501-918-3025
calsfoundation@cals.org
calsfoundation@cals.org
Lana Williams- Queen of Container Gardens
The fall brings so many fun things, but here at CALS, we’re buzzing about the upcoming Six Bridges Book Festival. This year we have a trio of workshops, including two cookbook authors and one about gardening.
We caught up with Lana Williams and chatted with her about her new book, The Container Garden Recipe Book: 57 Designs for Pots, Window Boxes, Hanging Baskets, and More. She outlines different containers – some you might expect and others you probably wouldn’t think of (a boot, anyone?). She covers “thrillers, spillers, and fillers,” while keeping in mind important factors like color palettes and plant sizes. She lays out “recipes” you can follow or use her tips to create your own. We also spoke to Patrice O’Donoghue, Teaching Garden Coordinator at Children’s Library, who will serve as moderator for her session.
CALS: What do you like best about this book?
O’Donoghue: I like that her approach feels simple and attainable.
CALS: What are you hoping to discuss with Lana Williams?
O’Donoghue: I would love to hear more about her experiences gardening with her nana as a child. We have so many kids that come here to the garden where we help foster a love of nature at a young age.
CALS: Explain the concept behind the book
Williams: The book is written as a recipe book, giving step-by-step instructions for different container garden arrangements. My hope is that the book will spark the reader’s own love for container gardening and the confidence and creativity to come up with their own creations. The book lays out care instructions, design techniques, and tips to keep your containers thriving. There is a plant index in the back of the book that can be used as a reference for coming up with unique combinations.
CALS: Where did the idea of a recipe book come from?
Williams: The book is part of a series of “recipe” books that break down activities, like flower arranging and container gardening, into a familiar and accessible format of a recipe.
CALS: How do you suggest someone try to fit gardening into a busy schedule?
Williams: The beauty of container gardening is you can start as small or as big as you want. If you have a busy schedule, perhaps start with a container at your front door. It will greet you every day as you come home and when you see it, you’ll remember to water it, and when you enjoy its beauty, you’ll want to keep it thriving.
CALS: What advice would you give someone who thinks they have a “black thumb”?
Williams: I don’t think anyone has a black thumb. I believe spending time taking care of plants and through trial and error anyone can grow a green thumb. If you haven’t had luck with plants before, don’t be afraid to try again; most likely there was something learned from that experience.
CALS: What’s your favorite unconventional container?
Williams: My favorite unconventional container from the book is the wood log. It was inspired from a hike and I love how it reminds me of that particular memory and looks as though you could have stumbled upon it in the woods.
CALS: Arkansas gets very hot summers, any advice for success in our particular area?
Williams: Containers can dry out very quickly in Arkansas’s summer heat. Here are a couple of tips to help your plants: Use a glazed pot, which holds moisture in, whereas cement or terra cotta pots wick moisture out of pots. Use saucers underneath pots to hold extra water that the plants can absorb through their roots throughout the day. In consistently hot weather without a break from rain, many containers will need to be watered in both the morning and the night to not dry out in the heat.
CALS: What can someone expect to learn from your session?
Williams: In my session, I will discuss how to choose the right pot and plants, design techniques, and best practices for keeping your containers looking lush, fresh, and pest free through the seasons. I will be giving a live demonstration creating a fall container arrangement.
If you have a question for Lana that we didn’t ask, make sure to attend her workshop and pose it yourself. Stop by the Children’s Library to chat with Patrice about the gardens there. Check out the Six Bridges Book Festival page to stay up to date with all the latest news.
