Plants and their containers should always be the main focus of a display but carefully chosen accessories can often enhance them, in particular:

Art and sculpture

Pictures, sculptures and other works of art can be used to great effect with plants, provided the latter are simple and stylish.

Water

Water features are commonly used with plants in large landscape designs but are less popular in small displays. They require more maintenance than plants alone and people do get concerned about water spillage, even though the risk is small. Most people find the gentle sound of moving water very soothing – though for some it brings on the urgent need for a trip to the washroom!


Rocks and Wood

Large rocks, whether real or artificial, and pieces of decayed or weathered wood can give a display a more natural look and add points of interest. It is important that all such material, especially real stone, comes from recognised sources and has not been "plundered" from restricted areas to the detriment of the local environment.

Top dressings

This is by far and away the most common plant accessory because if used correctly it can:

• Enhance the appearance of a display.
• Hide unsightly compost surfaces.
• Can add a seasonal touch e.g. at Christmas.
• Help to discourage soil pests e.g. sciarid flies.
• Reduce water loss from the compost.
  

There are dozens of different materials that are used to cover the surface of the soil in a container. The most common are bark, gravel, cobblestones and Spanish moss. These four materials probably make up over 75% of the top dressings used worldwide. More recently, however, a wide range of new products has become available. These include:

• Wood chips, which are sometimes dyed.
• LECA clay granules.
• Recycled glass chippings.
• Crushed sea shells, which can be dyed.

• 'Coffee beans', which are small, smooth pieces of gravel spray-painted in brown, silver, gold and other colours.
• Marble chippings.
• Slate chippings.
• Mock bark, made from recycled car tyres, often in different colours.
• Chipped quartz and other semi-precious minerals.
  

The key points to remember when considering a top dressing include:

• Think of the design and choose a dressing that goes well
  with the container.
• Keep the depth to a maximum of 2 – 3 cm; much
  deeper and you may restrict air exchange with the roots.
• Avoid the use of heavy stones, which compact the compost and
  may be thrown around by vandals.
• Bark and wood chips should be sterile and fire retarded.
• Don’t use very small dressings on compost that is top watered;
  they will sink into the compost.
  

Further information on top dressings can be found in the Specifiers guide.

Decorative lighting

Decorative lighting can considerably increase the dramatic effect of a plant, especially in poorly lit areas. A wide range of uplighters, downlighters and spotlights are available to suit the style and practicality of most locations. If a full spectrum or similar bulb is chosen, the light will also help the plant to survive in areas that might otherwise be too dark. Care needs to be taken to ensure that only lights suitable for use in damp environments are installed.

This concludes module 2 of our on-line CPD training.  If you would like to test your knowledge, why not try the short quiz.  You can also download a certificate to record your participation in this module that you can print and place in your personal training file.