Carry on Gardening : Gardening topics : Growing in containers

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Why not make a sink garden?

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Why not make a sink garden?

Preparing and positioning the sink
Materials needed
Coating the sink with hyper-tufa
Drainage
Soil
Plant selection
Aftercare

To make the sink look more 'authentic' or, in other words, less like an old discarded sink, a coating of cement and peat mixture can be applied to the outside. This substance is known as hyper-tufa. It looks very natural, closely resembling the real tufa, a stone found only in a few areas, which is light in weight and very porous, being composed of deposits rich in lime laid down by rivers. Naturally this limeridden medium would restrict the choice of plants, but hyper-tufa is not so alkaline. The choice of soil used in the finished container will be all that determines your choice of plants. The resulting 'old-stone' effect of the container will ensure that the plants become the focus of attention in a tasteful setting.

Preparing and positioning the sink

All pipe fittings should be removed and the sink must be thoroughly cleaned with detergent and rinsed well. Select its position carefully as once the sink is mounted it will be well nigh impossible to manoeuvre.

Drainage will be critical, so the sink needs to be positioned above ground level. Choose a suitable height to meet individual needs. All round access by wheelchair may well be a consideration and best working height needs to be decided upon. As regards aspect, an open, airy and, perhaps, west facing location is ideal.

The sink can balance on a central plinth or on supports at each end. Brick, stone, breeze block, old chimney stacks, an already existing raised bed or wall may all be suitable. The main requirement is that the garden is safe and firmly supported. The sink can now be transformed in situ. Cool, not frosty, weather is ideal for carrying out this work.

Materials needed

The sink (in situ).
Some plastic to put underneath to catch drips.
Medium-size tin of all purpose contact adhesive, e.g. Unibond, and spreader (old paintbrush or piece of wood).
Rubber gloves which can afterwards be discarded.
A 2 gallon bucket (or 2 X 1 gall.).
A small bag of ready-mix cement (enough to fill half the bucket).
Sphagnum moss peat (enough to fill the other half).
Water for mixing and stick or spade for mixing with.
Crocks to go over the plug hole.
1-2 inch stones or grit for drainage.
Soil mix to go in the container
Plants of your choice (see list).
Some rocks if desired to 'landscape' the sink garden.
Grit to cover exposed soil.

Coating the sink with hyper-tufa

Soak half a bucket of peat in water.
Paint the outside of the sink and 4 inches down the inside with a coating of the contact adhesive. Be generous or else the hyper-tufa will not stay on, leaving bald patches showing. Use an old paintbrush or a spreader, whichever seems easiest.
Allow this to dry for about 1.5 hours, then mix up some hyper-tufa.
Using equal parts of soaked peat and ready-mix cement, fill half your bucket (it is best to mix a little at a time).
The amount of water you add is critical. Add water very carefully (from a watering can or milk-bottle) stirring the mess with a stick in the bucket. If this seems hard, empty it out on plastic and try mixing with a trowel.
When this mixture has the consistency of a stiff porridge it is ready. You don't need much water. Too much water is a disaster as it will make the mix too wet.
What you have now is half a bucket of hyper-tufa. Apply more adhesive to a small section of the sink, say half of one side.
Leave it for a short while until it is tacky, then slap the mixture on about 0.5 inch thick. This is a wonderfully messy job. Do it with your hands (rubber gloves needed) or use a builder's trowel. It needs to be pressed firmly onto the adhesive but of course bits will keep falling off. If a small part is attempted at a time, panic will be kept to a minimum!
Carry on in this mode until you have used up the first mix, then start again by mixing equal parts of soaked peat and ready-mix cement.
When the sink is covered (a 2 gallon bucket-full of the mix is usually enough for a normal size sink), cover it with plastic and allow it to dry. The longer it takes to set the stronger it will become, so a sprinkle of water after a day or so will not come amiss.
The coating can be left with a rough but ready appearance or marked in lines or brushed smooth to please individual tastes. It is better to make marks when the mixture hardens.
When 24 hours have elapsed brush a little sour milk or organic liquid fertilizer onto the surface. This will encourage the growth of mosses and lichens to increase the natural appearance.
Leave this for at least 2 weeks before attempting to fill the container with soil, or plant it up.

Drainage

This is crucial, but should present no problem because of the plughole. Cover this with crocks-slates, tiles or perforated zinc-to prevent it being blocked up. Add at least 2 inches of stones, rubble or gravel, then a layer of sphagnum peat if you have any left, then soil.

Soil

A gritty mix is to be recommended, perhaps John Innes 1 or 2 with extra grit if possible, or good garden soil mixed with some John Innes 1 or 2 and sharp sand. Small rocks can be arranged on top to give an extra dimension and to provide extra drainage for certain plants. Soak the soil and allow it to settle for a few days.

A weak solution of permanganate of potash sprinkled over the whole sink at this point prevents wood-lice or slugs from becoming too aggressive.

After planting, chippings or shingle can be placed on any exposed soil, to keep plants clean, deter weed seedlings, conserve moisture and give, an overall neat appearance to this tiny garden.

Plant selection

If you desire a miniature rock garden, plant a few dwarf conifers, perhaps two or three of different shapes and colours; pointed or bushy, green, golden or blue. Among any protruding rocks add tiny rosette and cushion forming plants which will never become rampant. It is best not to overcrowd with plants at first as this will lead to losses, so be prepared to admire more rock chippings than plants until the garden is established.

You could choose a single plant family with infinite variety to fill the whole sink on their own, e.g. succulents such as Sedum (stonecrop), Sempervivum (houseleeks) or rosette-type plants like Saxifraga (rock-foil).

Tiny mosses, hardy ferns or miniature bulbs will add extra interest. Alternatively, the sink can be used for seasonal display, e.g. dwarf bulbs of unusual type for winter and spring lifted when foliage begins which can be lifted when foliage begins to die down and preserved for the next year. Likewise annuals, dwarf shrubs, miniature roses or evergreen trailers can be included for summer and autumn display.

Conifers: These dwarf varieties grow only about 0.5 inch or 1 cm or so per year.

Chamaecyparis obtusa Nana Gracilis: pyramid shape; Juniperus communis 'Compressa' columnar, blue-green; Picea abies 'Little Gem': bright green dome; Cryptomeria japonica 'Compressa': bronze foliage in winter.

Dwarf shrubs: Andromeda polifolia 'Compacta': (needs peaty soil) 20 cm spread, evergreen, pink or white bell-like flowers in early summer; Genista delphinensis: large yellow flowers on tightly congested mats, 10 cm spread; Daphne arbuscula: slow growing, 15 cm, rosy pink waxy flowers.

Cushion-forming plants: Armeria 'Bet, vans Variety': pink flowers; Dionysia . aretioides: bright yellow flowers in spring; Gentiana acaulis: violet-blue, green golden or blue, spring to summer; Saxifraga grisebachii: curious mauve-red flowers on long stems with silver foliage.

Aftercare

Watering

When first planting this is important. Until plants are established they need to be watered thoroughly in dry weather. A fine rose on the watering can is necessary to give a gentle spray.

Feeding

Should include bone meal for alpine and shrubby plants, liquid fertilizer during the growing season for annuals.

Controlling size

Dead-heading needs attention and weed removal also. Plants that try and outgrow their allotted space need to be dealt with firmly.

Soil

Will need renewing only if annual plants are grown, the top 4 inches or so will suffice. A close and loving eye will spot any disease early and deal with it accordingly.

Publications

Eyewitness Garden Handbooks, Rock Garden Plants. 1997. Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 0 7894 14554

Creating and Planting Garden Troughs. Joyce Fingerut. 1999. B.B. Mackey. ISBN 1 89344 3000