Planters to display your flowers

During a flower exhibition at Garden City Mall in Kampala, I was fascinated by some of the planters that the exhibitors used for growing their flowers.
One particular flower planter that caught my eye was of a stiletto shoe design. The picture of that stiletto shoe design has stayed with me until today. I was quite intrigued by it.

Recently, I caught up with Lillian Katiso, the gardener behind the stiletto shoe design and proprietor of Maua and More, a gardening and green gifts company. She emphasises that planter add more beauty and value to the plant.

“A flower that has been grown inside a planter is more attractive to the eye than one that is directly planted in a garden. Flowers or plants in planters are more inviting,” Katiso says.

Many gardeners are taking their cultivation to the next level by using all kinds of flower planters, Katiso adds.

Planters also matter because more people today are buying flowers and plants to offer as gifts to their loved ones. “And if you are giving someone a growing plant, you are not going to hand it over to them just like that. It makes more sense if it (the plant) is accompanied in a lovely planter,” Katiso says.

So, besides the stiletto shoe design planters, here are other options for growing your flowers or plants.

Baskets
There are times people give gifts accompanied with baskets. Rather than throwing away those baskets, you could recycle them for growing flowers.

“You would first need some kind of medium for planting in the soil. There are different basket liners to consider including coconut fibre or moss liner. In order to boost the water retention, you could add a polythene bag layer before proceeding to the planting stage,” says Rose Bukenya, a gardener.

Once the planting process is complete, place the content inside the basket and thereafter, leave nature to take its course. One of the ways of displaying flower baskets is by hanging them.

Flower pots
These remain the most common containers used for flower growing. The most available on the market are made from plastic. In addition, they come in different designs and sizes.

These pots can be placed anywhere in the garden or walkway as a way of making the compound more lively.

Glassware
Some of the beautiful planters to consider for growing plants is glass capsules, which come in different sizes and designs. These glasses vessels can be hanged anywhere outdoors including the balcony.

Not only do they add beauty to the outdoor scenery but also, are fascinating to look at. Besides glass capsules, some other gardeners convert bulbs as planters for growing their flowers. The glass capsules and bulbs have a striking resemblance.

Kitchenware
Are there items in your kitchen that are no longer useful for you?

It could be a bowl, coffee mug or teapot?

In case you are thinking of throwing them away sometime, please, do not. These vessels too can be
very useful in growing flowers of any kind including orchids and lilies.

Wine bottles
In case you have some empty wine bottles back home, there is no need to discard them. Rather, utilise them for growing some of your favourite flowers and even herbs such as basil and sage.

Where to find planters?
These unique planters can be got from different gardeners both within and outside town.

Cost
Cost depends on where you buy from, for example, at Garden City Parking Mall in Kampala, planters cost between Shs10,000 to Shs300,000. A pair of high-heeled shoe design planters can be found at Maua and More located at garden City Parking Mall at Shs120,000.

Caring for your outdoor flowers
Lillian Katiso, a gardener, shares tips:
• Water them from time to time. Ensure that the water is moderate. Too much or very little water may affect the growth of flower or even kill it.
• Remove unnecessary weeds that grow alongside the flower.
• Fumigate as a way of controlling pests and diseases.
• Remove old or dead flower heads from the plant in order to encourage more blooming.
• Ensure that the plant is not blocked from accessing enough sunlight.
• From time to time, you need to change the soil, especially after noticing it is poor and affecting the plant’s growth.
• Don’t forget to add fertilisers as well to boost the flower’s growing process.