[arugula]

We have a copper water tank, found in the loft when we moved here, which we lined, cut some "pockets" down the sides and have been using for the past 4 years to grow a few strawberries. We've decided to move the strawberries onward and upward to a bigger contained area and this "planter" is now free. I was thinking of putting some bulbs in it, but wouldn't mind a more all year round display, with different seasonal plants in it.  The container is roughly 800 mm tall by 360 mm across with 4 "pockets" all to the upper half of the sides.

Does anyone have any compact, wind-tolerant ideas more interesting than some bulbs and a bit of ivy? I wouldn't mind it being pretty maintenance free so I'd prefer not to use annuals (as in bedding plants) if possible.

Thanks,

Lorna. 

[Goosegirl]

Depends on your personal tastes I suppose, but I, too, live in a windy, coastal area so I know the problems!! For all year round interest, you could try hellebores, snowdrops, sisyrinchium (aka blue-eyed grass - it flowers from spring to autumn), dwarf grasses, sempervivum (house leeks), leathery ferns such as hart's tongue fern, tuberous begonias and trailing geraniums - these you can save the tubers / take cuttings for next year, and hardy fuschias.

[DavidT]

I`d fill it with alpine plants, 

[mumofstig]

Small leaved variegated ivy to hang over the sides.....

[arugula]

Some great ideas so far  .

[Goosegirl]

Forgot to add - some cyclamen varieties - coum for spring, and neapolitanum for autumn.

[arugula]

Thanks Goosegirl, at this rate I might need a bigger container as you are coming up with some really good ideas  . Please feel free to add more if you think of anything else. 

[Debz]

What about some ornamental grasses as they are pretty tough to put up with your weather and they can give a bit of height and structure without a great deal of looking after.  Alternatively you could plant it up with some herbs or a variety of different mint plants.  You can get varigated foliage and they can get to be as big as the planter will allow.

[Goosegirl]

That's nice Argyllie - thanks. Just trying to imagine it with its colour and eventual verdigris green filled with plants for all seasons that will live together fairly maintenance free and so you don't have to try and remove them when they die down. Will make a lovely feature. I garden in a hellish windy spot like you and yesterday it blew the tea out of my cup but I still persist in trying hanging baskets for summer. Send us all a photo when you've done it to encourage us in our rather flatulent gardens!!! 

[arugula]

Hi Goosegirl,

You mention the verdigris as background colour. We've had this thing planted up for the past 5 summers/years (from 2005 on) and there is surprisingly little oxidisation/verdigris as yet   . I was hoping for it as a background to the strawberries which are moving. I believe the application of yoghurt or lemon juice may speed this process up though, is that right?

[mumofstig]

I know that yoghurt ages terracotta pots, don't know if it would work on copper?
My mum always used to use lemon to clean copper, which is not what you want at all

from www.potters.org:
Dan Millspaugh, a professor of sculpture at the university of north carolina 
recomends that to achieve a permanent patina on copper items the best
product to use is human urine. that's right, just pee on it. i am assuming
this has something to do with the ammonia in urine

Worth a try 

[arugula]

I know that yoghurt ages terracotta pots, don't know if it would work on copper?
My mum always used to use lemon to clean copper, which is not what you want at all

  You're quite right MoS its not what we want!

from www.potters.org:
Dan Millspaugh, a professor of sculpture at the university of north carolina  
recomends that to achieve a permanent patina on copper items the best
product to use is human urine. that's right, just pee on it. i am assuming
this has something to do with the ammonia in urine

Worth a try  

Hm, now male or female?  

Edit: I have also read that acetic acid can cause verdigris so I've just done a test patch with vinegar (first sunny or even dry day to get outside). I'll see how that goes - I can always make up a spray bottle with vinegar if it works well  .