You could water your container plants by hand to keep the hose water from splattering the dirt all over. By watering your container plants "slowly" by hand until the soil absorbs it, will keep the water from pushing the soil or the sides. As for what do grow in them now, you could purchase plants at a nursery that are well established. Keeping "delicate containers" such as wicker baskets, straw hats, etc. "clean," if you have no fond memories of what you're using for containers, then I wouldn't worry about it and just know that they are going to get damaged to the point you might have to throw them away at the end of the season.

Beautiful, you have done an amazing job putting this all together. Love your clematis on the ladder. What name is it? I have some clematis seeds for some of mine that I have been saving and would be glad to share with you and anyone else that wants them. I also have just collected a lot of seed from one of my iris, it blooms yellow and is quite tall either jap or siberian or louisiana iris. You can see pics of the clematis and iris in my flickr album. Good luck with the sweet autumn clematis, I hate it. It has taken over my yard and is very invasive. I pull it or cut it where ever I see it. If it has not bloomed yet, cut it back so it doesn't spill over into your back yard and try to deadhead it before the seeds spread. It only has a short bloom period in the fall and the blooms are hardly worth the effort when they leave you presents to contend with in all your other beds the following spring. Good luck...here's a link to my flickr page, look at Clematis and iris or other 2010 flowers. Here is a link that might be useful: My flickr album

I love what has been shown here as suggestions. I can't wait to see what you do. (And I'm following red neck chic now. Cool blog.) If you decoupage it may not last outside (even on a covered porch)UNLESS you use lazertran transfer paper to make decals and then apply them with oil based varnish. I've just learned more about this technique and will report more when I've experimented. Just wanted to mention it since decoupage was brought up as a possibility. Kathy

Hello Andreea, So very nice. I really love your creation. I love how you placed all your plants. Your wonderful work really made a dreamie garden. And your pond is so nice. I only dream of a yard like yours one day. I would love to be able to ask you of the names of some of your plants. Thank-you for taking the time to post and share your pictures. Really a treat to look at. -Elizabeth