50 Can't-Miss Container Gardening Ideas

From flowers to fruit, veggies to vines and shrubs to succulents, container gardening is the way to grow them all in a portable pot that's easier to tend than an in-ground garden and more resistant to weeds and pests. Get our tips for container garden planning and planting success — plus easy DIY planters you can craft yourself.

By: H. Camille Smith

Related To:

Container Gardening: A Continuing Trend

Gardening interest in the U.S. is at an all-time high — and, it's no wonder: gardening has been proven to lower stress and anxiety while raising levels of serotonin, aka the happiness hormone. And, while all types of gardening are popular, container gardening has really taken off. Credit planters' ability to be moved indoors for overwintering, the ease of swapping out blooming or food-producing plants with the seasons and containers' potential to create a focal point and mini garden destination in your backyard, as seen here. Also, for apartment dwellers or anyone short on space, containers can't be beat — allowing you to grow veggies, fruit, herbs or an abundance of blooms on a petite patio or veranda. Get our tips for growing more in less space, below.

See More Photos: Small Space Gardening Tips for Apartment Dwellers + Urbanites

From: H. Camille Smith

Choose the Right Pot

Stylish containers will give your outdoor decor a boost, but the material you pick can determine the life of your plant. Should you opt for wood, clay, plastic or stone? Our tips, below, will help you pick the perfect pot.

learn more: Pot to Patio: Choosing a Planter for a Container Garden

And, Choose the Right Soil

When planning your pots, always remember that all soil isn't created equal. Potting soil, not garden soil or just plain ol' dirt, is the key to container gardening success. Learn more about which soil works best for a variety of plants and planting conditions, below.

learn more: What Is the Difference Between Potting Soil and Garden Soil?

Then, Plant the Rainbow

Flowering plants are available in every color imaginable so why not plant the rainbow? Follow our plant recommendations and planting tips, below, to pot up a colorful container garden that, bonus, can stand up to the heat of summer while attracting a variety of pollinators to your patio or deck.

Get the How-To: DIY Rainbow Container Garden

From: H. Camille Smith

Or, Limit Your Color Palette

Limiting your color palette can simplify plant selection and ensure a cohesive container. Here, 'Red Fox Peppy Red' petunia, 'Empress Flair Red' verbena and 'Yolo White' sweet alyssum combine for a candy-stripe effect that brings a lot of cheer to even a small pot. Get more spring container garden recipes, below.

See More Photos: 15 Spring Container Garden Recipes

Pot a Tree

That's right, some varieties of trees can even be grown in containers — but you'll need a really large pot and the right tree. Dwarf varieties of magnolia, like these magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem', can weather a few well-cared-for seasons in a container but because they'll ultimately grow to 12-20 feet tall, you'll eventually need to relocate them to your landscape, instead. Learn more about magnificent magnolias, below.

See More Photos: 18 Gorgeous Magnolia Tree Types

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Or, Bring On the Berry Bushes

Container gardens that are beautiful and produce fruit that can be baked into a pie? Sign us up! For a farm-to-dessert-table planter, compact berry bushes are the answer. You can find compact, ornamental, self-pollinating fruits that yield tasty crops of berries in the confines of a 20- to 24-inch-wide container. The list includes favorites like blueberry, raspberry or blackberry. In warmer regions (Zone 6 and higher), grow Peach Sorbet blueberry, shown here, outdoors in pots year-round, enjoying leaves that turn eggplant purple when tinged with cold. In colder regions, shift containers to an unheated shed or garage for winter, watering every six weeks to keep soil barely moist. Get more tips for growing shrubs in containers, below.

See More Photos: How to Grow Shrubs in Containers

Shady Spot? Try a Hydrangea

If your patio, porch or deck is shady, consider planting a dwarf flowering shrub, like this macrophylla hydrangea 'Let's Dance Diva!' whose showy blue or pink flowers (dependent on your soil's acidity) will add a splash of color from late spring through summer in Zones 5-9. Plus, bonus, all types of hydrangeas make beautiful cut flowers and some, like PeeGee varieties, dry perfectly so you can enjoy their blooms long after warm weather ends. Learn more about growing these shade lovers, below.

Learn More: How to Grow Hydrangeas in Pots

Or, Hang a Front Porch Fave

The classic finishing touch to any shady front porch, Boston ferns are summer's favorite hanging plant. Easy-to-care-for and so perfectly drapey, their long lacy fronds are not only beautiful, they're also hard-working: Boston ferns are one of the most efficient air-purifying plants, they're especially effective at removing formaldehyde, so consider adding a few ferns to your great indoors, too.

learn more: Ferns Are Made for the Shade

Water Wisely

One of the very few downsides to container gardens is that they tend to dry out quicker than in-ground gardens so be sure to water containers frequently — especially right after planting and during the hottest days of summer. Also, whenever possible, water early in the morning when plants are least stressed and evaporation is less of a concern. Get more tips for watering like a pro, below.

learn more: How to Water Container Gardens

Always Add Mulch

Yep! Even container gardens can benefit from a layer of mulch. Just as you wouldn't leave a landscaping bed bare, no planter is complete without a layer of mulch that not only serves as a decorative finishing touch but also preserves moisture (meaning you'll need to water less often) and discourages weeds.

learn more: 10 Mulch Do's and Don’ts

And, Don't Forget to Fertilize

Potting mix that includes fertilizer will give your container plants a good start but, eventually, the nutrients will either be used up or they'll leach out after frequent watering. When your plants are ready for a boost, apply a granular slow-release fertilizer that'll last for several months, or feed more often with a liquid or water-soluble fertilizer. Get more tips for helping your container garden thrive, below.

See More Photos: How to Plant a Beautiful, Thriving Container Garden

Wow With a Window Box

Could your home's façade use a little container garden eye candy? A window box may be the answer. This overflowing planter kicks curb appeal up a notch with masses of 'Supertunia Royal Magenta' petunias, yellow bidens (aka Spanish needles) and pink geraniums. Get 14 more planting combos for summer window box success, below.

See More Photos: 14 Simply Stunning Summer Window Box Recipes

Or, Divide + Conquer With a Planter Box

In this fairytale setting, landscape architect Catherine Smith put custom planter boxes to work to both visually and physically separate the outdoor dining area from the fire pit. You can use the same space-defining trick in your backyard with a line of large pots or even a container garden with a trellis. Take a tour of this truly magical space, below.

See More Photos: Outdoor Oasis: Fairy-Tale Backyard Designed for Entertaining

From: Casa Smith Designs, LLC

Properly Put a Basket to Work

You’ve seen it on all your favorite design sites and in catalogs: a wicker basket as a planter. But water + natural woven fibers = leaks and a rotten mess in short order. Learn how to protect your pricey basket while still achieving a trendy look with our waterproofing tips, below.

get the how-to: Turn a Woven Basket Into a Pretty Planter

From: H. Camille Smith

Or, Make a Bucket Bloom

In less than an hour — and using materials you may already have — you can turn that 5-gallon bucket (that's just taking up space in your garage) into an oversized planter that'll add a big pop of color to a covered front porch, sunroom or deck. Get all our upcycling tips, below.

get the how-to: Upcycle a 5-Gallon Bucket Into a Fun, Fabric-Covered Planter

Do Your Part to #savethepollinators

No matter where you live, pollinators — bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, moths and bats — play an essential role in ensuring that you have fresh, bountiful food to eat. In short: no pollinators, no food. Make your backyard a haven for our hardworking friends with a pollinator-friendly container garden that'll create a space-saving flower garden while providing them with everything they need to keep saving the world. Get all our pollinator-friendly container gardening tips, below.

See More Photos: Attract a Host of Pollinators With a Backyard Pollinator Garden Perfect for Containers

From: H. Camille Smith

Always Consider Sun Exposure

Just like in real estate, when planting a container garden, think location, location, location. For full-sun exposure, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better-suited blooming plant than a Supertunia, a type of nonstop flowering, easy-to-grow petunia. It never needs to be deadheaded and just keeps blooming — and blooming. Gorgeous in a pot all by itself or mixed with other full-sun plants, these beauties will deliver mounds of color until hard fall frost. Learn more about petunias, below.

Learn More: Petunia Flowers: Planting and Caring for Petunias

Include a Thriller, Filler and Spiller

This can't-miss container gardening recipe is a favorite of both pros and aspiring green thumbs, alike. The thriller is a tall, central knockout plant or plants (here, we used a single purple salvia surrounded by a pair of Persian shield plants), filler plants are lower plants that grow in to give the planter a lush look (we used pale purple lantana) and the spiller is a trailing plant that will spill over the container’s edge (we used lobelia).

get the how-to: How to Paint and Replant Concrete Planters

From: H. Camille Smith

Or, Try a Different Kind of 'Thriller'

There are no hard and fast rules that your container garden's 'thriller' must be a live plant. Have fun and invite a playful bit of kitsch (hello, flamingo!) to your container garden with our instructions, below, for turning a plastic flamingo into a faux boxwood topiary. Surrounded by creeping Jenny ('spiller') and wave petunias ('filler'), friends may even confuse your maintenance-free topiary for the real deal. Get crafting to make your own with our tips, below.

Get the How-To: Kitschy-Cool: How to Craft a Faux Boxwood Flamingo

From: H. Camille Smith

Squeeze In Some Vitamin C

Dwarf variety citrus trees are not only beautiful — given the right conditions, they can also be bountiful. Fill terra-cotta pots with these flowering fruit trees to give your outdoor space a sunny, So-Cal or Mediterranean vibe. Get growing and harvesting with our tips, below.

Get the How-To: Growing Citrus in Containers

Or, Mix In Some Veggies

Almost any fruit or vegetable plant can be grown in a container, provided your container is large enough and the soil is nutrient-rich. You can easily grow herbs, peppers, tomatoes, onions, summer squash, beans and eggplant in summer, as well as broccoli, cabbage, lettuce and greens in spring and fall. Mixing in smaller or dwarf varieties of your favorite edibles is ideal. The 'spiller' in this container is 'Tumbling Tom' tomato, a beautiful compact trailing variety that's loaded with bright red, bite-size fruits.

Learn More: Growing Tomatoes in Pots

Simplify With an Evergreen

Visually stunning and easy to maintain, a clipped boxwood topiary makes a beautiful, year-round centerpiece, or thriller, in any container. To add a splash of color, swap out the surrounding annuals each spring and fall. For instance, calibrachoa and geraniums, shown here, bring the blooms for spring and summer. When they begin to fade, swap in fall/winter color like mums, heuchera, pansies or sweet potato vines. Learn more about planting low-maintenance evergreens, below.

learn more: How to Plant Evergreens in Containers

From: Gale Nurseries Inc.

Or, Celebrate the Season With Annuals

Putting on a big show in a (relatively) short period of time, annuals put their effort into blooming and growing like crazy — maturing faster than perennials and, in most cases, blooming repeatedly from planting till first frost. Essentially, if you want a bloom-filled container, annuals are the answer. For this colorful display, master gardener Julie Martens Forney combined ‘Tiger Eye’ gloriosa daisy (Rudbeckia), ‘Summer Jewel Red’ salvia coccinea, 'Profusion Double Fire' zinnia and ‘Callie Purple’ calibrachoa. Get more of Julie's container gardening tips, below.

See More Photos: How To Plant Flowers In Large Planters

Ensure Proper Drainage

Proper drainage is essential to prevent plant roots from becoming waterlogged, which will lead to root rot and, eventually, death. So, before planting, always inspect pots and, if drainage holes aren't present, add them. The container's material will determine the type of drill bit you need. For most plastic containers, a regular twist drill bit is fine. For terra-cotta and un-glazed ceramics, you’ll need a masonry bit, and for hard-glazed containers, you’ll need a glass/tile drill bit. Get more tips for preparing pots for planting, below.

See More Photos: How to Prepare Flower Pots for Planting

Repurpose Bottles to Save Space

Reduce the amount of pricey potting soil required to fill large containers, while also assisting with proper draining, by filling the pot's bottom third with lightweight plastics. Upside-down plastic nursery pots, lidded plastic bottles or even an empty juice or milk jug will take up a lot of space and won’t break down over the course of many growing seasons. Plastics promote healthy plants by providing an air pocket for plant roots, which helps to prevent waterlogged soil, even during the wettest seasons.

See More Photos: How To Plant Flowers In Large Planters

Make Containers Part of Your Outdoor Decor

When planning an outdoor room, work your container garden into the design plan by coordinating the blooms' colors with your decor. Height is also important, so choose planters of varying heights or boost shorter pots with garden stools or sturdy outdoor plant stands.

learn more: Patio, Perfected: 11 Amazing Amazon Finds for a Shady Outdoor Oasis

And, Bring Your Container Garden Indoors

Fresh herbs will take your culinary skills to the next level while adding a beautiful pop of live greenery to your kitchen. Potted herbs require regular watering and trimming — in fact, trimming herbs for use in recipes is beneficial for the plant by encouraging new growth and preventing the herbs from flowering which could change their flavor. Learn how to give brand-new pots timeworn, cottage charm for your kitchen herb garden, below.

get the how-to: Make New Pots Look Old for a Cottage-Style Countertop Herb Garden

From: H. Camille Smith

Pot Up a Cutting Garden

Although, just an annual, meaning the first frost will do them in, zinnias are incredibly easy to grow from seed and will, occasionally, drop seed in your garden that will produce new volunteers in the spring. They're also a great choice for full-sun containers and provide non-stop flowers all summer long. The beautiful blooms beckon butterflies and are ideal cut flowers for arrangements — in fact, cutting is beneficial because it helps keep the plant's shape tidy and encourages more blooms.

See More Photos: The Best Flowers for Pots in Full Sun

Or, an Herb Garden for Alfresco Entertaining

Make outdoor entertaining easier (and tastier!) by filling a pot with herbs that pull double duty, both seasoning dinner while also serving as a pretty and fragrant centerpiece. This herb collection is sold at garden centers as “NewTwist Herb-A-Licious”—you can ask for it by name. The components include ‘Kasar’ basil, gold-edged sage, ‘Gorizia’ rosemary (with leaves twice the size of other varieties) and orange thyme. This herb blend provides the perfect accompaniment to grilled Italian sausages, fresh homegrown tomato slices and a rosemary-garnished gin and tonic.

See More Photos: 20 Herb Garden Design Ideas

Include Ornamental Grasses

For a planter with plenty of height, start with a showy ornamental grass, then fill in with a variety of shorter blooming plants. Here, Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima) adds color, texture and just a hint of pink that's picked up in the surrounding butterfly flower (Gaura lindheimeri ‘Perky Pink’) and cascades of 'Superbena Pink Shades' verbena. Full of movement and color, this eyecatcher also draws butterflies like a magnet. Get more recommendations for planting grasses in pots, below.

See More Photos: Using Grasses in Containers

Small Space? Garden Vertically

Put a leftover hardware-store plastic bucket to work to turn two or more planters, in graduated sizes, into a sturdy vertical garden. We filled ours with food, water and shelter to draw in a wide range of pollinators but this trick can be used to boost growing space in any container garden.

See More Photos: Attract a Host of Pollinators With a Backyard Pollinator Garden Perfect for Containers

From: H. Camille Smith

Or, Grow a Column of Color

Compact climbers, like jasmine and clematis, are great container plants. All they need to thrive is a pot with good drainage, a trellis or post for support and regular watering and feeding.

Learn More: How to Choose, Plant and Grow Flowering Vines

Plant Some Color Under Palms

Underplanting tall, leafy plants, like palms, with low masses of blooms, like the lithodora we used here, is an easy way to add visual interest. Other colorful spillers to consider: calibrachoa, petunias, creeping Jenny, sweet potato vine, mandevilla and lobelia.

See More Photos: 14 Cascading Plants for the Garden

From: H. Camille Smith

Make Planters Part of Your Porch's Palette

A designer trick that's super easy to follow, both indoors and out? Pick a single color, then pull variations of that shade through your space. From the planters to the outdoor rug to the front door, this front porch extends a warm welcome with cool shades of blue. Check out the before and after, below.

See More Photos: Front Porch Fix-Ups to Refresh Your Curb Appeal

From: H. Camille Smith

Or, Make Your Planter Pull Double Duty

Anyone who's ever chased down a windblown patio umbrella knows the importance of properly anchoring them in a suitably heavy base. Enter this creative container that combines plenty of space for planting with a central umbrella support that's securely anchored in quick-set concrete. Bonus, heavy-duty casters ensure you can wheel this umbrella-planter-combo anywhere you wish; get all our assembly tips, below.

get the how-to: Throwing Shade: DIY Rolling Umbrella Stand Planter

Grow a Water Garden

For a low-maintenance container garden that also adds the soothing element of water to your backyard, make a mini pond in a pot. Container water gardens can effectively host miniature water plants, including water lilies, corkscrew rush or dwarf cattails. Include a fountain nozzle in your design, and you can savor the sound of moving water, too. Create an oasis for birds, butterflies, dragonflies and even small fish with our tips, below.

get the how-to: How to Make a Water Garden in a Flower Pot

Or, Grow a Water-Wise Garden

Succulents aren't just a trendy plant to grow indoors; given the right conditions, succulents really sizzle as an outdoor container garden. Here, this pot pairs 'Golden Japanese Stonecrop' sedum with 'Pacific Shadows Sempervivum' hens-and-chicks for a container garden that can endure winter's chill in most areas. When planting a succulent garden, be sure to use well-draining soil mix and a wide dish to accommodate the spreading habit of each plant. Get more succulent plant combo ideas, below.

See More Photos: 9 Succulent Container Garden Combos

Add a Touch of the Tropics

Nothing says summer quite like a mandevilla vine. A native of the tropics, this stunner is hardy only in the warmest climes (Zones 9 to 11) so they perform best as a container plant that can be overwintered indoors.

Learn More: Mandevilla Plant Care

From: H. Camille Smith

Or, Rely on Native Plants

A favorite of pollinators, native plants bring the bees — and butterflies, moths, hummingbirds and bats — to the yard! Low-maintenance native plants like coneflower (aka echinacea), yarrow, gaillardia (or blanket flower), phlox, black-eyed Susan, lobelia, asters and coreopsis (aka tickseed) are not only beautiful in a container, they also provide necessary shelter and food for our hard-working friends.

See More Photos: 10 Native Plants You Need to Be Growing

From: H. Camille Smith

Upcycle a Canvas Tote

Canvas totes are not only handy for weekend trips and shopping outings; when monogrammed, they also make sweet gifts and even a perfectly personalized planter for your covered front porch — the trick is to weatherproof them first; check out our tips, below, to learn how.

get the how-to: How to Turn a Canvas Tote Into a Pretty Planter

From: H. Camille Smith

Or, Sub a Tote for a Wreath

A blooming front door? You bet! Container gardens are endlessly versatile and can be as large or as small as your gardening needs require. Follow our tips, below, for waterproofing a canvas tote, then use the bag as a cachepot, or overpot, to prettily display a few of your favorite blooming plants.

get the how-to: How to Turn a Canvas Tote Into a Pretty Planter

From: H. Camille Smith

Swap Out Plants Seasonally

Unless you fill your planters with a small tree, like a citrus or dwarf red maple, or an evergreen bush, like a boxwood or dwarf arborvitae, you'll need to swap out at least some of the plants with the seasons. As summer turns to fall, it's time to think about plants that'll still add a big splash of color while being able to tolerate falling nighttime temps. A few of our favorites? Croton and sweet potato vine, seen here, mums, coleus, purple fountain grass, celosia and ornamental kale and cabbage which will last through winter. Get more fall container garden planting tips, below.

See More Photos: 50 Gorgeous Fall Container Garden & Planter Ideas

From: H. Camille Smith

Corner Curb Appeal

Whether you prefer to go all out for spring, summer, fall or winter, decking out your front porch for the season is the easiest way to boost your curb appeal while celebrating the season. On this fall-tastic front porch, multiple small planters group together to provide maximum impact. See more of our fave fall porches, below.

See More Photos: Celebrate Autumn With the Season's Best Porches and Patios

From: H. Camille Smith

Give That Old Tree New Life

Sculptural and organic, this repurposed planter makes the most of having to remove a mature tree by turning the trunk into a gorgeous, oversized planter with midcentury-inspired hairpin legs. Learn how to upcycle the old trunk in your yard, below.

Get the How-To: How to Make a Planter Out of a Recycled Tree Stump

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Or, Repurpose That Old Laundry Basket

Has your plastic laundry basket seen better days? Give it new life as a chic, nautical-inspired planter. Drill a few holes into the base of the basket for proper drainage, then wrap the basket in jute rope for a beachy update.

Get the How-To: Upcycle a Laundry Basket Into a Nautical-Style Planter

Make Your Garden à Go-Go

Add casters (available at your local hardware store) to the bottom of metal trash cans to create rolling planters you can easily move around your outdoor space or even bring indoors when temperatures dip. This trick is especially helpful for tropical plants that need to be overwintered indoors. Get our tips, below.

Get the How-To: Create a Mobile Container Garden

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Contrast High With Low

This striking container pairs gray-green blue arrows juncus, a water-loving rush, with low mounds of heat-loving zinnia for an eye-catching container that will thrive in full sun. Get more ideas for colorful pairings, below.

See More Photos: 16 Creative Container Designs

Turn Pallets Into Planters

Old shipping pallets are a great (and often free!) source of weathered lumber — perfect for upcycling into a rustic planter box. Paint the slats in watery shades of blue and green for a beachy backyard update that you can build in about an hour.

Get the How-To: Upcycle Old Pallets Into Colorful Planter Boxes

Or, a Tire Into an Oversized Planter

Don't toss those old tires! Turn them into chic planters instead with a little paint and some materials from the hardware store — our step-by-step instructions, below, will show you how.

get the how-to: How to Turn an Old Tire Into a Pretty Planter