Stack a tower of roses - Brief Article

Sunset, Sept, 2001 by Lauren Bonar Swezey

* This trio of blue glazed bowls, filled with yellow miniature roses, has the elegance of a frosted wedding cake. Displayed on a sunny patio or deck, the roses will provide a season-long show of cheerful blooms.

Choose containers in three sizes--small, medium, and large. When they are stacked, there should be enough room around the bottom two tiers for planting. Our top pot measures 91/2 inches in diameter and about 8 inches tall; the middle pot is 15 inches wide and 6 inches tall; and the bottom pot is 19 inches wide and 8 inches tall.

COST: $50 to $100, depending on pots

TIME: 20 to 30 minutes

MATERIALS

* Three bowl-shaped pots, sized as noted above

* One 2-cubic-foot bag of potting soil

* Organic granular fertilizer

* Nine 4-inch potted miniature roses (or nine 2-inch pots)

* Three sixpacks of blue lobelia

DIRECTIONS

1. Fill the bowls about 2/3 full with potting soil. Mix in fertilizer.

2. Plant five roses around the perimeter of the largest bowl, spacing them evenly around the edges. Set the tops of the rootballs about 1 inch below the lip of the bowl and tip the plants slightly outward.

3. Plant one lobelia between the roses.

4. Fill in the remainder of the bowl with potting soil; press to firm down well.

5. Plant three roses in the midsize bowl as described in step 2, setting lobelia plants between them. Press down soil.

6. Plant one rose in the center of the smallest bowl; set lobelia around the edges.

7. Stack the three pots, centered. Take care that they don't damage foliage (ask a friend or family member to slip on some gloves and help hold the foliage away while you place the pots). Make sure the pots sit level, If they sink too low when stacked, lift them and add more potting soil to pot centers.

8. Water all pots thoroughly.