The transient garden

We moved house last week, from a tiny 1980s semi into a large (rented) Victorian terraced. Indoors we have acres more space but outside... well, not so much. We've gone from a small suburban garden to a back yard with no lawn, beds or outbuildings.

Preparation for the move began weeks ago: digging up our favourite plants and shrubs (we mentioned this in the legal paperwork concerning the house sale) and putting them into pots ready for transporting to the new place. Whilst in the supermarket one Saturday I took a crafty look inside Gardens Illustrated magazine. It was a 'container special' – pages of beautifully-planted (and photographed) pots, urns and salvaged containers of all kinds. I was inspired.

Our new yard is actually very pretty: one wall of weathered stone; the rest whitewashed, a little lane beyond the gate and views to the hills. It's also L-shaped so we have plenty of space for pots, grouped together in clusters, and a table with a parasol where we can eat on warm days. We've even inherited a few things – the best is a buddleia just behind our little space which adds height and will no doubt attract bees and butterflies all summer long.

In the pots (mostly terracotta, with any plastic ones to be replaced over time) we have hostas, ferns, foxgloves, cosmos, agapanthus... and geraniums. Geraniums everywhere. Some are trailing from hanging baskets whilst others are in window boxes. Somehow we've managed to squeeze in a few edibles too: a herb box, courgettes, cucumbers, redcurrants, raspberries and Alpine strawberries.

I'm looking forward to changing plants and displays with the seasons. Containers are fun, easy to manage and the best thing about them: we get to take our whole garden with us when we move on again.

Thanks for reading,