A Topiary is a living piece of art - and mostly admired for its shape and compact impact in the garden. Now add all that to a container garden already serving so many other purposes, and it makes container gardening more exciting. Find out how you can grow your own topiary, it's not so hard to do!

Gift Christmas Containers are great holiday and gardening projects and you know how it is, the busier you are and the more you have to do the more you get done and well too! Did you plan ahead perhaps? Many do and as many or more don’t, but whichever's the case, here are some last week fun ideas!

Gardening by the Moon ... here is the daily ‘TO DO’ list for NOVEMBER 2011 for those who have started it. It will remain up as a featured article on the container gardening site until around 9th November and then it will go to the Container Gardening Forum to join those of previous months.

How do we learn about How to Garden? In many ways ... much like we learn about anything - by reading, watching, seeing, copying, doing, hearing and more. But sometimes some of the basics are missed and then we get stuck! Here is a list of explained gardening concepts and terms. Helpful? I hope so!

Up to a challenge of sorts? Got some patience, curiosity and some adventurous currency to spend in your container garden? Then spend it here by growing pineapples in pots. Let it be an annual event in your balcony garden as you grow new plants for a regular crop. Achievement in a container for sure!

Earthworms and healthy soil are like bread and butter or bacon and eggs – okay apart but a winning combination when said and acted upon together. With earthworms in your containers you'll certainly notice the difference in yields. Introduce some to your pots soon – you will be pleased you did!

"Prove that Black Thumb Gardening does or does not exist!" This is the school project given to Tammy in Grade 8. She has to prove it by growing or not growing two starter containers, one pretty with flowers and the other edible. Why not join her, try the tub recipes described then visit the forum?

Containers hide things like ugly walls or utility areas or provide a restful patch. How about setting up a pergola or archway entrance to your patio or front door? Containers are so versatile; one has just got to love their multitasking properties. Add your ideas to use them creatively, read on!

A wow! in the kitchen, a wow! in the garden and a wow! for your health, Ginger is easy to grow and especially suited to containers. Pretty plants, useful in many ways and very good friends with many herbs or spices though go best with chillies and garlic. Do yourself a favour and grow some soon.

An herby bush or is it bushy herb? – Chillies are favourites in any garden or kitchen. On their own or not, this wonderful herb is easy to eat, easy to use and it's easy to harvest your own organically grown crop right on the balcony! And for choice we're spoilt, from nought to meltdown in seconds