The Gardening Mind by Jo Thompson

The Gardening Mind by Jo Thompson

Designing for now: two quick and easy ideas for February containers

Designing early-season displays with structure, colour and contrast, using flowering plants and early bulbs for instant impact. And some Winter Olympics

Jo Thompson's avatar
Jo Thompson
Feb 11, 2026
∙ Paid
Large galvanised metal planter with pink hellebore plants, outdoor garden container styled in a traditional cottage garden setting
Shades of purple from Gardens Illustrated a couple of years ago: more below. Photo Jason Ingram

Last year, I wrote about buying the plants in order to have this display in February.

It’s now February, and guess what? You can still make this display. It’s easy to achieve, and even more importantly, it has pretty much instant impact. And goodness, do we need that colour boost right now…

There’s also a bit of controversial advice:

Dare I say it, drainage holes aren’t absolutely necessary for these short-term early displays. So go and find that jug, and stuff it.

Designing for right now

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