Container Garden Essentials

66 plants · Perfect for patios, balconies, and small spaces.

No yard? No problem. These plants thrive in pots, planters, and window boxes. They are compact enough for containers but showy enough to make a balcony feel like a garden.

Colors
39
30
24
23
22
18
Types30 Perennials14 Annuals9 Shrubs7 Bulbs
Aeonium
Aeonium2-3'
Perennial · May-Jun · Z9-11

Dramatic rosettes on woody stems. 'Zwartkop' variety has near-black leaves. Stunning in containers.

Angel's Trumpet
Angel's Trumpet6-15'
Shrub · May-Oct · Z9-11

Huge pendant trumpets release intense evening fragrance over a long warm-season bloom.

Angelina Sedum
Angelina Sedum4-8"
Perennial · Jun-Jul · Z3-9

Chartreuse needle-like foliage turns golden orange in fall. Tiny yellow flowers are a bonus.

Anise Hyssop
Anise Hyssop2-3'
Perennial · Jul-Sep · Z4-9

Lavender-blue spikes with licorice-scented foliage. A pollinator powerhouse that blooms for months.

Aubrieta
Aubrieta4-8"
Perennial · Apr-May · Z4-8

Purple cascades spilling over walls and rocks in spring. Shear after bloom for a fresh flush of foliage.

Bird of Paradise
Bird of Paradise3-5'
Perennial · Mar-Dec · Z9-10

Sculptural, crane-like flowers in orange and blue. Unmistakable.

Blue Fescue
Blue Fescue8-12"
Grass · Jun-Jul · Z3-8

Steel-blue tufted mound. Perfect edging or rock garden accent.

Bobo Hydrangea
Bobo Hydrangea3-3'
Shrub · Jul-Sep · Z3-8

Dwarf paniculata smothered in blooms. Perfect front-of-border plant that needs almost no care.

Borage
Borage2-3'
Annual · Jun-Sep · Z2-11

Star-shaped electric blue flowers that bees go absolutely wild for. Self-sows freely.

Calibrachoa
Calibrachoa6-12"
Annual · May-Oct · Z9-11

Mini petunias that bloom nonstop in hanging baskets. Dozens of color options and no deadheading needed.

Cat's Meow Catmint
Cat's Meow Catmint15-20"
Perennial · May-Sep · Z3-9

Tidy, dome-shaped habit that never flops open. Stays compact without shearing.

Celosia
Celosia1-3'
Annual · Jun-Oct · Z2-11

Flame-shaped or crested flowers in electric colors that dry beautifully. Heat lovers that thrive in summer.

Chamomile
Chamomile12-24"
Annual · May-Aug · Z3-9

Tiny daisy flowers with apple-scented foliage. Brew into tea or let it naturalize between pavers.

Chives
Chives12-18"
Perennial · May-Jun · Z3-9

Cheerful purple pom-pom flowers on a kitchen staple. Edible blooms make any salad Instagram-worthy.

Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum1-3'
Perennial · Sep-Nov · Z5-10

The fall icon. Mounds of color when everything else is fading.

Coleus
Coleus1-3'
Annual · Jul-Aug · Z10-11

Grown for kaleidoscopic foliage, not flowers. Pinch blooms to keep energy in the leaves.

Coral Aloe
Coral Aloe18-24"
Perennial · Feb-Apr · Z9-11

Flat coral-orange rosettes produce vivid flower stalks in late winter. One of the hardiest aloes.

Coral Bells
Coral Bells12-18"
Perennial · May-Jul · Z3-10

Grown mostly for dramatic foliage, but the tiny bell flowers are a bonus.

Crocus
Crocus4-6"
Bulb · Feb-Apr · Z3-8

One of the first signs of spring, pushing through snow with jewel-toned cups.

Culinary Sage
Culinary Sage18-24"
Perennial · May-Jun · Z4-8

Spiky purple blooms above silver-green aromatic foliage. A kitchen herb that doubles as an ornamental.

Daffodil
Daffodil12-18"
Bulb · Mar-May · Z3-10

Cheerful trumpets that naturalize beautifully and return stronger each year.

Dianthus
Dianthus6-18"
Perennial · May-Aug · Z3-10

Spicy-scented, fringed petals. One of the best edging plants there is.

Dragon's Blood Sedum
Dragon's Blood Sedum3-6"
Perennial · Jul-Aug · Z3-9

Creeping mat of burgundy-tinged foliage with starry red flowers. Turns deep red in fall.

Drift Rose
Drift Rose18-24"
Shrub · May-Oct · Z4-11

Groundcover rose that stays low and spreads wide. Tough, disease-resistant, and constantly in bloom.

Dwarf Korean Lilac
Dwarf Korean Lilac4-5'
Shrub · May-Jun · Z3-7

Slow-growing dwarf with dense rounded habit. Perfect for small gardens and foundation plantings.

Echeveria
Echeveria6-12"
Perennial · May-Jul · Z9-11

Perfect rosettes in blue, green, pink, and purple. Bell-shaped flowers on arching stems. Frost-tender.

Feverfew
Feverfew18-24"
Perennial · Jun-Aug · Z5-9

Clusters of small white daisies that bloom for weeks. Historic medicinal herb that self-sows readily.

Gardenia
Gardenia2-6'
Shrub · May-Aug · Z8-11

Glossy evergreen foliage frames intensely fragrant white flowers from late spring into summer.

Grape Hyacinth
Grape Hyacinth6-8"
Bulb · Mar-May · Z3-8

Tiny grape-like clusters that spread into rivers of blue over time.

Hawaiian Hibiscus
Hawaiian Hibiscus3-8'
Shrub · Mar-Nov · Z9-11

Large tropical blooms in vivid colors appear repeatedly from spring through fall.

Hens and Chicks
Hens and Chicks3-6"
Perennial · Jun-Jul · Z3-8

Tight rosettes that multiply by producing offsets. The mother plant flowers once, then dies, replaced by chicks.

Hidcote Lavender
Hidcote Lavender12-18"
Perennial · Jun-Aug · Z5-9

Compact and intensely dark purple. The standard against which all other lavenders are measured.

Hosta
Hosta1-3'
Perennial · Jul-Aug · Z3-8

The undisputed queen of shade gardening. Foliage in every green and blue.

Hyacinth
Hyacinth8-12"
Bulb · Mar-Apr · Z3-8

Dense, intensely fragrant spikes. One bulb can perfume an entire room.

Ice Plant
Ice Plant3-6"
Perennial · Jun-Sep · Z5-10

Neon-bright daisy flowers that shimmer in the sun over succulent foliage. Thrives in hot, dry rock gardens.

Impatiens
Impatiens8-24"
Annual · May-Oct · Z3-10

The shade annual champion. Flowers prolifically where nothing else will.

Japanese Forest Grass
Japanese Forest Grass12-18"
Grass · Aug-Sep · Z5-9

Arching variegated leaves form graceful cascades and brighten shady spots.

Lantana
Lantana1-4'
Perennial · May-Nov · Z7-10

Multi-colored flower clusters that bloom relentlessly in brutal heat.

Lavender
Lavender2-3'
Perennial · Jun-Aug · Z5-10

Fragrant silver-green mounds beloved by bees and humans alike.

Lewisia
Lewisia6-12"
Perennial · May-Jun · Z4-8

Succulent rosettes with brilliant striped flowers in hot sunset colors. Must have perfect drainage or it rots.

Little Lime Hydrangea
Little Lime Hydrangea3-5'
Shrub · Jul-Sep · Z3-8

Compact Limelight. Same color show in a smaller package perfect for borders and containers.

Mandevilla
Mandevilla3-10'
Vine · May-Oct · Z9-11

Glossy vines are covered in showy trumpet flowers from early summer to frost in warm climates.

Marigold
Marigold1-3'
Annual · Jun-Oct · Z3-10

Bulletproof color all season long. The workhorse of warm-toned borders.

Meyer Lemon
Meyer Lemon4-8'
Shrub · Jan-Dec · Z9-11

Sweetly scented white blossoms appear intermittently year-round and set thin-skinned lemons.

Munstead Lavender
Munstead Lavender12-18"
Perennial · Jun-Aug · Z5-9

Earlier blooming and slightly softer purple than Hidcote. Gertrude Jekyll's favorite for a reason.

Oregano
Oregano12-24"
Perennial · Jun-Aug · Z4-9

Tiny flowers are a pollinator magnet when allowed to bloom. Let a patch go to flower for the bees.

Pelargonium
Pelargonium12-18"
Annual · May-Oct · Z9-11

The classic window-box geranium. Ball-shaped flower clusters above scalloped leaves. Tough container staple.

Persian Buttercup
Persian Buttercup12-24"
Bulb · Mar-May · Z8-11

Ruffled, rose-like blooms in vivid colors brighten cool spring beds and pots.

Petunia
Petunia6-18"
Annual · May-Oct · Z3-10

Cascading color for containers and beds. Blooms nonstop until frost.

Pink Dipladenia
Pink Dipladenia2-3'
Shrub · May-Oct · Z9-11

Bushy form with glossy foliage and abundant pink trumpets suited to pots and borders.

Pink Plumeria
Pink Plumeria6-15'
Tree · May-Oct · Z10-11

Clusters of pink, sweetly scented blooms cover this classic tropical tree in summer.

Plumeria
Plumeria10-25'
Tree · May-Oct · Z9-10

Intoxicatingly fragrant tropical blooms. The flower of Hawaiian leis.

PowWow Wild Berry Coneflower
PowWow Wild Berry Coneflower18-24"
Perennial · Jun-Sep · Z3-8

Compact, heavily branched, and smothered in deep rose-purple blooms. Reblooms without deadheading.

Rosemary
Rosemary2-4'
Perennial · Mar-May · Z8-10

Aromatic evergreen herb with tiny blue flowers loved by early bees. Needs excellent drainage.

Saxifrage
Saxifrage4-12"
Perennial · Apr-May · Z4-7

Mossy cushions dotted with dainty flowers. Tucks into rock crevices where little else will grow.

Scarlet Sage
Scarlet Sage12-24"
Annual · Jun-Oct · Z2-11

Electric red spikes that hummingbirds zero in on. Common bedding plant that earns its spot every year.

Sea Thrift
Sea Thrift6-12"
Perennial · Apr-Jun · Z3-8

Grassy tufts topped with round pink pom-poms. Loves lean soil and coastal conditions.

Sedum
Sedum6-24"
Perennial · Aug-Nov · Z3-10

Succulent leaves, tough as nails. Ages to deep crimson in autumn.

Snapdragon
Snapdragon1-3'
Annual · Apr-Sep · Z3-10

Vertical flower spikes with squeeze-open blooms. Kids love them.

Sweet Alyssum
Sweet Alyssum3-6"
Annual · Apr-Oct · Z3-10

Honey-scented carpet of tiny flowers. The best living edging plant.

Sweet Pea
Sweet Pea4-6'
Annual · Apr-Jun · Z2-11

Ruffled, intensely fragrant climbing flowers in every pastel shade. Cool-season annual that hates heat.

Trumpet Gentian
Trumpet Gentian4-8"
Perennial · May-Jun · Z3-7

Intense, almost electric blue trumpet flowers on a low mat. The holy grail of alpine gardeners.

Tuberose
Tuberose2-3'
Bulb · Jul-Sep · Z7-10

Tall summer spikes of waxy white blooms release powerful evening fragrance.

Tulip
Tulip10-24"
Bulb · Mar-May · Z3-8

The classic spring icon in almost every color imaginable.

Wax Begonia
Wax Begonia8-12"
Annual · May-Oct · Z8-11

Glossy leaves and nonstop flowers in sun or shade. One of the most reliable bedding plants anywhere.

White Plumeria
White Plumeria6-15'
Tree · May-Oct · Z10-11

Highly fragrant white flowers with yellow centers appear in clusters on succulent branches.

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