Planting ideas for large pot on patio

Hi everyone, I have a large (50cm) deep blue pot that I would like to plant up on my sunny south facing patio. Ideally I would like it to include a tall evergreen plant, something trailing and some flowers, a good variety really. Any suggestions welcome. Thanks

 

Hi @NessaJ70 ,
for trailing plants Ivy will look good year round. Vinca is also very pretty and evergreen, but the purplish-blue flowers might clash with the blue pot. Trailing succulents are a good option for a sunny spot, they have character and again look good all year.

For the tall centerpiece.... mmmhh... something grown as a standard? Hardy standard Fuchsias look great and it's apparently fairly easy to grow your own standard. They are not evergreen though, but if your trailers are, and you add an early bulb or two, the container should look fine. Solar fairy lights of course Another option is a climber on an attractive support. Or a standard rose... again, not evergreen but worth the wait to flower.

Flowerwise you could maybe go for summer bedding plants, they'll flower all summer with little effort and low cost. Or, if your centerpiece and the trailers flower in the summer, Hellebors are brilliant in containers in winter. The evergreen foliage is attractive in the summer.

50cm is big, but not huge so plenty of feeding and watering will be needed.

 

Hiya Nessa
Tall evergreen.....what better than taxus Standishii? Easily pruned to maintain its natural tight columnar shape, beautiful foliage colour from olive green in winter to butter yellow in spring and summer and the easiest conifer to grow. Has no fads, will not burn or brown etc.
Trailing? Check out lithodora heavenly blue. Evergreen, easy with blue flowers for several weeks. Perfect with Standishii.
Add a couple of red or purple black heucheras like Obsidion or Berry Smoothie.
Some dwarf bulbs...snowdrops, dwarf iris, blue anemone blanda.
Just sit back and enjoy the show Nessa

 

Thanks Selleri, some great ideas, like the idea of a standard plant too. I love vinca and the early bulbs would be good too for extra interest. Lots to think about, thanks very much

 

Thanks Verdun, sadly my husband has a complete aversion to any conifers which is a shame as that would work well! The lithodora look lovely and will definitely include some bulbs. Thanks very much

 

Hi Nessa ... not sure whether you managed to sort out your pot or not yet? I've just joined and came across your post whilst having a wander through the forums. I was thinking of a euonymus japonicus green spire for the evergreen. Nice and columnar [so room to plant around] with gorgeous bright green new growth. I love mine - have it in my south facing 'yarden' and it's one of my favourite shrubs with it's lovely straight columns and glossy dark green leaves which contrast so well with the lime green of the new growth. I wanted to move mine to a pot actually - as I have a perfect one for it - but it's so well established/rooted in it's current position that I didn't want to disturb it and risk losing it.
Anyway, hope your planting turns out well whatever you choose/have chosen.

 

Yes, totally agree with you DMM......very under used. Rich green all year with bright new growths in spring
It makes a fine specimen vertical specimen but I have used it as a hedge.......it makes a fast growing screen, faster than most anything else I think.
Never used it as a container plant.....but it should do well in a large pot with John innes compost

 

A mimosa is ideal.
Here's ours on the patio, just need a bit of a prune each year.

 

If you have enough sun, I' d add one of these simple things. Love mine. have two.

 

Thanks All, and DMM re the euonymus. I have a lovely one in a deep butler sink and I love it. In the end I went for a hebe which isn't tall at all but looks great now it's flowers are coming out! I've put some trailing bedding plants around it so I'm really happy with it

 

Oh that's great Nessa. Pleased you found something you're happy with. Which is after all the main objective! Good for you