WAIT: BEFORE YOU FIND your self on the backyard heart, grabbing up each irresistible factor that calls out to you, figuring you possibly can by some means discover a position for it on this season’s container designs, assume once more. What’s your plan for this 12 months’s seasonal pots—or is there a plan?
That was the subject of my dialog with David Mattern, horticulturist at Chanticleer Backyard in Pennsylvania, who has some container backyard design recommendation to share.
David has gardened for 10 years at Chanticleer in Wayne, Pa., the place he oversees the vegetable backyard and lends his creativity to different features of this world-class panorama, too, together with Chanticleer’s many impressed vignettes of seasonal containers.
Learn alongside as you take heed to the March 25, 2024 version of my public-radio present and podcast utilizing the participant under. You possibly can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify (and browse my archive of podcasts right here).
(Portrait of David, under, by Lisa Roper for Chanticleer. All different photographs by David Mattern for Chanticleer.)
impressed containers, with david mattern
Margaret Roach: Welcome again, David. It’s good to talk to you. We’re not going to speak about greens as we speak?
David Mattern: Yeah. Not this time. It’s fantastic to be again, however thanks.
Margaret: The final couple of occasions, a couple of years in the past, we talked about greens and placing the vegetable backyard to mattress, and choosing new greens from the seed catalogs and issues like that. However I lately learn your article on container gardening within the 2024 “Outdated Farmer’s Almanac Backyard Information” journal, and I beloved studying about your thought course of, which is what we’ll discuss. After which simply a few weeks in the past, seeing the photographs of your empty pots all out on show on Instagram. It was such as you staged them, however there’s nothing in them. So, inform us about that. Is that the place to begin of the method?
David: Yeah. That’s the start of the method. I imply, I believe in terms of container design, we at all times consider the plant mixtures within the containers. That’s the enjoyable stuff, proper? So, the place you place them is simply as necessary, I believe. So, I at all times like to start out by wanting on the larger image, how issues match into the larger context of the backyard. That’s actually the place all of it begins with all these empty containers sitting across the backyard.
So, late winter is the start of my container-design course of, as a result of you possibly can see the naked bones of your backyard, of your panorama, and the place issues are. I’ll begin to set my containers out empty, simply to see how they’re influencing the area, how they’re creating a way of really feel of what I’m attempting to do, what my intent is in that area.
The great factor about that’s containers which are empty are quite a bit lighter [laughter]. So, any discount in again pressure within the backyard, I’m all for it. Nevertheless it’s a pleasant strategy to mess around and get a way of the area. If the containers are set out, even once they’re empty, they need to have an effect. They need to begin to create that feeling or intent that you just’re in search of. So, once they’re planted up, they really feel a little bit bit extra built-in into your panorama and never simply plunked in there.
Margaret: So what might be a number of the intentions that you could possibly begin to formulate with…? I’m assuming you place them out in your finest guess of the place you need them, after which maybe-
David: It does take a while.
Margaret: … you’re going to fiddle round with them a little bit bit earlier than the potting up stage comes and get the vignettes or the placements proper. So, what might be a number of the functions of these placements? What can containers, well-placed, do in a backyard?
David: Yeah. I’d say consider what your intent is. The great thing about containers is you possibly can transfer them round and alter them. Some individuals will use issues for utilizing containers as screening or as accent options. Containers can actually draw consideration to themselves. So, utilizing them to point a transition from one backyard area to a different, or point out the place the entrance door is, and even simply creating an intimate area inside a bigger area, so in your deck or round a sitting space.
Simply considering of that intent will point out the way you’re going to begin to cluster issues collectively. Or perhaps it’s not a cluster of containers, perhaps it’s one large container that you just wish to accent an extended view out into the backyard.
Margaret: The shapes of pots—I imply, I’ve 4 actually, actually, actually large, they’re about perhaps virtually 3 ft throughout, low terracotta bowls, they usually’re my signature pots. They’re the pots I’ve had for the longest, and it’s a ritual day each late winter once they exit, empty, to their spots and so forth. They’ve at all times been in the identical 4 spots [laughter]. You make me consider a brand new place. So, I really like low bowls and this large dish form of feeling.
However totally different pots, totally different shapes and scale and so forth additionally impacts the influence. Do you have got favourite shapes, or do you combine up shapes that you just like collectively? Do you a very tall factor with a low factor? Ought to we be fascinated by that?
David: I believe it’s actually very subjective. I believe it must be the form that you just discover fascinating actually, as a result of I believe tall ones are very dramatic and upright, and low, large issues you possibly can actually change up from 12 months to 12 months. You are able to do actually low crops, and have a little bit panorama in a low bowl, or do large tall crops popping out of that. So, I believe actually it relies on what pursuits you. I believe all of that is very subjective.
After which there’s glazes, like I stated, that may add to the colour. For those who’re in search of a giant accent, I name them exclamation factors within the backyard, one thing that’s actually going to attract consideration to your self or an extended view, that’s the place large, large glazes and actually sturdy shapes can actually assist on the market. Like large vase-shaped containers, and even one thing daring, one thing very architectural in distinction to all the pieces else in your backyard.
Margaret: Proper. The glaze factor is a giant, large deal as a result of even a small glazed pot actually stands out. I’ve one which’s a gorgeous inexperienced glaze, and I simply love placing it on the desk on the patio and it simply catches your eye. Though there’s different pots throughout, teams of pots throughout, this one simply actually calls to you. It’s simply that little little bit of shade. It’s a little bit one thing further.
David: Particularly in spring, I discover glazed containers can actually pop. Typically I prefer to pair a few of my glazed containers with some actually easy terracotta colours or one thing, virtually to emphasise that glaze, the colour on them. So, I’ll have just some easy glazed containers, two or three, however then I’ll have an array of various terracottas as a backdrop to that.
Margaret: So, ultimately we do get to place crops in them [laughter]. However not simply annuals. At Chanticleer you actually name in numerous totally different sorts of crops into the design of your containers. So, inform us about a number of the vary of what would possibly discover its method right into a pot there.
David: Oh, yeah. I say don’t restrict your self. I believe the extra you possibly can increase your palette and add to the variety of your containers, the extra fascinating they’re. A variety of various things can work. Normally with small timber or shrubs we’ll use as large accents within the container, and different issues like perennials and grasses and different herbaceous materials. It’s a enjoyable strategy to combine these in with some annuals round your container. I notably like utilizing perennials in my containers, as a result of these are the perennials that I then plant out into the backyard afterwards. It’s a pleasant strategy to stretch my plant finances.
I’ll begin there. I’ll begin with perennials that I do know I wish to add into my backyard. However earlier than I do this, I’ll use them in a container for the primary season, combined in with annuals and issues. Then within the fall, after I’m able to dismantle my containers and prepare for winter, I’ll plant them out into the backyard, after which go in that two-cycle course of. So, it’s only a enjoyable method to make use of a range of fabric, even when it’s issues I’m going to make use of, and a pleasant strategy to repurpose a number of the materials that you just’re utilizing in your containers. Like I stated, at all times good to stretch the finances [laughter].
Margaret: You stated perennials, and also you stated woody crops as effectively, perhaps timber and shrubs. I really like issues like Japanese maples in pots. One of many tough issues is that—and I’ve numerous them that I’ve had for a very long time—is that they get tucked within the storage within the winter as a result of I’m in a barely colder zone the place they will get beat up, and the pots would definitely get beat up exterior. One of many tough issues is determining if you wish to have one thing as a groundcover beneath them, is it additionally needs to be one thing that may take that remedy, if it’s a perennial. One factor I discovered years in the past fairly by chance, and it has simply been essentially the most fantastic factor, is that Sedum, that gold Sedum referred to as ‘Angelina.’ It’s only a actual prostrate, actually groundcovering one.
David: Lovely.
Margaret: I imply, it simply makes this… It’s 12 months [laughter]. I can open the storage door in December, and it’s like gleaming gold in there, a gorgeous plant. I imply, it doesn’t miss a beat. So, one thing so simple as groundcover-y Sedum might end off a giant pot of a woody plant and be virtually like a everlasting pairing. Once I say everlasting, I don’t imply 100 years [laughter].
David: Yeah. I actually like numerous little minor bulbs, like Scilla and Chionodoxa and Muscari, tucked into a few of my woody containers as a result of they’re a little bit of dedication. I imply, woody crops and containers are extra of a everlasting factor. Their root techniques can doubtlessly get compromised being within the container, so that you wouldn’t essentially wish to plant them out. However they’re implausible, such as you stated, to take them into the storage for winter after which deliver them out once more. And different little natives like Houstonia, that-
Margaret: Oh, the bluets.
David: I’ve seen these work actually successfully, actually fantastically. Notably in little bonsai containers as effectively. It’s in that scale.
Margaret: Yeah. That’s an important thought. The little bluets, I really like them. They’re lovable.
David: Anytime I can combine native spring ephemerals into any of my containers, I’ll do it. They’re a few of my favourite crops to work with.
Margaret: At Chanticleer, you guys have enjoyable additionally with containers, such as you’ll have containers with water and float flowers in them and issues like that, don’t you?
David: Yeah. It’s turn out to be our factor a little bit bit, is our floating flower preparations. We do them as a result of they’re enjoyable, they’re colourful, they’re fascinating. I notably like them as a result of what they principally are is a bowl of water that we alter out each day, and we’ll change these preparations each day; we’ll change the water out. They’re actually what’s occurring, what’s blooming within the backyard at the moment, in that second, that day.
In order that they’re very fleeting, and you actually see the transition of the seasons. I believe they’re a very enjoyable examine in shade and texture and type. You possibly can have a stroll round your backyard and see all of the totally different colours, perhaps of the foliage or of what’s flowering, and see what they seem like collectively in a bowl. I actually get pleasure from them; I are likely to have numerous our interns engaged on that as a result of I believe it’s a superb examine in backyard design, fascinated by type and area and texture and all that great things.
Margaret: You additionally use some prunings from elsewhere within the backyard, don’t you? Don’t you utilize some branches and twigs and so forth? Virtually like somebody would possibly use in a floral association, so to talk?
David: Oh, very a lot so. That actually got here from numerous winter tasks, numerous coppicing and trimming. So, actually this stemmed from winter pruning, and we simply began repurposing all of these branches. So, issues like Salix and dogwood and all of those winter-blooming twigs that look fantastic in winter and really shiny and vibrant, we’ll simply repurpose these in our containers. Particularly in spring, what you get is that this immediate top, immediate shade in your containers, the place the remainder of the backyard remains to be waking up. You possibly can have this immediate top and shade in your containers and simply type of sticking them in. I notably love sticking sticks in stuff [laughter].
Actually it’s simply repurposing what you have got in your backyard, and it’s enjoyable to only look in your personal backyard and see what sort of issues you have got which you could combine again into your containers to your new seasons to play. It’s a enjoyable problem. So, we’ll use that quite a bit. Notably that carries by means of the season as effectively, utilizing them for trellising for annual vines, and issues like that. I discover after I’m doing that, including sticks as a construction, it exhibits that intent initially of it will get large, this little begonia vine that’s simply on the base of my container. It will definitely will take over. However initially simply having that framework there actually exhibits that off.
Margaret: It implies what’s to come back. That’s a good suggestion. When it’s time to design plant-wise, do you begin with the important thing plant? I imply, there’s all these formulation like, what’s it?— “spiller, thriller, filler,” and every kind of the way to make us take into consideration design in pots. However do you start with, you’ll have your grouping and you’re keen on the place the empty pots, the way it’s working, then do you begin visualizing, “Hey, I believe that is the place I’ve this banana and I’m going to deliver it and put it on this pot, that pot, in that group?” Then what occurs subsequent, if you get to the plant-choice factor? Once more, I do know it’s subjective, however… Yeah.
David: Nicely, that’s the enjoyable half, proper? [Laughter.] Yeah. I at all times say there’s all these suggestions you possibly can observe with issues like that, and crops are what deliver your containers to life, so embrace that. You possibly can observe any form of guidelines. I’m simply attempting to gather my ideas right here. For me, I believe in case you’re going for a daring accent for a container, take into consideration one thing like a banana, or one thing that’s going to enrich that type of daring intention. So, one thing with large foliage or sturdy architectural foliage. However if you’re at a backyard heart, it may be actually—perhaps overwhelming isn’t fairly the appropriate phrase, however your eyes actually are larger than your abdomen.
So, I at all times say, begin with one key plant. Begin with the one factor that you just see, perhaps it’s one thing you learn in an article otherwise you’ve seen earlier than otherwise you actually get pleasure from rising. Begin with one plant that you just actually like and construct off of that.
So, that’s my one plant that’s going to go in my container. What can I add to that container that’s going to boost my first plant that I’m including to it? Is it including extra shade, some complementary shade, or is it including a textural distinction, or is it including some top, or is it including one thing softer or bolder in distinction to that one factor that you just begin with? I discover it’s a great way to get your self on a monitor, as a substitute of simply getting one among all the pieces after which you have got one thing a little bit extra chaotic because of this.
Margaret: Sure. Typically the one that you just begin with, typically it’s… As a result of for me, I really like foliage—and I wish to discuss that in a minute as a result of I do know foliage is so necessary. It’s not all about flowers in these pots at Chanticleer. I can see a leaf of one thing that’s actually lovely within the backyard heart in spring, there might be this… What do they name it, the copper leaf plant, Acalypha, or perhaps a Coleus with intricate leaf shade or shade mixture within the leaf. Then I might be marching across the backyard heart for an hour, in search of issues that go together with that palette, so to talk, as if the leaf is telling me what my design goes to include. It’s like that’s my inspiration. Only one leaf can do it for me [laughter].
David: Yeah. Typically I’ll simply be holding the plan and simply strolling round and holding-
Margaret: Me, too.
David: … others, “O.Ok., is that going to work? Is that going to work?”
Margaret: [Laughter.] We must always store collectively. We might be a superb pair.
David: Yeah, that’d be nice. Yeah.
Margaret: Oh. So, foliage. Yeah. Foliage is necessary, proper? I imply, we shouldn’t simply go purchasing for the flowers, flowers. I imply, I do know the Calibrachoa part or the Petunia part are the most important, they usually’ve received a billion of them in all these colours, however that’s not the entire story, is it?
David: Oh, no. Foliage makes all of gardening extra dynamic and extra fascinating. Foliage could be very colourful, foliage could be very textural. There’s that saying of “flowers are fleeting, foliage is ceaselessly.” So, there’s one thing to be stated about that. Don’t be afraid to choose up on that. textures, daring shapes of various flowers. Begonias come to thoughts. Very large, large leaves, with an important texture. So, pairing that with one thing softer like a Carex, a sedge with delicate foliage or a grass, one thing in distinction that method. Or some begonias once more, they’ll have actually intricate crimson marooning to that. So, pairing that with one thing that will have a crimson foliage to deliver up that shade right here off of that.
So, the probabilities are countless. Like I stated, it’s actually extra about, don’t overthink it. Have enjoyable with what you’re seeing and what you’re doing, and don’t be afraid to attempt one thing new, as a result of that’s how we study. It could not work on a regular basis [laughter], each time, however take notes and construct off of your successes.
Margaret: Do you guys do any bulbs? I really like the pineapple lilies, the Eucomis, as an illustration. Do you do bulbs in pots as effectively? You talked about some minor ones, like seasonal minor ones that we might consider extra as perennials and so forth, however do you plant any pots of bulbs for the summer season?
David: Completely. That’s one thing we’ll do within the fall as a part of after we do our fall bulb planting, we often find yourself planting numerous our containers with bulbs as effectively to prepare for the season.
I at all times are likely to, if I’m planting a mattress of tulips in one among my seasonal show beds, I’ll often put aside 10 or so of these bulbs from that planting, after which I’ll pot up two containers. Just a few easy tulips in a easy terracotta, and overwinter them in our chilly frames. Then within the spring, I can set these out subsequent to my mattress. So, my containers on my terrace match, type of pair, with my show within the beds. It’s a pleasant method of harmonizing your planting beds with your whole containers on the terrace. So, it’s enjoyable to work that method.
Margaret: It actually underscores the larger message, doesn’t it? Simply these two little pots simply actually underscore the larger planting.
David: Yeah. It’s only a good factor to only set these apart within the fall. Potting up bulbs within the fall is at all times an exquisite feeling, too, as a result of it’s that first step at preparing for spring and that anticipation. So, we actually get pleasure from that.
Margaret: Proper. Are there sure crops which you could’t think about being with out within the container designs there? For these of us who wish to perhaps make some investments this 12 months, and I beloved seeing within the… I can’t bear in mind precisely which week or month it was. However if you all had been—it’d’ve been final 12 months—trotting it out, when all of the goodies had been beginning to come out of storage, all of the tender issues had been beginning to get… And Chanticleer has such an unbelievable wealth of treasures, what I name “funding crops,” issues that I stash in my cellar, which pale by comparability to what you all have. However are there issues that if we’re going to go and buy groceries and get seduced by one thing [laughter], that we might get numerous mileage out of, numerous years out of, numerous oomph out of do you assume, that may work in our containers for years to come back—that you just’d advocate we check out that division within the backyard heart?
David: Oh, positive. Yeah. I believe a few of my favorites that we use right here within the backyard. Begonias are fantastic. I introduced these up earlier than, and there’s so many alternative colours and textures and shapes—forgiving, I believe, over winter if you deliver them in for the dearth of sunshine. I actually love sure kinds of tree ferns, particularly ones that truncate or get a little bit little bit of top to them. So, Blechnum brasiliense, they’re a little bit bit smaller, however they’ve an important type, nice form, and different tree ferns that ultimately get to a sure top. These sorts of issues the place you possibly can have them inside and then you definitely deliver them out and you’ve got that immediate top, immediate structure that we have a tendency to make use of quite a bit.
Margaret: I do know you have got some nice Abyssinian bananas and different banana kind issues. I consider I’ve seen footage that you just use, perhaps not in containers—effectively, some could also be in containers, but additionally you utilize in your borders and so forth. They are often nice.
David: Yeah. Once I take into consideration bananas as you are taking the entire culm, the entire root system, and produce that in, they usually can transplant very well. So, we will have them within the floor one season, we will have them in a container one season, they usually’ll develop out, so that they’re enjoyable to usher in and out and use in a range of the way. They are usually actually forgiving that method.
Margaret: Yeah. Do you do swap outs? Do you do early pots, after which summer season pots, after which fall pots? Or do you steadily tease issues out and add issues in and evolve every design—or all the above?
David: Oh, yeah. I imply, a part of gardening is embracing the seasonality of what’s occurring at one time, and issues coming out and in of bloom and shade and texture. I believe for us, it’s very a lot an evolution by means of the season. So, we open to the general public formally subsequent Wednesday, March twenty seventh, and we’ll be open by means of October. So, it begins with numerous tulips and bulbs and spring annuals in containers. Because the temperatures begin to heat up, I’m slowly type of piecing some issues in and pulling some issues out. So, simply choosing issues out and in, and it’s a sluggish transitional course of. The purpose is to have it like, “Oh, it’s simply occurring all by itself, isn’t it?”
Margaret: Oh, proper [laughter].
David: Little bit of transitioning.
Margaret: Yeah. No one has to do something, proper, David? [Laughter.]
David: Yeah. Yeah. All of it simply occurs. Isn’t that fantastic?
Margaret: It’s wonderful. Nicely, David Mattern, I’m so glad to speak to you, and I can’t wait to see footage of the pots as they present up on Instagram, on the Chanticleer one and by yourself.
David: Thanks.
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MY WEEKLY public-radio present, rated a “top-5 backyard podcast” by “The Guardian” newspaper within the UK, started its fifteenth 12 months in March 2024. It’s produced at Robin Hood Radio, the smallest NPR station within the nation. Pay attention domestically within the Hudson Valley (NY)-Berkshires (MA)-Litchfield Hills (CT) Mondays at 8:30 AM Japanese, rerun at 8:30 Saturdays. Or play the March 25, 2024 present utilizing the participant close to the highest of this transcript. You possibly can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes/Apple Podcasts or Spotify (and browse my archive of podcasts right here).