Hibiscus
The tropical bloomer is an excellent accent for a group of containers. It’s especially striking when it has a trunk with braiding. As long as it is protected from the cold, this plant will live long. Johnson says that he keeps his indoors during the winter. The once $5 plant has grown into a beautiful thick trunked plant nearly seven years old.
Caladium
This tropical plant’s heart-shaped leaves will be the star of any container. It will look great with impatiens in a shady area. But be sure to keep it away from pets that like to chew plants. Caladiums are poisonous if they contain calcium oxalates.
Sweet Potato Vine
Sweet potato vines trailing can be a colorful contrast in your container. The foliage is available in various colors, from lime green to purple. Johnson says that this is one of his favorite spillers. “Big color, big leaves, big impact.”
Supertunia
“Up to four feet of spillage in containers — sold!” Johnson. This low-maintenance hybrid petunia doesn’t require deadheading to produce repeat blooms.
Basil
If you plant it in your container, you’ll have plenty of fresh basil leaves for cooking. It will also help repel mosquitoes. Johnson lets her basil plants flower, using them as filler in her containers. She says that the flowers are beautiful and fragrant. They are also great for floral arrangements.
Lantana
This spiller is easy to grow and will work well in containers or hanging pots. This low-maintenance, heat- and drought-resistant perennial attracts butterflies from late spring until frost. Johnson says she loves the petal structure and colors.
Be aware of two crucial facts: Lantana can be toxic to horses and livestock if ingested. Choose sterile varieties, as lantana is invasive in hot climates.
Sweet Alyssum
Johnson says that sweet alyssum’s delicate, airy appearance makes it unique when spilling over the container’s rim. I love to add this to my rock wall as well. The most common color is white, but there are also purple and pink varieties.
Nemesia
The plant can flower during winter in milder climates but is generally considered annual. Use it as an accent in a mixed container.
Dwarf Hydrangea
Surprise! You can also plant flowering shrubs in containers. This is especially true for dwarf varieties, which don’t grow higher than 2 or 3 feet. Thanks to the explosion of new types over the last decade, you will find a hydrangea variety you like. Most hydrangeas start white or whitish pink and then change to shades of purple, pink, lime green, or a combination. The blooms can be dried to create a beautiful indoor display.
Shrub Rose
Wise says that roses look great in landscape plantings but also in pots. The newer rose varieties are also more resistant to disease than older varieties, so they don’t require as much care. These can be displayed in decorative pots to create a focal point on your patio or deck.
Pansies, Violas, and Other Violaceous Plants
These spring and fall garden favorites come in stunning single- and colorful blooms. Some varieties last past the first frost and some return in the spring. Plant them in a single color to make a statement, or combine them with other plants that bloom later for enduring interest.