Gardening tips for 'Generation Rent'

It's a theme adopted by acclaimed garden designer Tanya Batkin, who will be showing her Moveable Feast Garden at the new RHS Chatsworth House Flower Show in Derbyshire from June 7-11.

Batkin explains: "My daughter is 'generation rent' with a tiny outdoor space - we are talking one pot. She had to have something bombproof, so we went for some succulents, some houseleeks.

"If you have room for a half barrel, you could put in one bamboo, some grasses and a heuchera, which is great for all-year-round interest. It gives you a nice combination of form and foliage."

Her show garden is made up of a series of brightly coloured wooden planters in palette and half-palette sizes. They are all on wheels, she points out, so easy to move.

'Rent generation' gardeners can buy wheeled stands and trolleys with which to move all manner of containers. There are many portable compost bins on the market - some of which are available free through local authorities - as well as lighter, resin-based containers, self-contained, easy-to-move water features and stick-in-the-ground solar lighting.

And you don't have to limit yourself to having flowering ornamental plants in your moveable pots, says Batkin.

"Because my show garden is called 'Moveable Feast', there's going to be a lot of edible planting. Things like bay, rosemary and lavender will grow happily in pots."

Planting with a view that you will not be in one place for long is a growing trend, says Mark Sage, head of horticulture at Wyevale Garden Centres.

Edibles are also easy to grow in pots and are moveable. Dwarf fruit trees are also increasing in popularity, says Sage.

"Even in our 'grow your own' selections, we've seen an increase in patio varieties, simply because people have smaller spaces.

"Things like terrace patio fruit, varieties which are grafted on to a rootstock and will grow to about 5ft tall, will thrive in smaller spaces. We have tomato ranges which are suitable for pots and hanging baskets. Growing in smaller spaces is a focus for us.

"The continued interest in 'grow your own' has seen the breeders working extensively on getting really good, productive, great tasting fruit and vegetables suitable for container gardening, particularly with fruit trees."

Here are some of Batkin's tips to help the "generation rent" maintain and move their gardens:

ON THE MOVE?

:: If you have large plants or shrubs, gently contain wayward stems with strips of hessian to reduce damage during your move.

:: Don't water your pots the night before the move, which will just increase their weight.

:: Nobody likes carrying soggy pots. If you are moving yourself, it's worth investing in, or hiring, a sack truck for the bigger pots.

ONCE YOU'VE MOVED...

POTS

If you're going to make a container garden, bigger is always better. One large pot or a group of three medium-sized pots make a bolder statement than 15 little pots. Check drainage holes are big, as small ones tend to clog up with compost. Place crocks or broken tiles in the bottom to aid drainage. The bigger the pot, the less you have to water in summer and grouping them together creates a mini microclimate helping trap humidity.

COMPOST?

Mediterranean plants like lavender hate sitting in winter wet, so add grit to your mix to make it more free draining. Moisture lovers and larger shrubs such as salix, hydrangeas and some ferns will benefit if you add loam to your compost, to help retain moisture and nutrients through the season. Acid lovers such as blueberries or azaleas require ericaceous compost.

PLANTING SCHEMES

Flowers are fabulous, but think about the foliage too, an interesting mix of forms and leaves will add an extra layer of interest to your containers.

Layer your planting by adding summer or spring bulbs to the pot first and they will add interest through the year.