Bea Broda: Today we are going to discover how to create spectacular potted plants that thrive and look beautiful all season long. As you can see we are at the Toronto zoo and you know that a fantastic range of animals but I bet you did not know it also has one of the world’s best collections of plants.

Hi Jennifer!

Jennifer Reynolds: Hi Bea!

Bea Broda: How do we get started?

Jennifer Reynolds: First thing that you have to do is choose a pot that has a drainage hole. I did not do that I choose a basket and it has lot of space in it so I have lined it with a plastic bag and just pocked holes in the bottom. Because the last thing you want is for your plants to be too wet.

Another tip is to start with a great soil. This is miracle grow moisture control potting mix and it has things like perlite and pit moss in it and it even has plant food. But the best thing is that it has a coconut fiber in it so it actually helped to keep the plants moist throughout the summer. So you do not have to water as often.

Bea Broda: I love that idea.

Jennifer Reynolds: We are going to start with something tall in the center and I love these daffodils. The bulbs are a beautiful thing to have into the middle of the spring basket. What I love to do is mix all kinds of different things in the basket bulbs, shrubs, perennials, annuls and when you are done with the planters in the basket you can also put them in your garden afterwards. And I love this high drainage it has this big flowers on it so mix it things that are upright, large flowers and then think of the color combinations.

This pink with the orange begonia is so pretty I just love the way they all work adding in some of the cooler colors like that pretty campanula. Isn’t this gorgeous? That is a pretty perennial that looks great in the garden too and then always rounding things out with some tropical plants. This is a gorgeous—green and it always brings in all the colors together and spills over the side of the planter.

Bea Broda: You make it look so easy.

Jennifer Reynolds: [Laughs] roses.

Bea Broda: Oh la-la [Laughs].

Jennifer Reynolds: And this is a great project to do with kids because they love to help. There is the last piece right there viola we are done.

Bea Broda: It is breathtaking.

Jennifer Reynolds: Thank you.

Bea Broda: What do we have to do to keep it looking this vibrant all season?

Jennifer Reynolds: We can use a liquid fertilizer every one to two weeks, so a slow release fertilizer once for the whole season and that will keep it looking great.

Bea Broda: It looks like your only needed trip to your local botanical garden or the zoo to get the inspiration you need to get started.