There are so many varieties of containers out there and you don't need a lot of space or money. Plastic containers these days look just like pottery or concrete.

You can easily highlight a patio with colourful pots of flowers or small plants.
when you fill your pots with bulbs and they are flowering you probably won't even notice the containers. A collection of plants in containers or pots can make a welcome oasis in a corner of your balcony or lounge.

I prefer to arrange my plants in groups according to their colours, a group of flowers all yellow look really magnificent , but you can mix and match according to your preference. You can highlight a small space with just one plant. That can look quite elegant.

Choose containers that have a lot of drainage holes, cover these holes with fine netting, this will stop you losing potting mix out of the bottom of the pot.

Container gardening lets you quickly change your colour scheme as each plant finishes flowering, you can change it for another, make sure your plants have a difference in height and shape, tall plants with long leaves at the back provide a good contrast with short plants in the front.

Planting bulbs in pots can be done quite cheaply and they have the advantage of multiplying each year, even expensive bulbs become cheaper after they have been divided a few times. Always use the best potting mix available, this will give your plants a really good start in life.

If you are into planting bulbs and would like a large mixed pot, fill your container half full of potting mix and screw your large bulbs carefully down, keeping them in a group, cover each layer with potting mix and layer your bulbs from large to small until you reach the top, top of with potting mix and soak well, put in the shade until leaves appear, then when they flower take them inside and fill your house with wonderful scents and colours. You will have a green thumb before you know it :o)

Putting an attractive plant or plants on the steps leading to your front door can give your visitors a colourful welcome, decide ahead of time where you are going put each plant, you don't want to have plants that need plenty of sunshine in the shade, or visa versa.

Some people think plants mostly die from too much watering, however my experience is that most plants die from lack of water, a good rule of thumb is to put your finger into the pot and if the soil is moist do not water them, do not forget them either.

Dare to go beyond the ordinary and you will soon have a container garden that your friends will have nothing but praise for.

But most of all have fun and remember gardening can be very forgiving.