Gardening on the Go

5 tips for making the most of your time in the garden.

There's no getting around it—cultivating a beautiful landscape is a lot of work. But you can labor more efficiently when you master a few shortcuts.

1. Think double-duty. Tuck small grasses, succulents, annuals and herbs into small, soil-filled clay pots to fashion a centerpiece. When the plants grow too big for the pots, transplant them into the garden.
2. Crowd out weeds. Pack plants close together and you'll cut your weeding time in half.
3. Fill the void. Move colorful potted annuals from bed to bed to perk up areas where perennial flowers have faded from view. Plant the portable containers once for a season's worth of color.
4. Plant a pot. Container gardening is pretty simple, but you can simplify the process by choosing potted plants that fit inside your decorative containers. Plop the plant, pot and all, into the container. If the plant fades or dies, just replace it with a new plant.
5. Save steps. Tote all your tools and seed packets out to the garden in one bucket and bring another to hold pulled weeds and deadheaded blooms. Throw your empty seed packs back into the first bucket, and use the second bucket to haul the garden waste to the compost heap.