Preparing for winter blooms

Following the success with the plants this summer I decided to order winter pansies and polyanthus. The current pansies and petunias are just about finished but the French marigolds and begonias are still blooming. An order of 33 each plug plant pansies and polyanthus arrived today with another 45 pansies to come soon - so I needed more troughs. Off to the garden centre to get them and also got 4 large bags of compost. I have a half barrel in my garden which used to have a water feature but I didn't like it so it has been empty except for some nice stones for some years. I had the idea of half filling it with some bricks I have lying about then a membrane and compost and either a mass of pansies or other prolific bloomers or some heathers with the stones. I have never liked gardening but the success of this year has made me more interested in pots and troughs.