Sure, many parts of the Midwest are still blanketed in the white stuff, but that’s only temporary, right? Right? Well, can we just pretend that that’s true? It is officially Spring, gosh darn it, after all, and not a moment too soon to start thinking of, once again, making our gardens snow—er, grow.

Seven years ago, I bought a house so I could bury my hands into the crusty Illinois soil and feel like one with Nature. Three hoses, nine zillion seeds and seven hundred and eighty-three bulbs later (about half of which I swear have been eaten by our friends, the squirrels), I am still thrilled by the first blooms popping out of the ground—crocuses,  followed by daffodils, followed by tulips and irises, yet so over major free-form productions, I’d just like to go back to sticking my green thumbs into containers.

Containers are like picture frames, allowing you to create one small work of art at a time. Their shape and where they’re placed—on a patio, up front or back steps, on a wall or hanging—are major determinants of which annuals, plants and vines you actually use. Of course, the usual sun or shade rules apply, too. And, oh yeah, there’s that drainage issue. And, getting just the ones you want. Like clothes, it seems all the best ones are snapped up early in the season. 

Once I’ve found the perfect pots, it’s often been helpful to bring them with me to the nursery. There I can actually see how the colors, heights and textures go together and, without having to read all the labels, get passionate advice and motivation from the resident experts. You just want to take some of these lovely people home with you and the flats.