Patio Container Planting Ideas
Every spring, I look at my patio pots like a blank canvas…they feel like “living art” just waiting to be created!
Find Inspiration
While searching the web and wandering the garden centers for inspiration, I found myself drawn to salmon tones and all shades of bright green.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez, from Southern Living Magazine
Credit: Proven Winners
Choose a Color Palette
So…this year’s color theme is…drumroll please…playful pops of coral and layers of leafy green! Here’s how I let these colors inspire our containers and bring the patio to life.
Select Your Plants
Plants I Chose
Bright green Potato Vine - Marguerite
Dark Purple Potato Vine - Spotlight Black
Dusty Miller - Silverdust
Artemisia - a variety that came back from last year!
SunPatiens - Compact Hot Coral
Dalhia - Dalaya Apricot
Coleus - Salsa Verda
Coleus - Dark Purple
Angel Wings
Sweet Alyssum - White
Pansies - Purple
Candytuft - Purity
Cabbage - Purple
Marigolds - Orange Mix
Mini Petunia - Orange
Herbs for the small kitchen garden pots - Cilantro, Basil, Sage, Tarragona, Thyme, Rosemary
Amend Your Soil
If you’ve been using the same soil in your pots for a while, it might be time to refresh it. I took a little time this season to turn and top off any containers that were looking a bit low, then added a granulated slow-release fertilizer to give everything a boost. A little extra care in early Spring can make a big difference in how your plants thrive through the rest of the season!
Plant Your Containers!
This photo shows the early stage of the plants. As the sunpatiens and dahlias grow they will fill the space with shades of salmon and orange.
Note: When planting containers…consider the height of each plant and how they’ll grow over time. If your pot will sit against a wall or fence, place the tallest plant in the back and layer shorter or trailing varieties in front. If the container will be viewed from all sides, position the tallest plant in the center and surround it with lower-growing or cascading plants to create a nice composition.
Kitchen Garden Pots
This season, I tucked in orange dahlias, purple pansies, a few purple cabbages for texture, and, of course, a mix of fresh herbs. It’s a playful mix of beauty and utility—right outside the kitchen door.
Marigolds are an inexpensive way to add pops of color and protect your herbs from unwanted pests!
This set of pots were planted with purple cabbage, dahlias, pansies, candytuft, alyssum, angle wings, and two varieties of coleus. I repeated this style of planting in the other set of containers.
This is the third year I planted angel wings in our patio containers. They grow very fast and have soft silver foliage that makes a perfect background for just about any color of bloom.
Angel Wings
Artemisia aka shite sagebrush
Potato Vine
Coleus
Sun coleus
Mounding potato vine
Candy Tuff
I like to add a pop of white to our patio containers and candytuft and alyssum are good choices.
Dahlia
I’m trying a few compact dahlia varieties in our containers this year…they are perfect for small spaces and add a big color statement! If I stay on top of deadheading, they should bloom all summer long. I’m planning to plant them in the ground at the end of the season so we can enjoy them in the yard next year!
I am also testing these coral Sunpatiens. They are supposed to be prolific bloomers and full sun tolerant!
Water, Watch, Repeat!
Make sure your plants get plenty of water as they settle in and begin to root. At first, they might look like they’re taking a nap…but don’t worry! Keep watering and watching, and before long, you’ll start to see signs of growth. A little patience goes a long way in the garden. (she wrote as though she was a patient gardener….lol)
This is about 2 weeks after the plants were potted. They were slowly beginning to thrive and grow in spite of the cloudy rainy days.
And…this is what they look like today! Mid July and they are bursting over the containers. A simple reminder that good things take time…dang it!
Deadhead Often and Enjoy!
I love seeing this explosion of color every time I step outside! Snip fading blooms often and you will be rewarded with a continuous burst of flowers all season long!
Create Something Unexpected!
I continued the “living tablescape” on our outdoor table again this year. It brings me a ton of joy…changing with the season. Every few days, I swap out the flowers in the small vases depending on what’s blooming in the garden. It’s a beautiful way to bring the garden right to the table. If you’d like to learn how to create your own living tablescape…click here!
Walk and Observe!
I went on a group nature walk with some friends last week and our guide shared something that stuck with me: simply walking in nature…and truly noticing what you see…can actually improve brain chemistry and support mental health. I knew there was a reason I like to garden!
If you’ve created something beautiful in your garden…or simply paused to enjoy a moment outside…I’d love to hear about it! Feel free to reply or share your photos in the comments.
It’s Lavender Season Again!
Lavender Sachets
$14.00