I grew up on a farm, picking our own vegetables and raising our own meat. Because of the hours I spent working in the family garden, I didn't have an interest in the floral aspects of gardening until after college. I reconnected with a good friend who slowly showed me the enjoyment of caring for flowers. With my conditions, I am not able to do very much on the actual ground so I have found container gardening to be what works best for me. 
If you are a flower novice like me, you may be wondering what is container gardening and why is it an option? Container gardening is just as it sounds, growing plants in flowers instead of in the actual ground. For me it is a lot easier than having to crawl around on the ground while I clear out rocks, weeds, and trying to dig deep enough so I can get things planted to the right depth. Using containers, I can find pots and buckets that are the right size and work at the table, as long as I don't fill it so full that I can't lift it. This saves on valuable spoons that I will need later on when it comes to placing and watering my new garden. Here are ten other great reasons you should consider giving container gardening a try. 
I really enjoy playing in the dirt, transferring small flowers into creative containers, filling in with fresh rich dirt and then watering them every few days. It gives me an outlet so I don't feel so lazy as far as outdoor work goes. Plus they brighten my mood and I love how I can set up the contrasting colors/textures to make my outdoor space prettier. I tend to pick flowers that will do well with the amount of sunlight that my porch receives and don't need to be treated with kid gloves. I am definitely not a gardener that needs fragile plants! I also prefer more smaller containers to larger ones that are difficult for one person to move alone. The best part about container gardening is that you can pick whatever you desire, from tomatoes to tulips, and plan your containers and plant locations accordingly.
The first thing I learned about container gardening was that there are 10 mistakes that everyone makes at some point! Unfortunately, I have made all 10 at some point during my horticultural career. The one that I make the most is in regards to watering. I either drown the flowers and end up trying to cure water rot or they cook from lack of hydration. Luckily I found a great webpage with advice on proper watering techniques so I will be giving them a try this season.
Here's another watering idea to help your containers receive the proper amount of water. ChicagoNow posted about using an empty plastic bottle as an irrigation device, and to be honest it sounds fairly user-friendly. I'm looking forward to experimenting with it also!
From a small patio area to a porch or back yard, container gardening truly can be for everyone! Just be creative and be yourself! Select a container that you find interesting or pretty, then pick plants that you enjoy in some way. I'm looking at focusing my garden this year around flowers that draw in butterflies or humming birds, to attract beautiful creatures that, when I watch them, eases my stress. Of course those will need to be in the containers I place away from the porch, so that the bees don't think I am wanting to visit with them instead :)For more information or ideas:
- Better Homes and Gardens Basic Info on Container Gardening (free webpage)
- Better Homes and Gardens Plans and Ideas for Container and Plant Types (free webpage)
- The Vegetable Gardener's Container Bible: How to Grow a Bounty of Food in Pots, Tubs, and Other Containers
- McGee & Stuckey's Bountiful Container: Create Container Gardens of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Edible Flowers
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