Slideshow: Big Pots of Summer

Sago palm (Cycas revoluta), Carex elata ‘Aurea’, Pelargonium ‘Crystal Palace Gem’, Anagallis monelli, Lantana ‘Professor Raoux’.

1. Using a drill with a 1/2-inch glass-and-tile bit, drill three or four additional drainage holes around the existing center drain hole in the bottom of the pot.

2. Fill the pot with premium planting mix to about 6 inches below the rim. Add water, blending it in well to completely moisten the mix. Tamp the soil down slightly with your hands.

3. Arrange plants in their nursery containers atop the soil; adjust design as desired. Remove the tallest plant from its nursery container, rough up its rootball, and plant it.

4. Repeat the process with lower-growing plants; place trailers around the edge. Add soil to raise the level to 1 to 2 inches below the rim. Scatter controlled-release fertilizer over the soil. Water.