Baskets and Blooms - best plants, best prices. Direct from the grower

Most gardens have got a least one tall pot with holes in the side and top. Known as strawberry pots or herbs pots these versatile containers can be used for so much more than their namesakes.
The tiny ones are really intended for bulbs like crocuses, anything bigger can be planted up with Alpines, Summer bedding, Houseleeks, even vegetables like lettuce and radishes.

My favourite use is to fill one up with bright cheerful primroses. It's very easy and will look great for several weeks. Simply put a little compost in the bottom and insert the first 'layer' of plants then more compost and so on until you pop one or several plants in the top. The secret to watering is to stand the pot in a large saucer and keep it topped up, you'll still need to water carefully from the top but it won't dry out so quickly with a saucer.

How do you get the plants through holes?............well it depends on the size of the plants roots. To save damaging the flowers you can push the roots through the holes from the outside, they will tolerate a surprising amout of 'moulding' to shape. Plants that are only in bud can be push through the holes from the inside.

When the Primroses have finished flowering take them out and plant them in the garden to flower again next year.