Potted Gardens: A Fresh Approach to Container Gardening

by Rebecca Cole

Rebecca Cole--once an actress/activist and now the owner of the trend-setting Greenwich Village store Potted Gardens--introduces a whole new way to garden. Using any container--from the bed of a toy truck to a bedpan--and any kind of plant--from rose to weed--would-be gardeners can follow Rebecca's guidance and plant a bit of beauty in a corner of their homes or gardens.

Starting at the beginning--what a garden means to urban dwellers and their country cousins and how to stimulate your own imagination--she then helps us hunt for plants at neighborhood nurseries and markets (which she advocates over catalogue shopping); gather containers from dumps, attics, flea markets, and antiques stores; and put it all together in potted gardens for windowsill, desk, and patio. In a chapter on terraces, she turns to the great outdoors, explaining the design and creation of complete gardens made up of  containers, artfully arranged to make the most of small spaces. And all along the way she shares her own experiences with breaking all the rules to achieve ebullient flowering displays.

With nearly 200 spectacular photographs, illustrated step-by-step instructions on how to plant in wooden boxes, metal containers, and how to plant bulbs; tips on maintaining a finished potted garden; suggestions on further reading; and a glossary--Potted Gardens is the everyday companion for the new and experienced container gardener alike.

Rebecca Cole is the proprietor of one of New York City's most talked-about shops, Potted Gardens, where she mixes well-loved antiques (and old sinks and watering cans) with flowers and plants. She has made appearances on "Our Home" and "Home Matters" and is a regular guest on "Fox After Breakfast." Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Travel and Leisure, House Beautiful, the New York Times, and Victoria, among others. She lives in New York City.

Richard Felber has been photographing America's gardens for two decades. Among the many magazines that have published his work are House Beautiful, Garden Design, and New York magazine. This is his first book. He lives in Connecticut.

Grab a pot, a wooden box, or a tin can; gather your bulbs and flowers; and read Rebecca Cole's Potted Gardens for a whole new way to look at gardening.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1997

Reviews

[Books Ring Mah Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

After yet another year of a lame garden growing in the middle of my lawn, I pulled out the lackluster plants and said, "to hell with it. If I do any garden stuff next year it will be in containers." Since gardening will not be much of an option here for several months, (Thanks, long winter!) I thought I'd grab some books on growing my garden container-style.

This book was not at all what I expected. I was looking mostly for info on fruit and vegetable gardening, and this book has nothing really, as far as that goes.

However, this book would be PERFECT for the creative gardener. Rebe Cole takes antiques (things I would call useless or gross junk), adds plants and turns them into art. I don't know the right adjectives for what she does. Whimsical? Artsy? Example: a picture of an old crib, rusting away, plants growing up happily all around it. Or, the old work boot spewing forth glorious foliage.

No way would I ever attempt the things she does with plants and her auction finds. My yard would look like some sort of psychotic junkyard, and surely the city would slap some fines on me.

So, while not what I was looking for, this book might be just the right thing for the creative gardener.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book about 20 years ago, and at the time the author was way ahead of the rest of us with her creative ideas and innovative approaches to gardening solutions, in which to meet her clients needs. She inspired me immensely at that time in my life, and I am forever grateful to her for that! While in New York some years later, my dear mother trekked down to the author’s shop and bought me her next book and got her to sign it for me, so even my mother knew the impact she had on my gardening and creative life at that time. I will always treasure this book, this author, for helping me to think outside the box.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice overall review of potted plant gardening, even though most of the references involve New York City rooftop gardens. But, pot are pots and there’s a lot of good ideas here..

[Basil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very smart, inventive ways to pot your garden creatively in a way that a beginner can understand.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of helpful information and pretty pictures ;)

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the unique and varied idea of what a container is--certainly not traditional. Good, easy for me to understand, brief section on the use of color--practical explanation that will be easy to implement.

[Chris Eirschele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I plant in the odd kitchy things, if you do too, you will love this book. Rebecca Cole includes the technical aspects of putting plants in containers, which lived first for a different purpose.

This is an older book but still worth searching for.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is just gorgeous. Some fresh ideas for container planting in there, but mainly it's just eye candy.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could be subtitled: How I Got to Be So Wonderful. Not really what I was looking for: design ideas for container plantings. Some nice pictures but more of a memoir than an idea book.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful photographs -- this book is full of inspiration. Lots of great ideas on how to create a unique container garden.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ideas for all types of container gardens. Some good step by step instructions.

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this. It's totally my aesthetic and it may be the book that gets me working on my rooftop garden..finally.