Editor’s note: This is an occasional series of columns by reporter Kerri Williams, exploring her journey with backyard gardening, offering tips for success, and highlighting some of the horticultural beauty found right here in Westport.

By Kerri Williams

You might be surprised when taking a closer look at the containers planted around my yard. It’s not unusual to find sprigs of parsley or cilantro poking out of an otherwise flowery pot. And a pot with a cherry tomato plant could be standing next to an urn showcasing geraniums and coleus.

That’s because container gardening isn’t just for creating beautiful arrangements of flowers. They are also great for growing vegetables and herbs. Even larger trees and shrubs can find a home in pots.

Both Andi Turner of the Westport Garden Club, and Maybette Waldron, president of the Greens Farms Garden Club, plant most of their vegetables in containers.

Kerri’s yellow lab checks out a tomato plant in a container on her porch in Connecticut. Note the tomato cage placed in the pot to support the plant.

Maybette points out that containers are easier for those who prefer not to get down on their hands and knees when planting and weeding. And pots have the benefit of being easily moved to a sunnier location.

Each year, Andi plants tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, sugar snap peas, green beans, wax beans, lettuce, and kale in pots. Even though there are special varieties of vegetables just for containers, Andi doesn’t use those, finding that the standard ones grow well in her pots.

Containers require more water than plantings in the ground, so Andi suggests using larger pots for less maintenance. She uses organic potting mix for her containers in addition to organic fertilizer, which has less nitrogen.

I have planted lettuce for years in the same container that reminds me of a big salad bowl. Using my own greens in salads is such a treat in the spring, when lettuce thrives.

For crops like tomatoes, that require cages, they can easily go right inside the pot. Some of Andi’s tomatoes grow so tall that she uses the square, wire cages, which she stacks inside of the pot.

Maybette Waldron plants boxwood shrubs in containers for her patio.

For my daughter with special needs, who loves cherry tomatoes, there is nothing better than tasting one from a plant growing right on our porch. She can even help plant and take care of them.

When planting string beans, Maybette uses a special trellis called an obelisk, which is pyramid-shaped and an also go right on a pot. “It looks really pretty,” she said.

In fact, you don’t need to sacrifice beauty when planting crops in containers. Vegetable plants can add variety amongst more flowery containers. And herbs can be planted in the same pot with flowers and vegetables to add interesting foliage and scents.

When it comes to herbs, Gilbertie’s Garden Center on Sylvan Lane has one of the largest selections anywhere. One of my favorite pastimes is to wander their greenhouse to discover a new variety to plant in a container or garden.

Containers gardens look pretty and save money

While herbs look lovely in a traditional garden, they also grow great in pots. I plant an old window box on my back patio each season. Then my culinary herbs are only a few steps away from my kitchen. Herbs such as rosemary, thyme, basil, and sage are used throughout the summer to season my meals.

Eggplants growing in a pot.

Mint, which spreads profusely and can easily take over a garden, is particularly well suited for containers. I love heading out to the porch with a glass of water or iced tea and snipping a few sprigs of pineapple mint to add to my drink.

In addition to vegetables and flowers, gardeners can also plant small trees and shrubs in pots to add interest to a patio or yard. Maybette has planted boxwoods in containers, which she then uses as a beautiful divider on her porch.

I once planted a Meyer lemon tree in a pot on my porch in Connecticut, bringing it inside during the colder months. The tree took some extra care, including making sure it had a large enough pot and got the correct water and sunlight. But it was especially rewarding the first time I spotted a small lemon growing on my little tree.

In a time when the cost of fruits and vegetables is on the rise, why not attempt growing a tomato or pepper plant on your back porch this summer? It’s a wonderful way to try your hand at gardening.

Kerri Williams is a freelance writer who has worked in journalism for years, including as a reporter for the Norwalk Hour and managing editor of the Norwalk Citizen-News. If you have pictures or ideas to share, please send her an email at cultivatingwithkerri@gmail.com.