Shaped bay trees are most frequently grown in containers. They are often positioned as a duo to frame a door or create an artistic viewpoint on a patio. If you are growing your shaped bay in a container, select a large enough pot to allow for root growth. Add stones or broken pot pieces at the bottom for drainage, then add good quality multi-purpose compost. Carefully remove your shaped bay tree from its growing pot and position it in the container. Fill with compost so the soil in the container is at the same level asit was when it was growing in its pot. Water well. Pruning Once trained by our specialists in the nursery, maintaining this shape should be easy, plus growing them will also provide you with a supply of fresh and fragrant bay leaves - what a treat! As bay varieties are used to hotter climates, watering them too much is an issue and they will not tolerate having wet feet. If your bay is planted in the ground make sure the drainage of the soil is sufficient enough. You can improve soils drainage by adding organic matter or grit to the soil. Cold and Frost

A well-known and popular evergreen shrub, Laurus Nobilis (Sweet Bay) is a multipurpose garden plant which is totally at home both planted in the ground or presented in a pot! In Christianity, the bay tree symbolizes Christ’s resurrection. It also symbolizes fame, prosperity, and honor. Add a touch of Mediterranean glamour to your garden with a potted olive tree. These silver-leaved evergreens are slow-growing and work well in containers. Over time they will develop into real characters with gnarly grey bark and contorted trunks. Choose a compact variety, and an occasional light prune will be enough to keep it in shape. Place in a sunny spot and use a well-drained loam-based compost such as John Innes No. 3. Best evergreen trees in pots Priestesses who worshiped Apollo would chew the bay tree berries before giving out prophecies. The berries are both a stimulant and a narcotic. People believed that putting laurel berries beneath your pillow would cause you to have prophetic dreams. Water the plant thoroughly, and keep it well watered for several weeks to allow the roots to bed in.Lovely in their own right, a tree that flowers is just the icing on the cake. There’s no need to miss out on the floral fireworks if you have a small garden – here are some of our favourite flowering trees that can be grown in pots. 11. Star Magnolia Position in full sun or partial shade and enjoy the rich green of the leaves, the appealing structure of their form and the aromatic scent from the leaves. View our collection of plants Bay trees can produce tiny little yellow flowers. To produce any fruits, the female tree needs to be pollinated so if there is only one tree then it may never produce fruits. Bays are evergreen trees and while it is normal for them to drop a couple of their leaves here and there make sure to keep an eye on it if the issue starts to get worse. Overwatering As with standard bay trees, pyramid bay trees have been carefully trained for several years to ensure they have a pleasing pyramid shape. Creating an evenly balanced foliage form from top to bottom.

Bays can be very expensive in garden centres, with similar products selling for over 50 poundseach, so this fantastic offer is unbelievable value! Given the right conditions, it’s technically possible to grow any tree, regardless of size, in a pot. The Japanese arts of bonsai and cloud pruning are the best-known and perhaps most effective ways of accomplishing this (Bonsai literally translates as ‘planted in a container’). Here are a couple of large trees that can be grown as bonsai or cloud pruned. 14. Yew Kept neatly clipped, the dark-green foliage creates stunning formal shapes which are ideal for entryways and patios. A cold snap can do much damage to many plants but especially the Mediterranean varieties. Bay trees can be pretty hardy when it comes to being in our UK gardens but beware of weather dropping below 5 degrees and try to protect your trees from any frost. Nitrogen Deficiency Besides looking good, bay is an essential ingredient in cooking and topiary specimens really lend themselves to growing in a kitchen garden or in a pot by the kitchen door.Bay trees are hardy down to around -5°C, however, as soon as temperatures drop close to 0°C we recommend moving your tree to somewhere more sheltered. A pot grown bay tree prefers a sunny, sheltered location in the garden. This ensures that the tree will get enough sun throughout the year but allows for it to be moved when winter comes around and the temperature starts dropping into the minus figures. After this first repotting your tree will need to be repotted every few years as it continues to grow and deplete the nutrients in the potting soil. If the tree is too large to re-pot, you could refresh the potting soil by replacing up to 50% of the old soil with fresh.

If you live in a particularly cold area then we suggest moving the tree to an unheated greenhouse or conservatory to protect it from extreme temperatures and frost. The standard size and head size increase together, giving a balanced and proportionate look; the taller the trunk, the larger the width of foliage on top. Naturally, larger standard bays are at a premium, having been tended for a longer period of time. Although best known for their towering height ( Italian cypress can grow to 20 metres tall, Leylandii cypress to 40 metres), conifer trees come in all sizes, including extra small. A neat dwarf pine, cedar, cypress or juniper tree is perfect for popping in a pot to bring a calming evergreen presence to a patio. Place in part shade and avoid full sun to prevent the foliage from scorching. 5. Bay

Both the Greeks and Romans believed the bay would bring health and happiness. Bays were often planted outside a house to protect the inhabitants and leaves were carried to ward off evil spirits. As an evergreen, the bay was seen to represent eternity and immortality. We advise that you withhold water for a couple of days in advance to allow the soil to dry out slightly. Today the winners of the Grand Prix are awarded a wreath of bay leaves. In Italy, some college graduates wear bay leaf wreaths instead of mortarboards for graduation. Bay is used in psychic dream pillows and is also worn by healers to help purify a room. Bays do not react well to having wet feet or waterlogged soil so make sure the pot has good drainage is an important step. If you suspect that the pot isn't draining well enough then you will need to look to some ways to improve it.