Easy to grow, fun to cook with and they love full sun

Start small with kitchen herbs.

A garden in pots (not a garden of pot, please) can give colorful pleasure without the need to get down on your knees. The trick is to pick plants that will thrive in your location. Check the label, or ask a salesperson how many hours a day are needed to make your plant end up as you expect.

Let’s say it’s spring and that spells Pansy – lots of colorful ones in a clay pot. They are easy to find. Nearly every supermarket has them on benches on the sidewalk. Just be sure to get them into the pot quickly.

As with all potted plants, do your homework and don’t rush preparing the pot properly.

Be sure your pot, or any container has holes to keep from having standing water. Start with a layer of stones or pebbles approximately 1/2 to 1 inch high…more when you get to tubs.

Use potting mix, or make your own by adding vermiculite to soil. Packaged mix usually has some fertilizer added to make it a complete medium. The vermiculite will keep the soil loose and will absorb excess water.

If you have a railing, fence or trellis for it to climb on, clematis offers a great deal of show for very little effort.

Designing your garden

Now you can add your favorites to personalize your garden. Clematis is a showey addition and if you have a good garden center nearby you can find it in a wide range of colors. Mine are not my favorites, but apparently Lowes figured they’d sell. Some catalogs have gorgeous ones in deep blues, variegated and not, plus pure whites and some deep crimson.