Book Review: Containers in the Garden

Color, color, color, and more color—all without any difficult ground digging! That’s what you can achieve in your outdoor space by following European gardener Claus Dalby’s principles in his latest printed work, Containers in the Garden, published in 2022 by Cool Springs Press. His fourth book on container gardening, this beautifully-illustrated guide, proves why Dalby has become well-known, especially on social media, for his thorough understanding of mixing colors through both flowers and foliage. As Dalby himself says in the foreword, “It is my wish to pass on the knowledge and experience that I have acquired over many years.”

Containers in the Garden seems to be arranged under a dual system of both color scheme and season, progressing through the calendar year from spring-flowering bulbs through November survivors, all the while showing the reader, through both word and photograph, how to combine plants in shades of pink, purple, orange, white, or a myriad of other colors, both with a single-color family and while mixing contrasting and complementary hues.

A rather quick read, one may spend more time examining the photographs close-up than actually reading the text—although the latter is an enjoyable pursuit as well, for a relaxing afternoon. As Dalby’s “pottedscapes” transform throughout the season, the reader can witness the changes in both arrangement and plant selection, comparing how the careful placement of flowers and foliage showcases the star of each exhibit. The design, which is usually staggered on either naturally-occurring landscape steps or elevated on platforms reminiscent of choir risers, is constantly in a state of transformation as the lead performer shines and fades, then is replaced with the next stellar bloom of the season.

Another standout feature of Containers in the Garden is Dalby’s inclusion of a variety of species and cultivars, both old standbys and newcomers, plants well-known and obscure. Although there is certainly an emphasis on the form and color of flowers, Dalby far from neglects the importance of foliage; in fact, he covers grasses, shrubs, and even trees as he demonstrates how the form and color of leaves are just as paramount to the overall design aesthetic.

If the reader can focus away from the enticing photographs, s/he will find a treasure trove of tidbits for successful potted gardening. In addition to covering basics such as potting soil, types of vessels, and plant nutrition, Dalby shares the secret to successful citrus watering, that hosta “is one of the most grateful pot plants there is,” and that a visual landscape is most successful when the gardener repeats just a few varieties. These are examples, of course, of the wisdom Dalby attempts to impart.

Containers in the Garden is relatively user-friendly, although at times it can be tricky—at least for this reviewer when reading the digital version of the book—to interpret which images Dalby was referencing. Despite this one drawback, the reading was delightful and should provide valuable information for any gardener, especially one who might be overwhelmed with the prospect of preparing a traditional garden bed.