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NATURAL BEAUTIES FLOURISHING PASSION

The first warm rays of sunshine entice us outdoors, delicate early blooming species are already providing food for bumblebees and other wild bees. On terraces, balconies and roof gardens, a variety of raised beds, flower pots and herb ladders can be used to create natural plant communities – even in small spaces. Whether planted vertically, staggered at different heights or arranged in soft nuances of colour – spring is always an inspiration for fresh ideas and creativity in the garden.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Planting tips for raised beds

Growing fruit and vegetables on the balcony or terrace is becoming increasingly popular. Herbs, lettuce or tomatoes thrive in large plant inserts designed with just a few materials, provide sophisticated functionality at a comfortable height, and are very  easy to maintain.

Raised beds create natural eye-catchers with the promise of relaxation and fresh flavour delights. Sugar snap peas, strawberries or edible flowers, as a snack garden in a miniature bed, are particularly appealing to children, and give them the opportunity of vividly experiencing the cycle of growing, flowering and fruiting.

Planting the raised bed The best location

Vegetables and fruit need plenty of sun to ripen. A location with full sun for at least eight hours of light per day should therefore be chosen for the raised bed. High levels of sunlight also prevent the spread of diseases such as the dreaded powdery mildew.

However, it is possible to grow plants on balconies with less or even very little sunlight. Edible plants with lower light requirements are ideal for this. The choice is just as wide –  lamb's lettuce, strawberries, chard, many herbs as well as berry bushes, can also manage with five to six hours of sunshine.

Vegetable varieties for semi-shade or shade:

  • Wild strawberries
  • Lamb's lettuce
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Peas
  • Beans
  • Radishes

  • Beetroot

TIP: When planting a raised bed, make sure that the taller varieties are set at the back so that they do not take sunlight away from the lower-growing plants.

Preparation – filling the raised bed

To prevent waterlogging, which would encourage root rot and fungal infestation, a drainage layer of expanded clay or clay shards should be placed at the bottom of the raised bed before the soil goes in. Ideally, fill about a quarter of the raised bed with this layer.

Place a fleece on top of it to prevent soil particles from being washed into the porous  layer and thereby blocking free-flowing drainage after watering. Holes in the base ensure that water drains away.

To round off, fill the raised bed with finely crumbled, peat-free vegetable soil – and now  only the small seedlings are missing.

Rana Raised bed

Rana Raised bed

Ref. No. 1290

£ 1,750.-

Rana Trellis

Rana Trellis

Ref. No. 1293

£ 395.-

Brittany Balcony/Terrace Raised Bed

Brittany Balcony/Terrace Raised Bed

Ref. No. 4863

£ 1,695.-

Watering can green 9.0 l

Watering can green 9.0 l

Ref. No. 1084

£ 120.-

Watering Can Graphite 9 litres

Watering Can Graphite 9 litres

Ref. No. 1085

£ 120.-

 

Gardening in small spaces

It doesn't always have to be a large garden. Even in smaller areas in an urban environment or on a balcony, green havens can be created for everyone’s enjoyment by consciously utilising such available spaces. Planted in an insect-friendly and sustainable way, they allow you to experience nature first-hand, provide home-grown herbs and freshly picked salad for the kitchen, and offer a stimulating playground for your own creativity.

Urban gardening continues to be a trend, and even a small pot on the windowsill creates a living green space that engages the senses. The movement originated from the idea of collectively utilising smaller areas in the city, such as roof terraces or fallow sites, for sustainable vegetable and fruit growing or gardens for cut flowers. Vertical beds are for instance, particularly space-saving, and can also be used effectively on balconies or terraces for planting herbs and low growing vegetables.

 A vertical bed consists of several containers at different levels that can be planted and decorated as desired. There are free-standing or hanging versions, and vertical beds that can be leant against a wall like a ladder.

Tips for vertical planting

A high-quality, peat-free substrate is the best basis for healthy plant growth, especially if there is less space available in the planters. It provides nutrients and should also be able to store water optimally. This can be supported with an additional layer of clay granules and, for example, the use of sheep's wool pellets, which also loosen the soil and are excellent as a long-term organic fertiliser.

The arrangement should take into account the needs of the individual plants: sun-loving and drought-tolerant plants feel at home in the upper tier of the bed, while moisture-loving plants should be planted in the lower tier. On a plant ladder such as Normandy, the plants do not compete for light, but receive even light on the staggered levels.

Normandy Plant Ladder Graphite

Normandy Plant Ladder Graphite

Ref. No. 4756

£ 950.-

Watering can Graphite 4.5 litres

Watering can Graphite 4.5 litres

Ref. No. 1083

£ 90.-

Normandy Plant Ladder White

Normandy Plant Ladder White

Ref. No. 4861

£ 950.-

Watering can green 4.5 litres

Watering can green 4.5 litres

Ref. No. 1082

£ 90.-

Herbs from the vertical kitchen garden

For every cardinal point there is a herb – and a sunny, semi-shady or shady spot. Sage, thyme and rosemary, for example, tolerate the sun well, while tarragon, chervil, chives, parsley, coriander and lovage prefer partial shade. Mint, garlic rocket, watercress and nasturtium are best suited for a shady spot.

A herb balcony can also be created according to the type of usage desired:

  • Mediterranean herb garden: with classic herbs such as sage, oregano, basil, rosemary and tarragon
  • Cocktail herb garden: with rosemary, basil, thyme, lemon balm, mint and sage
  • Medicinal herb garden: with hyssop, mint, camomile, marigold, lavender, thyme and sage

Vertical cultivation even in winter

Another advantage of this type of planting: vertical beds set up against a house wall benefit in winter from the warmth that the wall radiates. They are also better protected from snow and wind.

Seasonal winter vegetables that don't mind low temperatures can be cultivated without hesitation over the winter months. Asian salads, winter purslane or a mix of lamb's lettuce, radicchio, spinach or endive bring attractive greenery to the balcony and a fresh, vitamin-rich variety to your plate or smoothie. Some herbs such as oregano, mint, hyssop, chives, certain thyme and sage varieties, and parsley are also hardy and can be harvested throughout the winter.

And what’s more, some vegetables will also thrive in a winter self-catering garden, and can be  conveniently planted in vertical beds. Beetroot, chard, kale and Brussels sprouts or pak choi, enrich winter dishes and save a trip to the supermarket.

TIP: On particularly frosty nights, it is advisable to hang a fleece over the bed.

 

Planting tips for flower containers

Not only in large planters, but in small containers as well, you can, on a suitable scale, plant anything that grows in the garden. In this way you can watch shrubs, perennials, summer flowers and herbs grow, bloom and thrive on the terrace or balcony. Even in winter, their upright natural structures are eye-catching and serve as winter quarters for many insects. The requirements for creating a container garden are high-quality substrates that provide the plants with sufficient nutrients, adequate sunlight, and the appropriate care.

Thriller – the eye-catcher

A thriller is a plant with upright growth. It is the tallest and therefore dominant plant in the container. Depending on the location, the thriller can be planted at the back or positioned as a centrepiece. The accompanying filler and spiller plants can then be arranged in front of or around the thriller accordingly.

Exceptionally well suited thriller plants:

  • Delphinium
  • Bee blossom
  • New Zealand flax
  • Pearl millet
  • Fountain grass

Filler – medium-hight gap fillers

Fillers are bushy, cushion-forming and at best, repeat-flowering plants. The combination of several filler plants in different colours is particularly attractive.

A selection of filler plants:

  • Blue daisy
  • Snowflake flower
  • Verbena
  • Fairy spurge
  • Hussar button
  • Jewelled lily
  • Rampion
  • Prairie lily
  • Spurge
  • Coneflower
  • Cosmos
  • Patagonian verbena
  • Green bearded campion

Spillers – small waterfalls

Spillers are low-growing plants that cascade over the edge of the planter – and effectively put the finishing touch to the arrangement.

A selection of typical spiller plants:

  • Pennywort
  • Ivy
  • Frankincense
  • Fan flower
  • Hanging verbena
  • Creeping rosemary
  • Spanish daisy

Robust ornamental shrubs in planters

Woody plants also find good growing conditions in spacious planters. Hardy ornamental shrubs or small fruit trees are ideal for large containers, while early-flowering rock pears, and willow or maple varieties are rich sources of food for insects in spring.

Ornamental shrubs for the planter:

  • Hydrangea (panicle)
  • Laurel snowball ‘Eve Prince’
  • Boxwood
  • Harlequin willow
  • Globe robinia
  • Skimmia
  • Chinese dwarf lilac
  • Rose hibiscus
  • Red slotted maple
  • Wisteria standards

Exotic plants such as strelitzia, citrus plants, palms or perennials such as oleander, plumbago standards or angel trumpets can also be cultivated in containers. However, these should overwinter in a sheltered place indoors, from October onwards.

Choosing a planter

When choosing a planter, the durability of the container and its functionality are especially important. The following aspects should be considered:

  • Drainage that reliably prevents waterlogging of the roots
  • Water drainage through holes in the base
  • Spacers between soil and container for unobstructed drainage
  • Weather-resistant material
  • Frost resistance

Avoiding waterlogging is essential for lush plant growth. This is particularly important for planters outdoors and exposed to rain. Therefore, ensure good drainage. This will promote a healthy root system that can absorb nutrients well from the soil. Planters that already have a drainage layer, such as those of the Garpa Antony and Grenoble collections, are ideal – and above all convenient.

Shards of clay, expanded clay or pebbles are also suitable as a drainage layer. A water-permeable fleece should be placed on top to separate the drainage layer and the high-quality, peat-free potting soil in which the plants are to grow. After planting the plants should then be well watered.

Grenoble Planter Petit 60 x 60

Grenoble Planter Petit 60 x 60

Ref. No. 4600

£ 1,450.-

Grenoble Planter 100 x 50

Grenoble Planter 100 x 50

Ref. No. 4648

£ 3,950.-

Antony Planter Petit 59 x 59

Antony Planter Petit 59 x 59

Ref. No. 4605

£ 1,250.-

Antony Planter 100 x 50

Antony Planter 100 x 50

Ref. No. 4641

£ 3,250.-

Grenoble Planter 65 x 65

Grenoble Planter 65 x 65

Ref. No. 4644

£ 2,925.-

Grenoble trellis attachment 65 × 65

Grenoble trellis attachment 65 × 65

Ref. No. 4645

£ 495.-

Grenoble trellis attachment 80 × 80

Grenoble trellis attachment 80 × 80

Ref. No. 4647

£ 525.-

Grenoble stainless steel trellis attachment 100 × 50

Grenoble stainless steel trellis attachment 100 × 50

Ref. No. 4649

£ 525.-

Antony Planter 65 x 65

Limited quantity

Antony Planter 65 x 65

Ref. No. 4637

£ 2,750.-

Antony Planter 65 x 65

Antony Planter 65 x 65

Ref. No. 4601

£ 2,750.-

Antony stainless steel trellis attachment 65 x 65

Antony stainless steel trellis attachment 65 x 65

Ref. No. 4638

£ 450.-

Antony Planter 80 x 80

Antony Planter 80 x 80

Ref. No. 4639

£ 2,925.-

Antony stainless steel trellis attachment 80 x 80

Antony stainless steel trellis attachment 80 x 80

Ref. No. 4640

£ 495.-

Antony stainless steel trellis attachment 100 × 50

Antony stainless steel trellis attachment 100 × 50

Ref. No. 4642

£ 495.-

Potting Bench

The typical English potting bench makes gardening on the terrace or roof terrace especially comfortable, with the work surface at a height that does not strain the back. The zinc coating prevents bacteria from being transferred when planting, pricking out or repotting. A small shelf and a generous floor grid provide additional storage space and keep garden utensils organised. A narrow drawer provides space for smaller gardening tools or seed packets.

 

Planting climbing supports correctly

Sturdy support elements provide climbing plants with a good framework for their striving towards light. Freestanding or fixed, equipped with matching planters or as a trellis for the house wall – the individual components can be combined in a variety of ways. Set up in a row of luxuriant greenery or covered with an abundance of romantic flowers, they shield seating areas or the private reading corner from view, and provide privacy in the garden by the pool or in front of the entrance to the sauna. With fine struts and diamond-shaped patterns, they are also attractive as formal design elements in winter.

Planting trellises From climbers and twiners to clingers

Climbing plants have different requirements for their support. A distinction must be made between climbing plants such as clematis, passion flower, vetches or vines, which climb up a trellis on their own using their tendrils, and climbing plants such as fire bean, star bindweed or black-eyed Susan, whose shoots twine upwards around their support in a specific direction.

Annual climbing plants such as bell vine, morning glory, dipladenia or nasturtium grow particularly quickly and form a richly flowering privacy screen over the course of a season.

Climbing roses, like firethorn, winter jasmine or blackberries, are spreading climbers whose thorny shoots support themselves against their respective surfaces in order to find a foothold and climb upwards. They require many horizontal rungs through which they push their shoots, and can also be tied in for additional support.

Orangery Trellis, Narrow

Orangery Trellis, Narrow

Ref. No. 3812

£ 435.-

Orangery Trellis, Wide

Orangery Trellis, Wide

Ref. No. 3813

£ 495.-

Orangery Planter, Narrow

Orangery Planter, Narrow

Ref. No. 3814

£ 425.-

Orangery Planter, Wide

Orangery Planter, Wide

Ref. No. 3815

£ 525.-

Narrow Wall Trellis

Narrow Wall Trellis

Ref. No. 4263

£ 425.-

Wide Wall Trellis

Wide Wall Trellis

Ref. No. 4264

£ 490.-

Versatile privacy screens

Climbing supports covered in greenery, elegantly conceal less attractive areas in the garden. The various climbing elements of the Orangery can be combined as desired and positioned at right angles with matching posts. Behind them, compost and waste bins, bicycle stands or stacks of firewood disappear from view.

For the various installation options for the Orangery and the installation of customised climbing trellises, please contact our Customer Service team, who will be happy to help you with planning at any time.