Terracotta pots are extremely versatile. They come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes and the choice is large, so there is always something to suit every situation. By planting in a piece of pottery you not only bring the receptacle itself to life but you also provide a focus for flowers or foliage that is not nearly so obvious in the more open parts of a garden. Free-standing pots and bowls direct the eye downward while window boxes, hanging pots and tall vases are often at eye-level, bringing the plants under closer scrutiny and allowing us to appreciate them in greater detail.

Whether pottery is positioned at ground level, on a pedestal, wall or windowsill, its character will, to a greater or lesser extent, determine its suitability for plants of different kinds. Often the inherent style or shape of pottery can influence the planting quite strongly, in which case it should be allowed to do so. Consider the obvious compatibility of low growing succulents or cactus in terra-cotta bowls or ovals, or brightly flowering and trailing varieties of annuals in hanging wall pots, trailing plants are also well-suited to urns, but evergreen or more muted species would complement the more formal square or rectangle planters.