I’m surrounded by lush green vineyards in the heat of our first Spring days an unusual but pleasant image, unusual for me after many dry, sunburnt amber Summers in Australia. It’s  truly a welcomed image after the long Winter we’ve had. My life is surrounded by green.   

 

This photo was taken this Winter, a beautiful image also of our vineyard…   

 

Along the lush corridors around our home.  The trees are tangled with climbing evergreen ivy, even in my garden the grand old oaks trunk is covered with meandering ivy.   

 

This image of our old oak tree was taken this Winter…   

 

….no fences here…a hedge of green   

 

While walking around Treviso, I found this villa covered in ivy…   

 

 

An interesting article I read from Better Homes and Gardens, May 2010,(Yes , I got my hands on an english version) was Easy Outdoor Containers. Anyone, even the least green thumb gardener can achieve beautiful containers of plants grown to their potential with the basic anatomy of the pot correct, good quality of top soil and potting mix, the right position for  light source and of course drainage.   

 Loving the easy format of  the basic design….remember these three words – THRILLER, SPILLER, FILLER.   

These basic three words have been the formula I’ve used in planting beautiful pots for many years. Yes, believe me it’s a no fail design principle. The combination of an upright plant, giving the container height, that’s the thriller, the spilling over effect of a trailer, I always use ivy, I love even the variegated leaf , and the filler, the touch of colour and fullness of the flowering annuals, this year I’ve splashed the garden with crimson pink.  

  

 

 With this basic format you can enjoy beautiful flowering containers, even a stunning effect of placing two or three containers together. Or a stunning entrance winner….trailing evergreen ivy.