Nordic novelties

Story and photos by Karen E. Varga

The Danes are known for their sleek and modern Scandinavian designs, efficiency and innovation. Denmark is home to the inventor of the LEGO bricks you may have played with as a child, Ole Kirk Kristiansen, and other notable people such as writer Hans Christian Andersen. And the appreciation for plants and gardens is obvious no matter where you look, with residents growing plants in even the smallest spaces in front of their homes.

As we toured garden centers during the International Garden Centre Congress in August, we saw many container plantings that were reflective of the Danish culture, style and even innovation. Here is a selection of the containers that caught attendees’ attention.

Creative Containers

THE SKY IS THE LIMIT when it comes to where you can grow a container plant in Denmark. While typically known more for their simple designs, here are a few of the more imaginative options seen at the garden centers.

Mixing it up

CONGRESS ATTENDEES were intrigued by the creative plant combinations at Bo Grønt Skæring (top right, lower right, right), especially the addition of a small glass jar with an orchid in the planters. Tucked into the planter, the orchid was visible, but the glass jar was less noticeable. This was an easy way to add a sometimes difficult-to-grow plant to a planter and be able to replace it as needed for a freshened-up look.

At Plantorama Hillerød (top left), we saw unique combinations, such as this one, with a range of different plant textures and varieties.

Danish Simplicity

A PHOTO COLLAGE OF DANISH containers wouldn’t be complete without showcasing some of the traditional simplicity of Scandinavian design. Here we see colorful flowers and interesting foliage featured in containers with natural colors that allow the plants to take center stage. Find more coverage of the International Garden Centre Congress in Denmark at gardencentermag.com.