If you have a small deck or balcony that needs a bit of colour, painted pots with some perfectly picked plant arrangements can add some style and pizzazz to any space. Today in House of Monarch, we give some simple concrete pots a painted makeover, add a fresh collection of on-trend plants and style an outdoor patio into a relaxing retreat; all in an afternoon.
The first step to painting pots is to decide on a design. We went for a simple 2-toned pot but there are countless options; stripes, triangles, zigzags; get creative!
Apply painters tape directly to the pot in any shape you want.
Use a scourer to roughen up the surface of your pots in the areas you’ll be applying paint. This will help the paint to stick and help to give you a smooth, long-lasting finish. If you’ve raised any dust, give them a wipe or brush down before painting.
Using a quality exterior paint in the colour of your choosing, start applying your paint to the surface with a Monarch Walls, Doors & Trims brush. You can apply the paint in any direction, as long as you ‘tip-off’ your pot to get a smooth finish.
If your pots are made of a porous material like concrete or terracotta you’ll need a couple of paint coats to get a solid finish; just keep applying coats until you’re happy.
TIP: ‘Tipping off’ is the process of smoothing out a painted surface to get the best finish. Simply run your brush (or roller) over a freshly painted surface in the same direction to even out the paint.
Once you’re happy with your painted sections remove the painter’s tape and allow the paint to dry completely before adding the plants.
With your pots freshly decorated it’s time to get planting!
To create a potted collection you’ll need a selection of different plants and some premium, well-draining potting mix to top up the pots.
When choosing plants for your pots you have a few things to keep in mind. The pot size will determine how many plants can comfortably fit in each pot, and make sure to pick plants with complimentary or contrasting foliage or flower colours and that vary in height and texture to help to create a theme for your area.
TIP: Make sure to pick plants with similar water and sunlight requirements to make care and maintenance easy!
Half fill your pots with potting mix so that when you start adding your plants, they’ll sit just below the lip of the pot.
Start by adding your taller plants towards the back, like a Sedum ‘Matrona’ and an Aeonium ‘Schwarzkopf’. Add shorter plants towards the front: we used some beautiful Carex grass, Stachys ‘Big Ears’ and a little bit of Cotyledon. Try a few different arrangements until you’re happy with the way it’s looking.
TIP: When transplanting plants from smaller pots to larger ones, give the roots a bit of a shake to loosen the soil and allow the roots to spread out in their new home.
Once your plants are arranged, fill in any gaps with extra potting mix, pat it down around the plants and give them a drink of water to get settled.
Time to add your new potted creations to your outdoor area and start arranging the space. Add some seating, maybe an outdoor bench, some more potted plants and a side table for your afternoon cup of tea. For more style tips, download the Outdoor Space Design Ideas document to see what we did.
