Remember when a Spring visit to your favorite garden center - a real one, not a big box store where 'garden center' is an add on - was mainly tons of healthy plants, shrubs and small trees being watered properly by dedicated plant lovers.
There were a few true and lovely classic terra cotta pots (another post coming on these) piled on an old painted bench or crusty wooden table, and then later wobbly piles of plastic and faux stone versions that promised less heavy lifting but more drying out on hot Summer says. At a recent visit to a nearby 'real garden center' which still has a beautiful selection of plants this Spring, I was confronted by the most amazing display of pots ever!
Moving through the garden, I discovered these colorful displays which make the idea of container gardening very enticing - and look at the ceramic birdbaths to coordinate with your pots!
The aqua shade against the chartreuse green of the garden hut is pretty.
Love all these natural shades of cream, tan and brown - some highly glazed and glossy, others with a matte finish.
These glowing cinnamon and milk chocolate shades - perfect for bright green foliage.
The citrus colors would be beautiful in a tropical garden......but I'd happily place this lime green birdbath in my garden.
Blue, true blue - what heavenly cobalt shades, some with over glazes looking like water spilling over the edges - I can imagine these around the deep blue of a salt water pool.
Love the swag garland of roses on this tall urn.
Aqua, chocolate and lime - more beauties - paired with......
.........unglazed terra cotta lantern pots with a Moroccan feel - lovely with candles glowing through the cut work design.
Needless to say, these are not inexpensive pots. Prices start high and creep upwards to several hundred dollars for the larger ones! Oh well, some of those faux stone ones are pretty too - and in my garden the old galvanized watering can always stands nearby when they dry out.
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Mary! They're wonderful!!! I should find some of the colorful ones but at a cheap price! Have nice evening! Love, Vanessa
ReplyDeleteWow! I haven't been to Atlantic Garden Center in a few years. These pots are wonderful. I love the lime green one.
ReplyDeleteI'm on a hunt for new seat cushions for my wicker rockers. I ordered some last year, and I like the fabric, but they are not cushy enough. I should have returned them.
I love the citrus color pots. I have discovered over the past few years that my favorite colors in the garden are orange, yellow and pink..........lime green would be fabulous, too! Perhaps it's because I live in the trees now and I need some bright spots.....those pots would be perfect! Thanks for the idea....oh Hubby.....
ReplyDelete:-) Rosie
They are all so pretty! But I am drawn to the chartruice (SP? OK -green!) - and red - especially the BIRDBATH! Love those - great place to shop and be inspired.
ReplyDeleteColleen
I know I'm probably a hick, but this looks like a "box store" without the "rest of the box" to me. It really doesn't look like a real garden center, which to me is like the one you described in your first couple of sentences. This seems pretty slick and commercialized to me. But ours is run by Mennonites, including the young women in the little white caps. And we're a small town. I like seeing the guys in the John Deere caps wandering around behind their wives.
ReplyDeleteOMGoodness Mary! What a visual feast!!! I love them all ~ I know you must have had a wonderful time...and I have to tell you every time you show us photos of your beautiful yard my mouth just hangs open!!! I love your gazebo...xxoo, Dawn
ReplyDeleteVisiting a good garden center is one of my favorite things to do. I don't really like shopping too much but am always willing to stop in at a garden center. Our favorite place up near Cranberry Cottage is a very old fashioned and almost junky nursery. None of the over perfect display there. Just honest look how beautiful this plant is displays. They do have an indoor area with stuff and even that is organized mess which makes it fun to find things. I bought my Lord Byron's Lady there.
ReplyDeleteWe have a lot of garden pots. They really add to the garden as they are so pretty in themselves. Most are plain but some are very decorative. You are right about them being very pricey. But then one among a number of plain ones is then very effective. Do you use many containers? I am sure you have pots on your pretty front porch.
I was thinking this morning how nice the trees around the back of your house look!
Hugs ~
Heidi
I do love terra cotta pots. Mine are full of geraniums at the minute, tumbling over the edges. I've got 2 big pots with swags around, in which my olive trees grow.
ReplyDeleteHi Mary,
ReplyDeleteWow,I would have a very hard time picking out something from there.It all looks so good.Isn`t it something how garden accessories has changed over the years?Use to be not too many choices to choose from,but look at it now.
My friends and I will have to make a visit to that shop,haven`t been there before.Got any other places you think we would enjoy going to?
My friend is looking for a solid red patio umbrella,hubby wants one.Have you seen one around anywhere?
There are some serious pots here. Wow, I like the blue ones best and then the green one in the front. I hope you had a wonderful time.
ReplyDeleteNancy
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ReplyDeleteSorry Mary, my comment went on twice, so I deleted one.
ReplyDeleteNancy
To Ann - FYI this is definitely not a big box shop. It's a rather small place tucked between a main road and the railroad tracks - luckily shielded by beautiful old trees.
ReplyDeleteThe owner is a talented woman who started business here in the city with a tiny orchid shop. She purchased this somewhat aging garden center a couple of years ago and has turned it around! The ponds and waterfalls are amazing, the plants, shrubs and herbs are lovingly cared for by qualified plantsmen/women.
We do have some smaller garden centers also - and of course the ones further out in the rural areas would be more like what you are perhaps used to. This is a major metropolitan area and having a place to shop for one's garden where there are more elaborate items for those with the means is fun for all - even if some of us just look and admire - having little cottages rather than McMansions!
Hi Mary
ReplyDeleteI want to buy all of them. What a wonderful display, and the colors, they're beautiful. All it takes is money, right?
You have such great shops around you.
Hope you enjoy the day.
Hugs, Rhondi
Catching up on some missed posts here Mary. I will show my hubby your Building a Gazebo post :-} thanks for all the info. What a nice garden center you have to visit.
ReplyDeleteMary,
ReplyDeleteGreat post as always. I just came from our newly expanded local garden center and it makes me wish for a million dollars to spend just for pots and plants. Perhaps they will have a "SuperMarket Sweep" type contest and I will win, lol.
I got my book and it looks like a lot of fun. Thank you so much for the book, the sweet card and the special tag. I love them all.
Janet
I am moving over your way. We do not have anywhere good to buy pretty pots in this area . LOL .
ReplyDeleteOMG, what eye candy! And those pierced terra cotta ones in the last pictures are just making me swoon. xo, suzy
ReplyDeleteHello Mary, I have been out of town for a few days and I am trying to catch up on your posts. The
ReplyDeleteterracotta history is awesome and your brother lives in an amazing place. I adore all those pots!
Your posts are always interesting and/or so much fun to view. Thanks for so much effort to please your readers.
Take care, Jeanne
Mary,
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely 'lift up your spirits' post!! These bright and cheery groups of pots remind me so much of one of those wonderful colouring books we had as children where, the origianal grey dull pictures were transformed into a rainbow of colour with the flick of a wet paintbrush. Do you remember those lovely books! The pages always ended up realy soggy...haha!
Warm wishes Angela