch plants. Depending on the size of your overall container, you can group anywhere from three to five or more plants in your dish garden. Choose plants according to light and water requirements; a cactus probably won't be happy with a bromeliad in the same dish garden. Think compatibility for best results. Also think about the visual impact you want to have: mix taller and shorter plants, green and/or blooming plants, and a vine plant that drapes or spills over the side like an ivy or a pothos for best visual appeal and to create movement and interest.

Step 4: Situate the plants.

Leave the plants in their individual growing pots. (See Tip #3 below for exception.) Group them together several ways outside your container before you start adding them to the container, to see what arrangement looks best. Then arrange the plants in the container. Usually, taller plants go at the back of the garden, with lower plants toward the front, and then the vine plant in the front or to one side so it can drape over the side of the container.

Step 5: Finish the dish garden.

You can cover the visible soil surface of the dish garden (which might just be around the edges of the container) with Spanish moss or sheet moss to give the garden a finished look. Then, feel free to add accents: insects like butterflies, lady bugs, or bees are a popular choice, but you can also carefully add branches or attach ribbon bows, if you like.

More Tips:

1. For best results, try to pick plants that are compatible with one another. Again, a cactus won't need the water that a bromeliad will need. Keep water and light requirements, especially, in mind.

2. When you water your dish garden, remember that you need to water each individual pot within the container. Pouring water in the middle of the container won't let all the plants, each in their individual pots, have enough water.

3. If your plants are compatible enough, you can actually plant them directly in soil in your container instead of leaving them in their individual growing pots. Choose a container with a drainage hole and a saucer to protect the surface of the table or counter; add a half-inch of gravel or vermiculite to the bottom; add high-quality potting soil (check with your local florist or garden nursery for the best type of soil for your chosen plants); and plant the plants directly in the soil. Finish and accent as you like.

Thanks for joining Paul Wood Florist in Old Town Fort Collins for this course on dish gardens! Call or come in today to speak with one of our designers about planning your next dish garden to accent your home or office.