I typed the title ‘Going Potty’, then decided that sounded like a story about toilet training children. This is not a story about toilet training children. It’s a bit too soon for that yet. No, this is a story about painting pots. I had three Berberis thunbergii ‘Helmond Pillar’ shrubs that desperately need to get out of their pots, and I decided they would look great, and were just right in number, for a site along the side of the carport.
Big pots (or planters) can be expensive. Since I like to keep costs down I had trouble finding some in a colour and style that I liked. The decision came down to plastic-type pots in a beige colour I liked or terracotta pots with a nice brick-like edging that I could paint, which were on special at The Warehouse. I opted for the more creative (time-consuming) terracotta option. This necessitated a trip to Bunnings (how sad… *cough*) to find some appropriate paint. I hadn’t painted pots before or even researched it (naughty!), so I figured paving paint would be a good option.
First, I cleaned the pots with water and a pot scrubber to get rid of any dirt or loose residue. Once dry, I painted around the rims, making sure to go down inside the pots a bit so no terracotta will show when the pots are filled. After a day or two I turned the pots upside-down and painted the rest of them, overlapping the paint a little on the bottom of the pots too.
Once dried for a couple of days, the pots were ready for their new occupants, the Berberis thunbergii ‘Helmond Pillar’ shrubs. They aren’t much to look at at the moment as they’re deciduous, so have dropped many of their burgundy-coloured leaves. I’m looking forward to spring when they burst into new growth, which should look marvellous against the beige pots. I still have plenty of paint left. Now, what else to paint…
Wild Hope Homestead 