Outdoor + Plants

3 Tips for Perfect Outdoor Planting

Nothing transforms a lackluster outdoor space faster than a smart grouping of boldly scaled planters. But styling your planters properly is just as much an art as planting is a science.

So we turned to an expert on both for some pro tips: LA-based plant stylist Sean McGowan. Here are Sean's Top 3 rules of (green) thumb!

1. Look for built-in liners.

Nestle your plant in a plastic container with holes at the bottom (many plants come in one) to make it easy on yourself. You'll be able to take the container out of your planter when you need to water it and easily drop it back in, Sean says.

• Pro Tip: Our Cityscape Planters feature built–in liners to make it even easier. "It's a segmented liner that drops into each of the planters, so it's a very serviceable planter," he says.

2. Tailor to your planter's shape.

Choose your plant to complement your planter's shape and scale—or vice versa—to make both look their best.

• Sean recommends tall or sculptural plants for rounded-edge pots to keep the rim of the container clear.
• For rectangular and square planters, Sean prefers cascading and trailing plants. They help soften the planters' clean lines and edges.

3. Play with size + scale.

Make a statement with boldly scaled planters. When it comes to mixing and matching to create a grouping, Sean's only motto is the more the merrier! Choose a variety of textures, shapes and hues to create visual interest.