For landscaping with flowers, a container garden offers many options. You can use container plants for sun, partial shade, coastal liveliness, privacy, drought hardiness and disease resistance. Plants in containers are easy to care for and usually don’t need the same maintenance as plants grown in the ground. Container plants are a great alternative if you enjoy planting more varieties than can be planted in a regular garden. There is also the added benefit of not having to prune or fertilize most plants.
If you enjoy container plants, but aren’t sure what plants would do well, there are many different types of container landscaping flowers that will fit any situation. The following are some of the most popular plants that can be used for container gardens. Choose a few of your favorite plants to give an overall theme to your landscaping with flowers that complement each other.
Most perennials come true from year to year, but some bloom for several years. Bushes and undergrowth make these plants very eye-catching even in containers. Ocotillo, California Poppy, Papaver paeoniflorum and Bleeding heart (Asclepticum – purslane) are great choices for containers. These are a fairly common choice of flowers for landscaping with containers.
Full sun plants often go dormant throughout the winter season, so they are very versatile. Morning glories, California poppy, California bluebell, morning glories and daffodils all come in a variety of colors, full sun to drought tolerant. Drought tolerance means they don’t dry out very quickly if watered frequently, making them ideal for a sunny outdoor area. Azaleas, begonias and azalea lilies are good choices for a sunny to slightly dreary location.
Other plants that are great for landscaping are perennials that are hardy and grow best in full sun. Some examples are Hosta, California poppy and calendula. Other perennials that are very hardy include Sedum album, Stachys byzantina, Gymnema sylvestre, Ascocenda belirica and Aster. A few annual flowers that are excellent for a sunny to slightly drought tolerant environment are tulips, crocus, honeysuckle and phlox. These plants are best planted from spring through fall. These bulbs and plants will survive the dry summer weather.
Perennials such as ferns, deciduous trees and shrubs are best for a garden in full sun but will need to be watered regularly. Watering is not an issue with most perennials. These flowers and shrubs are suitable for containers, small patio gardens, raised garden beds and flowerbeds. They look great with colorful flowering perennials, especially the trailing variety. Plant them in rows along a walkway or in a bed. For a shady spot for shady garden plants, dig a hole in the gravel and fill with pebbles or planters filled with pebbles.
Flowers and foliage can be cut back to enhance the shape and texture of the plants. Fruits do not do well in a container garden and should be eaten fresh. Good choices of flowers for containers are Liatris, Showy Foxglove, Royal Hellebores and Aster.
Most flowers require at least partially sun in order to bloom. Full sun plants and flowers are very good for containers but partial sun plants are even better. Sunscreens provide protection against early morning frost and sunburn. Container plants for most of the year make an excellent container garden with the correct type of flowers and foliage.
The best plants to plant in small pots are those that are self-supporting. Self-supporting means they need little else to survive. Pots of herbs, small shrubs and flowers will all do well in a container. Pots of tomatoes and peppers do well when planted in a bed. Toss the seeds into the center of the bed for an instant tomato or pepper and use the rest of the soil as you would soil in the ground.
Shrub foliage and flowers are very successful if they are planted in shaded areas and they receive just the right amount of sunlight. Some shade-loving annuals, such as Aster, are better planted as biennials. Biennials have two growing seasons instead of one and they are great for the beginning gardener. Most shade loving annuals can be used successfully in containers where they can be combined with other flowers and foliage.
Potted planting of flowering shrubs is a great way to create color in your landscaping and an attractive focal point for your patio. Most perennials will do nicely in small pots and hanging baskets. There are also some annuals that do better as biennials and are ideal for container plants for partial sun. Planting climbers and creepers together is an easy way to create a showy display and make the area look taller. Many gardeners who like climbing plants also love the idea of planting climbers and creeping plants in containers.