Plant a country garden--in buckets

STEP-BY-STEP

1. Find a suitable bucket or tub, either new or used.

2. Drill drainage holes in the bottom, using a 1/2-inch metal drill bit; create at least three holes for a 12-quart bucket, six or more for a 5-1/2-gallon tub.

3. Add potting soil to the bucket until it's about two-thirds full.

4. Move the bucket handle to the upright position; begin planting. For the breezy styles seen here, include some leggy plants like gauras, nemesias, and carnations, as well as middle-of-the-pot candidates such as annual phlox and marigolds. Then add edge-spillers like petunias.