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A photo shared by Monty Don shows an informal grouping of terracotta pots beside a garden path, with greenery softening the paving’s edges. Garden designer Christopher O’Donoghue says staggered pots and foliage that reaches the paving can help create a similar effect; the article presents this as practical advice, not a guaranteed result for every garden.
A photo of Monty Don’s garden path, shared on Instagram, shows an informal grouping of terracotta pots beside the paving, prompting advice on how containers can soften a path’s hard edges. Garden designer Christopher O’Donoghue told Ideal Home that staggered pots and foliage allowed to reach the paving can make the boundary between path and planting appear less rigid.
In the image described by Ideal Home, the path leads from the timber-framed doorway of Don’s doghouse. The containers are not arranged as matching pairs or in a straight line; instead, pots sit at different points along the edges, with nearby greenery appearing to merge visually with the paving. The report characterizes the effect as informal rather than symmetrical.
O’Donoghue, director of Gardens Revived, recommends placing pots in uneven groupings: for example, a cluster of three on one side and a larger container farther along the opposite edge. He says the planting matters as much as the pots, with foliage that spills over a rim and touches the paving helping soften where the path ends. He also recommends mixing container heights and shapes, such as a taller pot with a low bowl.
For plant choices, O’Donoghue suggests matching species to light and conditions. Ideal Home reports his recommendations of Mexican fleabane for sunny paths and creeping thyme in shallow bowls; for shade, he names trailing ivy, hostas, Japanese forest grass and hart’s-tongue fern. The source gives examples, not a one-size-fits-all planting plan, and does not specify the conditions in Don’s garden.
How Pots Can Soften Paving
Paths can read as strong, straight lines through a garden. Pots offer a way to break up that effect without changing the paving itself, making the idea relevant to people who want a softer-looking route but are not planning major landscaping work. The approach relies on placement and plant growth, rather than on buying a matching set of containers.
O’Donoghue also points to a practical consideration: in the UK, he says, containers let gardeners control the soil and drainage more directly, which can help during wet winters. That is his professional advice as quoted by Ideal Home, not a guarantee that all potted plants will thrive in wet conditions. Container size, drainage and plant needs still matter.
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The Garden Behind the Image
Ideal Home reports that Don bought his home in 1991 and inherited a two-acre garden overgrown with nettles and brambles. The article says he has worked on the garden over the years and that its images attract attention on Instagram. The path photo is the specific example behind the report’s practical advice.
The article’s recommendations are attributed to O’Donoghue, who established Gardens Revived with his brother Andrew in 2018. It describes his work across residential gardens, listed sites, RHS flower show gardens and large estates. The article uses his comments to explain how gardeners might adapt the arrangement, rather than presenting a formal announcement or a newly published gardening study.
““Using potted plants is an excellent way to blur the harsh, straight lines of paving.””
— Christopher O’Donoghue, director of Gardens Revived, quoted by Ideal Home
spillover foliage plants for containers
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What the Photo Does Not Show
The source does not provide the date the Instagram photo was posted, the exact plant varieties or container dimensions visible in it, or whether Don has described the arrangement himself. The specific planting advice comes from O’Donoghue’s interpretation and recommendations, not a direct statement from Don about his method.
Ideal Home’s account also does not establish that this arrangement will suit every path. Sun exposure, shade, drainage, local weather and the amount of space available can affect plant selection and growth. The article offers examples but no detailed care schedule or measurements for recreating the scene.
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Adapting the Idea at Home
The source reports no planned follow-up from Don or Gardens Revived. For readers trying the approach, O’Donoghue’s guidance is to start with an uneven arrangement, vary pot heights, and choose plants suited to the path’s light conditions. Allowing foliage to grow toward the paving is part of the proposed effect, but growth and maintenance will depend on the plants selected.
Ideal Home does not provide a later update on the image or say whether Don will share further details. The next step for gardeners is therefore practical rather than a scheduled news event: assess the site, select suitable containers and plants, and adjust the grouping as the plants establish.
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Key Questions
What does Monty Don’s path arrangement look like?
As described by Ideal Home, it uses an informal collection of terracotta pots along a garden path, rather than matching containers placed symmetrically.
How should pots be arranged to soften a path?
Christopher O’Donoghue recommends staggering them and varying the groupings. He gives the example of three pots on one side and a larger pot farther along the other, rather than lining up identical pairs.
Which plants does the article recommend for sunny paths?
O’Donoghue names Mexican fleabane for a spilling, flowering effect and creeping thyme for shallow bowls. The right choice will depend on the site’s conditions and care needs.
Which plants are suggested for a shady path?
The article lists trailing ivy, hostas, Japanese forest grass and hart’s-tongue fern as options O’Donoghue recommends for shady settings.
Did Monty Don explain the trick himself?
The source describes a photo from Don’s Instagram, but the practical guidance in the report is attributed to Christopher O’Donoghue. It does not include a direct explanation from Don.
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