Things that you deliberately choose to place around you are a definite extension of your personality. Be it your dress, the look of your home; your choice of a car; all these objects of desire speaks volumes about your personality and the image that you want to project to the world-at-large.
In the same manner, even your potted garden reflects your tastes and personality. Inside the green corner, the choice of plants, the pots, their colours, smells and appearances, all are linked to the personality of the curator/plant lover.
Unfortunately, earlier the choice of pots was restricted to terracotta. That too in fixed shapes and sizes, but with the introduction of fiberglass planters, every patch of greenery had begun to wear an attractive, five-star kind of a designer look. Indeed like other possessions of pride, the choice of designer pot has also become an extension of the owner’s personality.
With a mind bogging range now available in small and large planters in variety of contours and colours, gardens suddenly have started appearing livelier than ever before.
So if you have a patch of green and you want to make a lifestyle statement with it, all you have to do is replace your current planters with fiberglass planters and achieve a complete make-over; an absolutely stunning new look!
Here is how to do it in easy steps.
Identify the need
What is the planter being used for? Is it used as a separator or as a boundary or as a centrepiece? Depending upon its use, determine your planter size colour (dark colour will make the space appear smaller, while light shaded planters will merge into the white background, making the space appear roomier) which will not only serves its intended purpose, but also make the plant more attractive and attention-worthy.
The Shape
The shape of the planter also depends on its purpose. In certain plants, the roots need to be covered, while in certain cases, the roots need additional space to grow, thus requiring a second planter to be placed inside the outer one. The shape of the planter should be such that it serves the intended purpose effortlessly.
Colour
If the colour of the planter is vibrant, there is a good chance that the plant will go out of focus. Conversely, if the planter is chosen pastel or neutral, then the plant in it will come sharply in focus. However, if they both are evenly matched, then the overall effect of the planter and plant will of course, get multiplied. Hence, ensure that you choose the right colour to magnify this visual impact.
Indoor or Outdoor
The location of your garden also plays a crucial role in helping you select the right planter colours and sizes. For interiors, pastel colours are generally preferred for interiors to make the room appear sprawling, while for exteriors, vibrant colours are more in vogue. Also, for interiors, generally the plants are of smaller sizes where shapes, such as square, oval, cylindrical or any other irregular shapes add to the beauty of the arrangement. For outdoors, since the plants are usually of larger size, regular shaped fibreglass planters are often preferred.
Height of the planter
The height of the planter is related to the plant it holds. Generally, the planter should be smaller than the plant within. This is to let the attention fall on the plant first and not on the planter. Also, taller planters need to be handled with care as they have the propensity to become unstable later and may cause an accident. Secondly, taller planters attract more attention towards itself than the plant. Therefore, unless the plant and the planter are being used as a separator, it is best to avoid taller heights.
Maintenance of planters:
While watering the plants, there is a possibility that the water may spill out and bring out the soil along with it. If the planter in question is a colourful one, then this spill will look messy, unless cleaned at once. This is often not feasible. Hence, while maintaining a coloured planter, make sure you clean up the spillage after watering or trimming.
Choice of the plant
The plant supported by the planter should be the primary criteria for deciding the shape, size, colour, height and other parameters of a planter. At no point of time, the planter should steal the thunder from the plant it supports. Also, the colour of the plant (leaves, stem, flowers etc) should decide the choice of the planter. The planter should never compete with the plant for attention.
Unlike olden days, today, planters are available in variety of shapes, colours, shapes, sizes etc. Infact manufacturers like Bonasila, a market leader in fiberglass planters in India, specialise in creating custom shapes, sizes and colours, earlier unseen in the Indian market.
The next time, you want to revamp or even replace planters in your garden, think of this as an opportunity to revamp your own personality and choose the right planter that make a style statement for you.