Does your container garden have an awful lotta terra cotta? Here’s a fun and easy project idea to spruce things up from  the book Small-Space Container Gardens by Fern Richardson. And don’t miss your chance to enter to win a copy of the book, seed packets, and a Woolly Pocket!

Chalkboard pots

Clockwise from bottom right: chalkboard, stencil, and batik techniques. (Photo credit: Fern Richardson)

All you need is a little elbow grease, a few craft supplies, and some DIY spirit to transform plain-Jane pots into a cohesive container collection that’s as interesting to look at as the plants themselves.

Supplies

• Terracotta pot
• Smooth paint roller
• Outdoor paint
• Masking tape
• Foam stamp
• Chalkboard paint

Method

1. Using the paint roller, paint the area below the lip of the pot with the outdoor paint. Allow to dry completely.
2. Mark off a rectangle with masking tape and, with a clean paint roller, paint the area inside the rectangle
   with the chalkboard paint. Remove tape.
3. Using the paint roller, cover the foam stamp in an even coat of chalkboard paint and press it firmly into place. Repeat to complete your design. Allow the paint to dry overnight before planting.

Other ideas for transforming your pots — including stencil and batik techniques — can be found in Small-Space Container Gardens.