Designing ContainersCreate gorgeous planters full of flowers, veggies and more
' Violet Eclipse ' container recipe : Supertunia ® Sharon , Supertunia ® Royal Velvet ® , and Supertunia ® Magenta ® petunias ; Angelface ® Blue angelonia . Photo : Proven Winners
Container gardening is a fun , flexible style to bring vibrant color , texture , and greenery to any space — from patios and porch to balcony and backyards . Whether you ’re calculate for creative container garden ideas , tips for design heart - catch displays , or the best plants to grow in pots , you ’ve get to the right spot .
In this templet , you ’ll find inspiration for every season , expert plant survival of the fittest advice , and hardheaded container gardening tips to serve your planters thrive . Browse the section below to start design your thoroughgoing container garden !
wind : utilise the table of subject matter to jump direct to the section you ’re most concerned in , whether it ’s plant ideas , care tip , or container innovation stirring .
On this page :
CONTAINER GARDEN IDEAS FOR EVERY SEASON
come upon originative container garden ideas to inspire your plantings year - orotund — from sheer summer arrangements to festive winter pots and everything in between .
Container design that commingle architectural presence , sultry colors , and abundant texture .
Try something unexampled with your fall containers . Get idea and inspiration with some of our fall favourite .
14 thoughtful container that observe the garden - and the season .
PLANT SELECTION FOR CONTAINER GARDENS
Choosing the veracious plant is of the essence for container gardening achiever . take care for combination that thrive in the same light and piss stipulation , and think about colour , texture , and growth habits when designing your mix .
Environment:
oppose sunlight and weewee needs across all works in a container . Choose from our guides to the best plant life for full sunshine or shade - loving container plants .
Flowers & foliage:
The best container combinations mix long - blooming bloom with foliage that adds colour , texture , or contrast . Do n’t rely on flower alone — foliation often lasts longer and carry the figure through seasonal change .
Three main roles:
Color tips:
Swapping plants midseason
demand a change ? employ a tongue to reduce around the root clump of any plant you require to replace . Remove it and plug in a new one — within a hebdomad , it ’ll look like it was always part of the design .
Suggestions for some of the best industrial plant for full sun containers .
Solutions for livening up fly-by-night field and 11 works that will thrive in humble light .
Grow perennial industrial plant in container for twelvemonth of reliable colour .
contribute long - lasting colouring to containers with recurrent works that reward with old age of color .
tip for planting , growing , and caring for a terrace - friendly roseate garden .
total vividness to a patio , deck , or balcony with lantana in pots .
Find out everything you need to know about growing petunias in pots .
CHOOSING THE RIGHT CONTAINER
The ripe container does n’t just hold your plants — it supports healthy growth , complements your design , and enhances the overall look of your garden .
Ensure proper drainage:
you may plant instantly into almost any container , as long as it has drainage holes . Drilling through Grant Wood , plastic , or fiberglass is comparatively well-to-do . For clay pots , utilize an galvanic drill with a Freemasonry bit — but work cautiously to avoid cracking .
Invest in quality:
When buy large container , choose the respectable quality you could open . Classic condition and neutral style tend to work across many garden figure and will last longer than movement - drive colors or design .
Match containers to your home:
allow the materials and expressive style of your house steer your container choices .
Choose the right shape:
A grandiloquent , narrow-minded raft is less stable than a wide , low one . apply tall containers for whippersnapper , tail plant that cascade down . position shallower containers , like alpine goat god , toward the front of a display to anchor the group visually .
Avoid difficult shapes:
Skip narrow - necked heap with wide-cut bodies — once a plant ’s roots fill the space , it becomes difficult to take away . ( That ’s why most traditional flowerpots are wider at the top . )
Simplify your display:
Not every flora need a fancy pot . Use basic black charge plate nursery pots for most industrial plant , and simply group them behind decorative containers to create a cohesive and miserable - criminal maintenance look .
AquaPots® Self-Watering Containers
Unmatched design , refined colors , and unprecedented finishes make AquaPots a favourite among retail merchant , landscape pro , and home base nurseryman . Hundreds of singular excogitation in multiple sizes , colour , and finish are available .
Top 4 reasonableness to clothe in AquaPots:1 . Highest quality finishes of any ceramic planters2 . Most durable planters on the market3 . Trendsetting colors and finishes4 . New design every year
PLANTING YOUR CONTAINER
determine the staple of set beautiful container , from choose the right grunge to arranging plant for the good visual effect and healthy outgrowth .
Planting mix:
Start with a commercial , peat - base , soilless mixture . These mixes hold back water well than garden soil and make the ideal environment for root growth . mix in in a slow - release fertilizer at planting time . When filling your container , leave alone about an inch of space between the soil aerofoil and the lip to allow for watering . ( See more : pot Soil 101 )
Plant placement:
For container placed against a paries or fencing , position marvellous plants at the back so they do n’t shade smaller companions . In containers placed out in the clear , put the tallest plant life in the center and beleaguer them with makeweight and spiller to create a balanced , 360 - point display .
Top dressing:
To give your container a more polished tone and serve keep moisture , top dress the soil with gravel , crushed shells , cosmetic pebbles , or another warm - enfeeble stuff .
CONTAINER CARE & MAINTENANCE
keep your container plants healthy require the right-hand tearing docket , regular feeding , and simple maintenance job to keep them attend their good .
Water:
Plants in containers dry out more quickly than those in garden beds due to limited dirt mass and exposure to Lord’s Day and twist . Water regularly — often daily in hot weather — and aim directly at the al-Qaeda using a watering baton or long - spout can to avoid wet the foliage . A grease wet metre is a helpful tool for know when to irrigate .
Consistency is key . Setting up adrip irrigation systemensures your containers get water on a honest agenda — particularly helpful during vacation or busy hebdomad .
Fertilizer:
Frequent lacrimation washes nutrient out of pot mix , so container plants involve steady alimentation . A modest dose of fertiliser applied weekly is far more effective than infrequent , heavy applications .
Deadheading:
Snip off spent flush and any leggy or damaged growth to keep containers hefty and boost clean blooms .
determine why , how and when to deadhead your garden plants .
Learn how to set up a drip irrigation system for your containers .
Karen Chapman offers these natural selection tips to keep them thriving .
DESIGN TIPS FOR BEAUTIFUL CONTAINERS
discover how to contrive container gardens that fly high — with smart layout ideas , display scheme , and plant mate tips to ensure yr - round impact .
' Summit Ridge ' container formula : Proven Accents ® Illusion ® Garnet Lace , Graceful Grasses ® Fiber Optic Grass , Graceful Grasses ® Vertigo ® , Supertunia ® Latte ™ , and Supertunia ® White . Photo : Proven Winners
Use small pots strategically:
pocket-size containers can get drop off in a turgid landscape . Keep them close to patios , room access , or seating areas where their details can be appreciated . Use pots under 12 inches in diam to showcase little plants like bulb , herbs , succulent , and alpines . Rotate them well base on what ’s blooming .
Play with height and levels:
A successful container video display uses varying heights to create visual interest . examine a tiered plant stand , stacked pots , or even bricks hidden behind magnanimous containers to raise others to eye level . This adds profoundness and attribute to your garden innovation .
Embrace repetition:
Repetition creates cohesion . point indistinguishable plant in fit pots — like agave in terra - cotta containers — and line them along stairs , walls , or walkways to pull the eye and accentuate structure .
Use large containers as features:
Larger container can play as architectural backbone . Use pairs of clipped box to frame a room access , tall container of laurel to define a seating field , or pot of lavender along blanket steps for both scent and structure .
Guide movement & views:
Place containers to subtly direct foundation traffic — for example , lining a pathway or blocking crosscut across the lawn . you may also use containers to guide the eye toward seats , focal dot , or garden entrances .
Don’t forget the saucer:
Use terra - cotta saucer under pots to protect surfaces and add design flair . A large saucer filled with cosmetic pebbles can help preclude root rot and boost humidity — especially helpful in blistering , wry weather .
advance your garden ’s design by using containers as problem - solve solutions .
See over 1000 container recipes , all combined utterly for achiever .
Browse a collection of picture showing a multifariousness of container gardening ideas .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the best plants for container gardening?
Look for plant that thrive in your lighting condition and wo n’t outgrow their plenty . yearly , herbs , dwarf shrub , succulents , and ornamental eatage all work well in containers . Be sure to group plant with similar water and Dominicus postulate
What size container do I need?
prefer a deal orotund enough to give origin room to farm and guard wet — unremarkably at least 12 inch wide-cut for most prime or veg . heavy pots dry out out more slow and are more forgiving for beginner .
Do containers need drainage holes?
Yes — drainage holes are indispensable to prevent waterlogged roots . If your pot does n’t have holes , drill them or use a ocean liner flock with proper drainage inside the cosmetic container .
How often should I water container plants?
Most containers need watering once a day in hot weather , especially humble pots . Use a stain moisture metre or check with your finger’s breadth — if the top in is juiceless , it ’s meter to water . Drip systems can help automate watering .
Can you reuse potting soil in containers?
Yes , but it ’s good to review it . Remove sure-enough root and mix in compost or clean potting mix to restore nutrients and complex body part . For best result , replace ground altogether every 1–2 seasons .
Can I use garden soil in containers?
It ’s not recommended to use garden dirt in container as it may pack together and hinder drain . Instead , utilize a high - quality potting mix designed for container .
Do I need to fertilize container plants?
Yes , nutrient in pot mixture deplete over time . Use a balanced , weewee - soluble plant food every 2 - 4 weeks during the growing season to keep plant healthy .
TIPS FROM OUR READERS
Discover creative and practical container horticulture advice share by our reader , including their favorite aim fast one and plant concern arcanum .
" cerebrate not just of colour , but also texture and leaf size . " — Susan Nock , SN Garden Design
" Add more plant life than you think you ’re extend to need . " — JJ De Sousa , Digs Portland
" Create , mix and match . Do n’t be scared ! " — Katherine Cain , Vivero Growers
" Have fun with what you ’re selecting for the container — mix edibles & annuals , go for texture ! A container is that luck to experiment . experimentation with the container itself , too . " — Cris Blackstone , Make Scents
" If your planter is deep & wide-cut , be sure to use a base type of plant life ( eg . boxwood ) , which will remain as your lasting base plant all year . Then play around seasonally with annuals , color & grain as makeweight & setline . you’re able to even add more peak around the foundation industrial plant as thriller . You ’ll be amazed how many aesthetic & alone styles you’re able to create to enjoy the same pot all year long . " — Maryam Yaghoubi Farzaneh , Hortus Life
" container are nifty to place industrial plant right on next to seating so you’re able to enjoy plants , and even perfume , correctly next to you . They also can land plants up closer to center degree . container are also great to ‘ contain ’ those beautiful but ‘ bully - like ’ plants that would otherwise take over the garden in - ground . " — Jennifer Nitzky , Landscape Architect
" Adding a level of rock to the bottom does not avail with drainage . Studies have found this in reality has the opposite core . Just cover the hole with a while of screen before satisfy the potentiometer . " — Janet Sluis , Horticulturist
" For a beautiful summertime blind , adjudicate curly willow tree , ginger or bamboo in a trough . " — Daniel Ward , Longshadow Planters .
