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Container Plants
| Short of time, space or energy? Don’t let that dampen your gardening enthusiasm. Just focus on containers and decorate your deck, patio, porch or balcony with bright splashes of color with “mini gardens” that are easy to maintain. Below are suggestions for plants that lend themselves to pots, window boxes and other containers. Simply scan for items of interest, check the copy for helpful information and click on the pictures to see the full selection of that plant type. Then choose the cultivar(s) that best suit your needs and your own personal style. Let those creative juices flow! |
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Ranging from a foot tall to giant, impressive globes on 3+ foot stems, alliums create a late spring sensation in medium to extra large containers. Mix with daylilies, daffodils and geraniums. |
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Widely grown in pots for fall and holiday decorations, amaryllis are ideal container plants: big, splashy, colorful and oh-so-easy. |
Allium |
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Amaryllis |
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Arranged alone, or grown as a bright ruffle around the ankles of taller plants, anemones offer short stature, fluttery foliage and windblown flower petals ideal for pots. |
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For electrically bright, fragrant flowers from the cool side of the color wheel, Babiana is a winner. Light water needs makes container planting a natural. |
Anemone |
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Babiana |
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Looking for something out of the ordinary for your patio pots? Calochortus offers flowers with speckled, upturned faces and low moisture requirements. |
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Citrus trees grow beautifully in pots, allowing for close up appreciation of flowers, shiny foliage and colorful fruits. In cold areas, move trees to indoor sunny windows in fall. |
Calochortus |
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Citrus |
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Daylilies mix well with daffodils and grape hyacinths in containers. Or plant a single long blooming variety like yellow Happy Returns for weeks of bright flowers. |
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Good strong sun and a wind-free site are the keys to beautiful, fragrant freesia in pots. Tip: the lighter colored flowers tend to be more strongly scented. |
Daylilies |
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Freesia |
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Perennial geraniums, or cranesbills, are soft billowy plants that look lovely cascading from containers or weaving through taller, more upright plants. |
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For tiny, starry, early reminders that winter is (almost?) over, plant pots of Chinodoxa where you'll pass them going to the car or taking Fido out for a walk. |
Geraniums |
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Chionodoxa |
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Like bright blue jewels, grape hyacinths add color and light, sweet scents to early spring containers. Mix with daffodils like Tête-à-tête, Thalia and Avalanche. |
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Renowned for their strong, sweet perfume, hyacinths are excellent container choices. Grow outdoors or force inside if you can provide the 12 weeks of chill time needed. |
Grape Hyacinths |
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Hyacinths |
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Closely planted in snug groups or mixed with Glory of the Snow, Dutch irises provide very good spring color in large or small containers. Some offer both beauty and scent. |
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Bearded iris spread over time so start with a large container. Consider including grape hyacinths for additional early season color. |
Iris, Dutch |
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Iris, Bearded |
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For splashy shades and exotic forms, use ixia in containers placed near patios, porches and balconies where you relax at day's end. |
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Another "small jewel" group, leucocoryne shines in wide, low containers placed near benches or chairs where you can relax and enjoy them up close. |
Ixia |
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Leucocoryne |
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Mix several daffodil varieties, combine with daylilies (the latter hides the former's spent foliage) or plant with grape hyacinths. These are first rate container plants. |
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Most of the US is too cold for outdoor paperwhite planting, so indoors is definitely the way to enjoy these scented beauties. See our paperwhite page for variety details. |
Daffodils, Narcissus |
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Paperwhites, Narcissus |
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With brilliant splashes of hot color, yellow- and orange-flowering ornithogalum are now showing up as florists' pot plants. Grow your own at a fraction of the cost! |
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Oxalis, or shamrocks, make delightful container plants; pretty foliage, delicate flowers and speedy results are just some of the appeal. Highly recommended. |
Ornithogalum |
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Oxalis |
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With over a dozen color choices and big, full blooms, ranunculus were make for containers. Mix flower hues for your own gorgeous custom combinations. |
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Like Glory of the Snow, Snowdrops are among the earliest of spring bloomers. Plant with dwarf daffodils and savor the beginning of spring. |
Ranunculus |
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Galanthus |
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Colorful, easy care and happy in hot, dry situations, sparaxis is perfect for containers that realistically won't get lots of TLC but still must look great. |
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Another good choice for warm weather containers, tritonia shines with lots of arching stems covered with tropical-hued blooms. |
Sparaxis |
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Tritonia |
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Petite, colorful and able to thrive in warmer climates that would spell the death of Dutch tulips, species tulips are underused garden beauties. Ideal for pots and edgings. |
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Tulips (species) |
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