This is a really great article all about houseplants from the Washington Post, and featuring commentary from our friends at Flora Plant Shop in Nashville! 

Of special interest to us is the section about pottery - terra cotta pots are still essential, but other colored clays, such as our Basalt and Granite clays are also great, affordable options:

As your plants grow and thrive, you’ll need to spend more money to repot them. But don’t throw away your old pots or feel pressured to fill them immediately. Instead, keep them for reuse in the future, or consider swapping empty pots with friends as needed.
There are also ways to be budget-conscious while shopping for planters. “Terracotta is typically the most affordable when it comes to pottery,” says Howat, “and there are beautiful options available that aren’t the standard orange clay.” 

All photos shown are from Flora Plant Shop's incredible displays.

The houzz.com slideshow below has some tremendous ideas for Fall container plantings. Preparing and selling pre-planted containers such as these can be an especially great way for independent garden centers to separate themselves from the big boxes, as this is a level of service that just can’t be scaled. While most of the pots shown in the slides aren’t ours, we do have very similar items to most of them on hand for quick shipment.

The Malaysian pottery tradition is defined by the practice of etching  designs through glazes into the bodies of pots. Over time, this technique has evolved from simple geometric scratches into precise decorations and designs, often made into complex layered glazes and engobes.

Over the past 20 years, our primary Malaysian manufacturing partner has invested heavily in upgrading their traditional equipment, resulting in flower pots and saucers of extraordinary durability, quality, and  a consistent finish.

While some Malaysian pottery has had a reputation for low-quality production and shoddy QC standards, Ceramo has partnered with the most respected flower pot producer in the country to manufacture our Malaysian collection.

Our partner is the only manufacturer in Malaysia to mill and pug their clay before production, and their planters are fired to an extraordinarily high temperature in precise computer-controlled kilns. These extra steps result in extraordinary pots that are capable of withstanding year-round outdoor use in any climate.

We have been working with this particular factory for almost two decades, and have every confidence in their ability to produce pots to the highest standard.

• Our Malaysian planters and saucers are all crafted from an extraordinarily high-fired stoneware clay, and are among the most durable glazed planters sold anywhere.
• All glazes are  engineered to match the specific clay blend used in these pots - this results in glazes that don't crack when exposed to extreme temperatures.
• These pots are freeze-proof, and are safe for year-round outdoor use in all climates when used properly.

Chances are that you already sell quite a bit of Vietnamese glazed outdoor pottery in your garden center. Typically noted for their thick wall construction and running glazes, these large flower pots and planters have deservedly become some of the most popular plant containers in the world over the past two decades.

Ceramo works with several different manufacturers to build our collection of Vietnamese flower pots, selecting only those planters from each which offer the best combination of design, beauty, and value.

These flower pots are hand-crafted using techniques rooted in centuries of ceramic tradition:

• Raw clays are harvested from several locations in the mud flats of the Mekong River Delta, and are then combined to produce a blended clay precisely to the master potter's specifications.

• This refined clay is allowed to gently cure, which enhances the durability of the final product - taking this extra step ensures that the Ceramo planters your customers buy from you will easily survive most weather conditions.

• All of our outdoor Vietnamese flower pots are crafted using large plaster molds which are individually hand-crafted by specially-trained staff.

• The raw planters are then glazed, usually by pouring  multiple layers of bright colors, which results in the signature look of Vietnamese outdoor pottery after the pots have been fired for a week at temperatures of almost 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• This extended cooking period, which is called "high-firing", is what produces the incredible durability in these flower pots.
• Ceramo's glazed outdoor Vietnamese flower pots are all hand-crafted. Slight variations in size, shape, and color are to be expected.
• Layered glazes will also demonstrate variation from the photos included here and in the catalog.
• These planters are crafted from high-fired stoneware clay - this means that these flower pots are very durable and hardy, and are capable of year-round outdoor use in most climates, and 3-season outdoor use in cooler climates.

This is an amazing video – if you aren’t focusing on the indoor plant market, you are giving your competitors a huge advantage with the Millennial consumer:

Why are Millennials Obsessed with Houseplants?