A Year Full of Pots: Container Flowers for All Seasons

Raven, one of Britain’s leading gardeners, returns after A Year Full of Flowers with a lovely work on container gardening. Spanning the chronological year, starting with primulas and ending with amaryllis, Raven addresses hyacinths, tulips, narcissi, violas, petunias, dahlias, and more. Unlike some other guides, this book is not only for readers who have no option but to work on the small-scale containers offer. She views pots as part of an entire garden scheme, holding that the right vessel adds delight and exclamation to an expansive design. She employs 382 containers in her own garden, ranging from water troughs to six-inch minis. To highlight her creations, the book begins with a beautifully illustrated chapter on designing by color and form. The following chapters focus on specific flowers and are akin to walking through the garden with the author as she shares stories, her own practices, and her favorite varieties. Mixed throughout are sections where she teaches key skills for each part of the year, such as dismantling tulip pots and making pot feed.