24 Stunning Container Garden Planting Ideas - A Piece Of Rainbow (2024)

24 designer plant lists for beautiful container garden plantings & colorful mixed flower pots combinations. You will love these great patio design & backyard landscape ideas!

One of the most universally loved garden features is the container garden. Who does not love a planter overflowing with colorful flowers, happiness and exuberance?

24 Stunning Container Garden Planting Ideas - A Piece Of Rainbow (1)

I was gathering some beautiful container flower pot ideas, and just could not stop! I am going to share with you a plant list for each one of these gorgeous container plantings! For more, here are

The best part is: we can recreate each of these stunning mixed flower pot designs. Get ready for some botanical Latin and let’s decode these magical container garden recipes!

This is part 1of our container garden series, which focuses on plantings for sunny locations. Here is part 2: some amazing shade garden planters with plant lists!

*Some resources in article are affiliate links. Full disclosure here.

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1. Container garden planting design secrets.

There is a magic formula in almost all these beautiful container gardens and flower pot designs: Thriller + Filler + Spiller.

The ” thriller” is usually a big focal point plant in the center. The “fillers” are secondary plants that make the planting look full and vibrant. The “spillers” are plants that offer added dimension and interest by spilling over the containers.

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Plant list 1: Canna ‘Australia’, Canna ‘Tropicanna Gold’, Infinity Orange New Guinea Impatiens, ‘Hot Shot’ Orange portulaca, Begonia boliviensis, ‘Orange Marmalade’ Crossandra, Sweet Caroline Bronze Sweet Potato Vine. ( Source The Graceful Gardener )

2. Colorful urn container garden ideas

Urns are beautiful planters in a patio garden design. Trailing plants are great for urn plantings.

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Plant list 2: Dracaena or African Iris (center spike), Pink Geranium, Mixed color Trailing Petunias, green Sweet Potato Vine. (Source: Power Flowers)

3. Vegetable container garden ideas

Many edible plants have gorgeous and colorful foliage, plus delicious tastes! Lots of vegetables are good for container plantings, and looks beautiful mixed with annuals and perennials..

For example, smaller vegetables such as lettuce, radishes, spinach, peas and herbs can thrive in small shallow pots. Bigger plants such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and root veggies such as carrots, beets and potatoes do well in deeper large pots.

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Plant list 3: Red Swiss Chard, Helleborus ‘Sunmarble’, Heuchera, Fern (Source: Le Jardinet )

Here are our favorite 16 easiest vegetables to grow, all of them are great for vegetable container gardens!

4. Beautiful vegetable garden mixed planter

Here are some great examples of how edibles can be mixed with ornamental plants in garden pots. Plants such as artichokes, swiss chards, onions and chives have dramatic foliage that look great in pots.

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Plant list 4: Artichoke, Kale, Light pink Verbena, Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’, White Petunia. (Source: The Impatient Gardner )

You may also love: 15 Stunning hanging baskets with planting list for each!

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5. A trailing plant perfect for tall planter pots

Talking about spilling over, Dichondra is an easy to grow plant that just spills,and spills, and spills…

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Plant list 5: Mexican Feather grass, Orange Gazania, Dichondra repens, Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ ( Source: Park Seed )

6. Mixed succulent container garden ideas

Aged stone planters and terra cotta pots are great for succulents, cacti, and other drought tolerant plants. Make sure to have drainage hole and soil mixed with gravel and sand as these plants do not like excess moisture.

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Plant list 6: Succulents- Kalanchoe ‘Fantastic’, Sedum ‘Little Missy’, Echeveria, Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’. ( Source: The Graceful Gardener )

7. Mixed flower pot planting design in shades of yellow

A beautiful container garden does not have to have all the colors of a rainbow. Sometimes variations of one color, such as the yellows or burgundy colors below, can look drop-dead-gorgeous.

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Plant list 7: Durango Dahlia, Great Balls of Fire White Ivy Leaf Geranium, Yellow Petunia, Bidens ferulifolia ‘Bidy Gonzales’ ( Source: HGTV )

8. Mixed flower pot plants ideas in showy burgundy colors

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Plant list 8:Cordyline fruticosa ( Ti Plant ), Burgundy Petunia. ( Source: Costa Farms )

9. Tropical container garden plants

Bananas, Canna Lilies and Colocasias (Taro plants) are some of the easiest and most dramatic tropical plants to grow.

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Plant list 9: Banana, Colues, Hibiscus, Asparagus Fern, Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’, White Verbena, Purple Petunia ( Source: UBD Landscape )

10. Tropical container patio garden ideas

Some tropical plants grow well in water filled containers, which look great on a patio. These jade green ceramic pots are perfect for lush green tropical plants!

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Plant list 10: Canna, Colocasia esculenta, Papyrus. ( Source: Blackgold )

You may also love: Easy DIY solar fountain with pond water plants!

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11. Country garden planters and pots

A white Hydrangea bush in a pale blue pot is so simple and elegant. It’s a good idea to use glazed clay pots or plastic pots for larger shrubs that likes moisture in soil, especially if you live in a hot and dry climate.

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Plant list 11: Hydrangea “Annabelle” ( Source: Pretty Pink Tulips )

12. Container garden with herbs

Even green herbs can look beautiful in a container garden. Mix different plants with different shades of greens such as deep green rosemary, silver green sage, teal green thyme, and bright green basil and parsley!

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Plant list 12: Rosemary, Garlic Chives, Helichrysum petiolare ( Source: Decorah Silver )

Related post: 25 Gorgeous DIY Garden Paths

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13. Mixed foliage planting designs

It is totally possible to create attractive planters without using flowers. This patio garden pot is planted with a beautiful mix of foliage plants!

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Plant list 13: Colocasia, Croton, Coleus “Strawberry Drop”, Sweet Potato Vine ( Source: BHG )

14. Beautiful container garden ideas with easy care flowers

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Plant list 14: Canna, Dahlia, Salvia, Ipomoea, Zinnia, Osteospermum, Verbena, Petunia, Calibrachoa. ( Source: Power Flowers )

15. Kitchen garden planter ideas

Rosemary makes a great evergreen plant just like classic boxwood in a garden design.

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Plant list 15: Rosemary, Lobelia ( Source: Deborah Silver )

16. Water garden / mini pond in tub planter

This easy DIY solar fountain or patio pond with water garden plants is such a delight! And you can make it in one hour!

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See DIY solar fountain tutorial here for plant list!

17. Colorful garden pot ideas

Glazed pots come in so many vibrant colors. Use them creatively to complement your container plantings!

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Plant list 17: Hydrangea, Lobelia (Source: Hometalk )

18. Colorful flower pots on porch

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Plant list 18: Mixed color Snapdragon, Salvia argentea, pink Petunia, Sedum ( Source: DecoFeelings )

19. Farmhouse patio garden ideas

Hydrangeas, roses, and boxwoods are all timeless farmhouse garden classics.

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Plant list 19: Hydrangea, Rose, Boxwood ( Original image source lost. Please let me know if you find it! )

20. Cottage garden flowers in pots

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Plant list 20: Pelargonium ( Geraniums) , Petunia, Lobelia. ( Source: Flicker )

21. Flower pots on garden columns

Use a bowl shaped planter on top of a garden wall or column as a design focal point.

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Plant list 21: Red Mandevilla, Pink Calibrachoa, Sweet Potato Vine ( Source: Charlottesville Home )

22. Colorful pink and red flower planters

These hot colors really stand out, perfect for those who love colorful vibrant garden designs. Support taller vines with a trellis and add more dimensions to a mixed pot.

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Plant list 22: Red Mandevilla, Orange Calibrachoa, Variegated Pelargonium ( Geraniums) , Pink Petunia. ( Source: Botanical Blitz )

23. Purple and yellow container garden plants

Use shades of lavender, chartreuse and yellow to create a soft and dreamy garden flower pot.

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Plant list 23: Fountain Grass, ‘Phloxy Lady Purple Sky’ Phlox, ‘Electric Lime’ Coleus, Petunia, Lysimachia ‘Goldilocks’ ( Source: Fine Gardening )

24. Flower and succulent mixed planter pots

Succulents often have interesting colors and textures, which look beautiful mixed with flower plantings.

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Plant list 24: Snake Plant, Yellow Snapdragon. ( Source: Costa Farms )

You may also love: 16 colorful planters for shade, with plant list for each!

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and Beautiful DIY Raised Bed Gardens

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Happy planting! See you soon!

24 Stunning Container Garden Planting Ideas - A Piece Of Rainbow (2024)

FAQs

What are proven winners thrillers for containers? ›

Ornamental grasses, salvia, or even tomato plants are some examples of a thriller. Below are some varieties you can find right on Proven Winners Direct. Begonias, Supertunias, Heuchera, and so much more are great options to filler your container with color, texture and vibrancy.

What are the best vegetables to grow in a container? ›

The Best Vegetables to Grow in Containers
  • Spinach. ...
  • Zucchini. ...
  • Herbs (Basil, Parsley, etc.) ...
  • Scallions and Green Onions. ...
  • Beets. ...
  • Swiss Chard. ...
  • Kale. ...
  • Strawberries. Strawberries are a sweet addition to the container garden lineup, particularly when grown in hanging baskets.
Feb 20, 2024

How do you make a beautiful garden container? ›

Setting Up a Container Garden
  1. Laurie Black. Choose the Right Container. ...
  2. Joseph Wanek. Select Color Schemes and Plant Combinations. ...
  3. Limit the Number of Plants You Use. Be careful not to overfill a container garden. ...
  4. Fill the Container with Potting Mix. ...
  5. Place Plants in Your Container. ...
  6. Water Your Plants.
Aug 31, 2023

What is the best color for flower pots? ›

For colorful and blooming plants, consider using neutral-colored pots such as white pots for plants, gray, or black to allow the vibrant hues of the flowers to stand out.

What is a thriller plant in container? ›

Thrillers are plants with height that add drama and a vertical element to the combination. Thrillers can either be flowering or foliage plants or ornamental grasses. Thrillers are generally put either in the center or at the back of the container.

What are the best plants for thriller hanging baskets? ›

If you choose a spot where you'll see the entire container, think about the "thriller, filler and spiller" concept, which features a taller plant in the middle, clumping plants to fill in and trailing plants around the edge. Thrillers include upright geranium, nicotiana, salvia, daisy and heliotrope.

Can I plant tomatoes and cucumbers next to each other? ›

Tomatoes and cucumbers can be grown together successfully, and there are actually some benefits to planting them together. Both plants have similar growing needs when it comes to sunlight, soil conditions, and watering. And if space is at a premium, interplanting the two will allow you to get more out of your garden.

What is the easiest vegetable to grow in a container? ›

Some easy veggies you can grow in pots include cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and herbs such as basil, mint, thyme, parsley, rosemary, dill, and lemongrass1.

What is the best soil mix for container vegetable garden? ›

An organic alternative is equal parts of vermiculite, peat moss, and high quality compost; with 0.6 oz blood meal, 0.4 oz rock phosphate, and 0.4 oz greensand added to each gallon of potting mix. Soilless mixes can be very dry and difficult to wet.

What is the most common mistake made with container plants? ›

Mistake #1: Selecting the Wrong Gardening Container

Choosing the wrong container size leads to many problems, including poor plant growth, root-bound plants, and dry soil. For example, the soil dries slowly if your planting box is too large.

How to create a vibrant container garden? ›

How you design is up to you - combine similar colors in greens and whites for a simple look, or high contrast colors such as red, bronze, and orange for a bold look. Be sure to choose a container that's an appropriate size for your plant, or vice versa: plants that are appopriately sized for the container.

How many plants should be in a planter? ›

Generally, using three or four plants in 10 to 12-inch planters, four to six plants in 14 to 16-inch planters and six to eight plants in 16 to 20-inch planters will fill out containers nicely while allowing room for the plants to grow without excessive crowding.

What is the best potting mix for flower pots? ›

While the basic peat moss, pine bark and perlite type potting mixes will work fine for almost all annual flowers and mixed potted plants, there are some crops for which specialty mixes might be helpful. The most common is potting mix for orchids.

How do I choose a flower color for my garden? ›

One natural way to combine colors in the garden is to choose complementary colors. That means selecting plants in colors that are across from one another on the color wheel. For example, red is across from green, orange is across from blue, and, as in this bright array, yellow is across from purple.

What color planters for front porch? ›

Many modern homes use neutral colors as a backdrop both inside and out. To keep a consistent look, choose plants in “horticulturally neutral” shades—white, silver, chartreuse, green and deep purple. These colors create a neutral palette with which any other color will coordinate.

What are proven winner plants? ›

The PROVEN WINNERS® brand of premium plants and products was created to help gardeners at every level succeed in growing healthy, beautiful plants. It begins with high-performance plants that are tested for: Resistance to disease and insects. Tolerance for heat and humidity.

Is verbena a thriller filler or Spiller? ›

FILLERS weave through the thriller, adding mass, contrast and texture, such as Coleus, Begonias, Dusty miller, Heliotrope, Lantana, Pentas, Petunia, Salvia. SPILLERS sprawl over the side of the container, softening its edges — like Bacopas, Nasturtium, Creeping Jenny, Sweet Potato vine, Licorice plant, Verbena.

What are the shade plants for thriller? ›

Thriller Plants for Shade Examples:

Hardy Fuchsia, Wallich's Wood Fern (Dryopteris wallichiana), Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum), Cordyline, Coleus, Gartenmeister Fuchsias.

Are proven winners better? ›

Proven Winners plants are developed to outperform all other plants and are unsurpassed in terms of flowering display, growth habit, disease resistance, and landscape performance.

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