When I was at Frank Kershaws garden course last week, I was amazed at the number of planted pots that he had through out his garden.
Most of them are hypertufa, and they are planted up with a mix of dwarf trees and shrubs, hardy alpines and bulbs.
A mulch of pea gravel finished them off.
My friend Barry, also has a large number of them as well, outside his house.They are beautiful all year. I think I need some!
I am a floral designer living in a tiny condo in downtown Toronto, Canada's largest city. But on the weekend, I am a gardener/frustrated architect trying to keep up with a 3/4 acre garden in Owen Sound, Ontario, a warm (to Canadians, Zone 5b, and a cold (to Americans, Zone 4b) garden.
Green Theatre 
Helen Battersby said,
May 5, 2011 @ 7:33 AM
Yes, I have a hypertufa hankering, too. This should be my year for experimentation.
kilbournegrove said,
May 9, 2011 @ 11:22 AM
Grrr, if I was home longer I would be making some myself. Of course I would need to be home to water the occupants as well, so I guess one day!
gagarden said,
May 5, 2011 @ 8:00 AM
The natural look and variety of tufa design makes these great pots to have in the garden. I never made pots but have made various mixes with the concrete just
to see lightness and strength. We did this in architecture school. It was fun to see what we could add to get some really fun looking textures and colors too.
kilbournegrove said,
May 9, 2011 @ 11:23 AM
That sounds very interesting.We used to spray both terra cotta and concrete pots at one of the flower shops I worked at,always trying to get a old, mossy look.
Barbara H. said,
May 5, 2011 @ 8:21 AM
Ah yes, another thing that has been on my “To Do” list for a long, long time – maybe in the fall? After I’ve gotten rid of back porch and shed clutter? Ha,ha, ha, ha, ha ad infinitum. Love the variety of shapes he has.
kilbournegrove said,
May 9, 2011 @ 11:24 AM
Mine too,Barbara, and it keeps falling further down the list as well!
Donna said,
May 5, 2011 @ 9:25 AM
alwyas wanted to make these but not sure they would survive our brutal winters outside
kilbournegrove said,
May 9, 2011 @ 11:25 AM
It is very brutal in canada as well, (at least my part), I know that some kind of metal mesh can be used as well to hold them together.
Arash said,
May 5, 2011 @ 10:44 AM
they look very natural ! tnx for sharing 🙂
by the way, I added u to my blog list 🙂
kilbournegrove said,
May 9, 2011 @ 11:26 AM
Thanks for adding my blog Arash, that is very kind of you. I am glad that you enjoyed looking at the pots.
Holley said,
May 5, 2011 @ 2:38 PM
They look so natural. Like an old stone that has been weathered away from rain, with seeds that have naturally grown to plants in them. And I know pea gravel mulch can be much hated, but I love it.
kilbournegrove said,
May 9, 2011 @ 11:27 AM
I think the pea gravel is brilliant on them, it would not work on terra cotta, but is fabulous on the stone, like you said, very natural.
Jess said,
May 5, 2011 @ 3:14 PM
I too am a pots among the dirt gardener. First, I feel the previous owners created too much patio/too little garden space. Second, I like them because the easily create height and drama.
These ones are ridiculously nice, so natural.
kilbournegrove said,
May 9, 2011 @ 11:29 AM
Oooh, I would rather have the too much garden space/too little patio problem. can you take up any of the patio? Otherwise, go for lots and lots of pots.
Marguerite said,
May 5, 2011 @ 3:42 PM
I love how natural all those containers look. I used to like a lot of pots in my garden but since moving to a colder zone I’m not confident any containers, or plants in them will survive so I’ve abandoned this. Seeing these ones makes me crave containers again though.
kilbournegrove said,
May 9, 2011 @ 11:30 AM
Owen Sound is quite cold as well, so I only use concrete outside. That lasts well, but I am leery of trying to overwinter anything inside of them myself.
debsgarden said,
May 6, 2011 @ 1:05 AM
I love those hypertofu pots; they are perfect for the alpines and other dwarf plants. I am determined to make my own hypertofu pot; perhaps it would be a good mid-summer project.
kilbournegrove said,
May 9, 2011 @ 11:31 AM
Make sure you post about how you did it Deborah, I would love to see it.
Pauline Mulligan said,
May 6, 2011 @ 3:08 AM
Gardening on heavy clay means that my concrete troughs are the only place where I can grow delicious tiny alpines as they need perfect drainage. This way I can mix up their growing medium just as they like it. The pots in your photos are such beautiful shapes, maybe I need to create more.
kilbournegrove said,
May 9, 2011 @ 11:32 AM
I think it can become addictive, Frank has quite a large number of pots.
The Idiot Gardener said,
May 7, 2011 @ 5:54 AM
Those are decent pots alright. I’m trying to reduce the number of pots. Mind you, I have tyrnips growing in old tin baths!
kilbournegrove said,
May 9, 2011 @ 11:32 AM
Doesn’t everyone?
Wendy said,
May 7, 2011 @ 11:30 PM
These are gorgeous. I might have to try making some hypertufa containers too. I really like the natural look of these.
kilbournegrove said,
May 9, 2011 @ 11:33 AM
I want to try it as well Wendy, maybe someday when I am back fulltime. I hope you show yours on your blog if you make them.
Janet Ireland said,
May 9, 2011 @ 3:44 PM
What an unusual but natural looking garden. The tufa pots are great places to display the alpines.
kilbournegrove said,
May 18, 2011 @ 12:02 PM
They are inspiring me to start collecting alpines.