Plant Up a Fall Container With a Pro

Even fall containers need some care to look good for as long as possible. And if you’re expecting to hang on to a few of your summer favorites to use in fall, you’ll want to follow garden designer Susan Nock’s advice for great-looking containers. As the owner of Thistle Containers in the Seattle area, she has more than a decade of experience creating seasonal displays for clients and in her own garden. Watch the video above or on our YouTube channel to see her plant up a pretty cool-toned planter for fall, and find the recipe below.

The most important thing to do is water. And while cooler fall temperatures usually mean less watering, dry spells happen even at the end of the growing season. If potting mix dries out too much, it’s hard to get it remoistened. Insert your forefinger up to the first knuckle, and if it’s dry, it’s time for a visit with the hose.

Fall container planting tips

Susan plants her fall containers around mid-September and mixes a slow-release fertilizer into the potting mix. In summer, she’ll use a water-soluble plant food every couple of weeks, but because the fall growing season is short, she doesn’t bother with that. And as you’ll see by the containers in this article, she gets wonderful results. 

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Cool-toned fall container plant combination

Sitting at the end of a walkway, this little group leads the way deeper into the backyard garden, with its out-of-the-ordinary color combination. The taller pot’s tall sedum and ivy tie in with the windowbox in the background while the lower pot stairsteps down to the path with flowery accents.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) Maiden grassMiscanthus sinensis ‘Variegatus’ (1)
B) Ornamental kaleBrassica oleracea ‘Lacinato’ (1)
C) Montauk daisyNipponanthemum nipponicum (1)
D) Cushion bushLeucophyta brownii (1)
E) PansyViola x wittrockiana Matrix^™ White (1)
F) Tall sedumHylotelephium x mottramianum ‘Autumn Joy’ (1)
G) English ivyHedera helix ‘Variegata’ (1)
(Note: English ivy is considered invasive in some areas; keep contained to the planting to avoid problems with spreading.)
H) EuphorbiaEuphorbia x martinii ‘Ascot Rainbow’ (1)
I) AsterSymphyotrichum hybrid (1)
J) Ornamental kaleBrassica oleracea ‘Pigeon White’ (1)
K) Garden mumChrysanthemum hybrid (1)
L) CalibrachoaCalibrachoa hybrid (1)

Tall container is 18 in. tall x 16 in. wide
Low bowl planter is 8 in. tall x 14 in. wide

Create out-of-the-ordinary fall container with white flowers

Susan wanted a light and airy fall combo for this small windowbox, so the color combination isn’t the usual warm hues. White, gray and yellow coordinate with the storage shed, providing a soft look that still radiates a fall vibe.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) ConeflowerEchinacea Sombrero^® Lemon Yellow (1)
B) Dusty millerJacobaea maritima ‘Silver Dust’ (2)
C) HeatherCalluna vulgaris (2)
D) Garden mumChrysanthemum morifolium Shannon^™ White (2)
E) PansyViola x wittrockiana Matrix^™ White (1)
F) Ornamental kaleBrassica oleracea ‘Pigeon White’ (2)
G) English ivyHedera helix ‘Variegata’ (5)

Windowbox is 24 in. long x 10 in. wide x 10 in. deep

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Create an accent planter with leftovers

Susan found this little sconce at a thrift store. It has a metal lining so the potting mix doesn’t fall out and is round in front but flat on the back for hanging. It’s positioned on a wall near the windowbox above, so she used some of the leftover plants from that design for an integrated appearance. Then she tucked in a ‘Baby Boo’ miniature pumpkin to complete the look.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) Montauk daisyNipponanthemum nipponicum (1)
B) Dusty millerJacobaea maritima ‘Silver Dust’ (1)
C) English ivyHedera helix ‘Variegata’ (1)
D) HeatherCalluna vulgaris (1)

Container is 10 in. wide

(Note: English ivy is considered invasive in some areas; keep contained to the planting to avoid problems with spreading.)

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Tips From the Pros: Ideas for Gorgeous Fall Container Displays

Just because the growing season is winding down doesn’t mean you have to give up on your containers. Garden designer Susan Nock has been designing and planting them for more than 10 years and has lots of tips and ideas to share for creating gorgeous fall designs. Watch the Talk & Tour video above to get a garden design pro’s tips for creating beautiful fall containers, and see how Susan brings her seasonal designs together.

Coordinate container colors with your home and garden

Before Susan starts planting, she looks at where the container will sit. Whether it’s in a border or along a path, her goal is to create a “color conversation” — a back and forth between the container and the area around it so the container fits in seamlessly.

In the photo above, she’s picked up color notes from the home’s door, trim and siding in the pots near the entry. There’s also a lacecap hydrangea near the foundation that is white in summer but develops a red-pink blush in fall, so she chose the classic orange, red and yellow fall-color palette to coordinate with that standout shrub.

Susan finds that odd numbers in a grouping look best. In this group of three that you can see more clearly in the photo below, the large square pot is 20 inches square, the medium round one is 18 inches and the smallest is 12 inches. The largest pots usually have several different types of plants, but there’s just one in the smallest so the group doesn’t look too busy or confusing.

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Use containers to create visual clues for visitors

Another key role this fall entry grouping plays is to guide visitors along the path to the front door. Giving them an “oh, there’s something there so I should follow” kind of clue. Bright orange pumpkins and the showy croton foliage are sure attention-getters, drawing people along the path to the entry.

In other areas of the garden, Susan likes to create destinations. It might be an out-of-the-way patio or a bench tucked away in a side yard that could be hard to find unless you place a colorful container at the bend in a path or close to the journey’s end.

Beautify a fall border by adding containers

The great thing about containers is that they’re mobile, so you can move them wherever you need some help. Do you have a tired spot in the border where the perennials and shrubs are done blooming and the annuals are looking ragged? That’s an ideal spot for fall containers to add a visual pop.

Or maybe you have a fall border with plenty of low-growing but colorful garden mums in need of a little added height. Slip in a group of containers like the ones we’ve talked about here and you’ll have a beautiful display.

Susan uses this same approach for working containers in every season. While some of her clients want the traditional burnished red, orange and yellow colors for fall designs, others prefer cool shades — whatever the color scheme, she loves them all. Read on to get a look at some of the beautiful fall containers she created for her own home.

Tips for designing interesting fall containers

Susan is a big fan of foliage-focused containers, even in fall. They’re easy-care and look good until frost. A variety of leaf shapes, sizes and textures, as seen with the ‘Toffee Twist’ sedge, coral bells and dichondra in the planting above, ensures each plant stands out, providing a gorgeous design every time. Plus, a mix of small, medium and large leaves moves your eye through the planting, with the larger leaves providing a place to rest. Too many small- to medium-sized leaves create what Susan calls “a salad bowl container” that makes it hard to tell what’s what.

Love these fall containers?Get a PDF Download of Susan's container designs including plant lists here!

Choose the best containers

If you’re shopping for containers, large ones — 18 inches in diameter or larger — are definitely worth the investment. The size easily attracts attention; plants are healthier because there’s more room for roots to grow, and with more potting mix, it stays moist longer, so you water less. An added benefit is that you can plant larger specimens for instant impact. Buying bigger plants is an especially good idea for fall containers, as plants don’t put on a lot of new growth in cooler temperatures.

In Susan’s zone 6 garden, bigger pots mean she’s been able to overwinter evergreens, like the arborvitae in the photo above that’s a couple of years old. In spring, Susan will move this shrub to a separate pot and tuck it away in a corner of the garden to showcase again the following fall and winter.

All-weather materials

Her favorite all-weather pots are made of fiberstone and come from Campania. Most of the terra-cotta pots go indoors for the winter, but she still makes use of them for as long as possible.

Consider container height

How tall a container should be depends on the situation. Susan often lets the house or other garden structures dictate the size. At an entry, she likes the container to be about a third the size of the door. A 24-inch-tall pot with an arborvitae is just the right size to attract attention to the shed’s door. In the border, Susan looks for a fence, a shrub or even a tall perennial to relate the container to and ensure a proportional look.

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Seasonal container swap-out

This spot on the deck is a high visibility area that Susan walks by daily and can see from her kitchen window, so she creates seasonal displays to enjoy every year. The summer group (above) had lots of tender house plants, succulents and bromeliads that needed to go indoors once fall nights were getting chilly.

Fall display

So Susan swapped those out for cool-weather-loving garden mums, ornamental kale, heather and, of course, pumpkins you see above. The big arborvitae at the end of the bench and long concrete trough are too heavy to move, so they stay in place all year.

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Bring a tropical feel to your patio, porch or deck with bold tropical plants in containers. Whether you love dramatic foliage, vibrant flowers or a mix of both, tropical container gardens create lush, eye-catching displays all season long.

Even better, many tender tropical plants can be overwintered in colder climates, making them a smart investment year after year. Get inspired with our favorite tropical plant combinations for containers below, and learn how to create stunning, tropical-style arrangements for your own outdoor space.

Tropical plants make a spectacular focal point in full sun

Nothing says “Wow” like a showstopping tropical plant used as a specimen in a container, either by itself or with other supporting players. Here, a red Abyssinian banana does just that. But its pot-mates are pretty, too, and provide just enough color and filler to show the banana off to its best advantage. Formal in its composition, this planter could serve as a striking focal point in an informal setting as well with a change of container.

Let these plants dry a touch between waterings, but give them a good soaking when you do water. Keep reading to learn how to take care of bananas and other tropical plants through winter.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) Red Abyssinian banana Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’ (1)
B) Canna Canna ‘America’ (4)
C) Geranium Pelargonium Caliente^® Mix (24)
D) Creeping Jenny Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’ (4)
Container is 36 in. square

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Add a touch of purple to cool down tropical plants

Cool and refreshing, this combination of purple and yellow-green would give off a tranquil feeling even if it wasn’t next to water. Relax and enjoy the soft flowing verbena draping over the edge of the container, knowing you don’t have to work hard at all to take care of it. Just snip off spent blooms to keep the plant full and floriferous.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) Canna Canna ‘Bengal Tiger’ (1)
B) Licorice vine Helichrysum petiolare ‘Lemon Licorice’ (2)
C) Euphorbia Euphorbia hypericifolia ‘Hip Hop’ (2)
D) Verbena Verbena canadensis ‘Homestead Purple’ (4)
Container is 18 in. square

3 ways to overwinter tropical plants

Tropical plants can stay outside until night temperatures get below 50 degrees F. Here is how to care for them once you bring them indoors.

1. Keep it as a house plant

Place plants like crotons (Codiaeum spp.), sprengeri fern (Asparagus sprengerii), ivy (Hedera helix) and ficus (Ficus spp.) in a sunny south-facing window with plenty of humidity.

2. Let it go dormant

A container-grown plant, such as banana (Musa hybrids), can be cared for like a house plant if you have the space. Or cut the stems back to 6 in. tall, place the pot in a cool, dark location and let it dry out. In late winter, start watering and new growth will begin in a few weeks.

3. Dig it up and overwinter tender bulbs

Cut elephant ear (Colocasia hybrids), caladium (Codiaeum hybrids) and canna (Canna hybrids) back after frost has killed the foliage. Dig bulbs or tubers, and let them dry for up to a week, then store them in slightly damp peat moss in a cool (45 degrees F), dry location.

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Little tropical container, big impact!

A bold container doesn’t have to be big — just look at this eye-catching arrangement. It grabs your attention with tropical colors and patterned foliage. Guests will be drawn to this gorgeous container; use it to lead them to a patio seating area for lively conversation.

Though lantana is drought tolerant, croton and New Guinea impatiens are thirsty, so check the soil and water when it is just dry to the touch and before foliage wilts. Terra-cotta containers are breathable and will dry out faster than glazed ceramic or plastic pots, so keep an eye on it every day in the summer.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) Croton Codiaeum variegatum pictum ‘Petra’ (1)
B) New Guinea impatiens Impatiens hawkeri (2)
C) Lantana Lantana camara Little Lucky^™ Orange (1)
Container is 12 in. in diameter

Fast-growing container planting bursting with color for part shade

This simple container has all the elements for a great container planting that uses the classic "thriller, filler, spiller" recipe. And vigorous growers like the sweet potato vine, elephant ear, impatiens and asparagus fern here fill up a container fast — perfect for spots you want to call attention to all season.

But don’t put this in too much sun —‘Tricolor’ sweet potato vine’s white variegation can burn in hot midday heat, so keep it in a partly shady spot.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) Elephant ear Colocasia esculenta ‘Mojito’ (1)
B) Asparagus fern Asparagus densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’ (1)
C) New Guinea impatiens Impatiens Devine^™ Blue Pearl (4)
D) Begonia Begonia Dragon Wing^® Pink (1)
E) Sweet potato vine Ipomoea batatas ‘Tricolor’ (2)

Container is 20 in. square

Designer tips for stunning container gardens

Landscape designer Christina Salwitz, owner of The Personal Garden Coach, has been growing and designing colorful containers for her Seattle, Washington, clients for years. Her best advice for a head-turning design is to “think outside the pot” to come up with new and creative container designs. While the traditional thriller, filler and spiller recipe is a great way to get started, don’t let it limit your container creativity.

Though Christina is all about breaking the rules when it comes to trying new plant combinations, she does have a few tips to guide you along the way and lots of gorgeous containers for inspiration. Plus find two patio planter designs, complete with plant lists so you can recreate them in your own garden.

1. Experiment with different container plants

Be adventurous with your plant combinations. If you like a plant’s flower or foliage color, habit or leaf shape, give it a try — the results just might be amazing!

2. Create easy combos with the rule of 3

Christina uses three heights, three colors and three textures to guide her plantings. But this is just a guideline — feel free to ignore it when inspiration strikes.

3. Serendipity happens with garden design

Be open to plants not behaving the way you expect. Not every design turns out as planned, and that’s OK.

4. Choose double-duty container plants

Get the most out of your container plantings by buying plants that can do “double duty” in the garden. Whether it’s a young specimen tree that can be moved into the garden later or perennials that can be planted in the border in fall, these versatile plants add long-term value. Watch the video below to see Christina’s container tips in action.

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Bold patio planter ideas from a design pro

Plant a patio container that looks good from every angle

This container sits on a patio that greets friends and family to outdoor gatherings, so it needed 360-degree beauty. Because the New Zealand flax is planted off-center, the planting has a different look from every angle. Christina expected the celosia and crassula to grow upright habits. Instead, the stems were more relaxed but the combination still looked great.

The celosia’s vibrant blooms balance the sweeping vaselike foliage of the flax, creating a dynamic look that’s easy to see from anywhere in the yard.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) New Zealand flaxPhormium ‘Black Adder’ (1)
B) Licorice vineHelichrysum petiolare ‘Limelight’ (2)
C) CelosiaCelosia argentea spicata ‘Intenz’ (5)
D) CrassulaCrassula capitella ‘Campfire’ (1)
E) Sweet potato vineIpomoea batatas ‘Sweet Caroline Red’ (1)

Container is 14 inches in diameter

Mix annuals and perennials for long-lasting patio planters

Getting plants in the right spot in the border makes a difference in how well they grow, and Christina has found that it makes a difference in containers, too. On the hottest, most exposed side of this pot she placed the sedum and annual geranium. The other side (with the coleus) gets a bit of shade from the border and the taller container behind. Campfire coleus can grow to 28 inches tall and may need a trim once or twice so it doesn’t overshadow its sun-loving neighbors.

Double-duty plant tip

If you live where winters get below freezing, transplant the sedum in the ground a few weeks before the last expected frost and overwinter the New Zealand flax and echeveria indoors until spring.

Container plant list

A) CordylineCordyline australis ‘Red Star’
B) ColeusPlectranthus scutellarioides Campfire
C) GeraniumPelargonium hybrid
D) EcheveriaEcheveria ‘Ruffles’
E) SedumSedum hybrid
F) Coral bellsHeuchera Forever^® Purple
Container is 14 inches in diameter

Container designs by Christina Salwitz, The Personal Garden Coach

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Enjoy clematis up close in containers

Why settle for clematis scrambling up a far-off fence or a distant obelisk when you can enjoy these spectacular blooms up close — right on your deck, patio or balcony! Even gardeners in USDA cold-hardiness zones 4 and 5 can grow these showy vines in containers year-round if they follow the tips from Cindy Tibbetts, owner of specialty clematis nursery Hummingbird Farm in Maine.

Getting started with growing clematis in containers

To grow great-looking clematis in a container, don’t skimp on pot size. Cindy recommends using a 24-inch-diameter container (larger is fine too) so the potting mix doesn’t dry out too quickly and the roots have lots of room to grow.

Fill containers with quality bark mix

Cindy fills her containers with Happy Frog^® Potting Soil. This blend has big bark chunks that ensure good drainage and air circulation, both essential for preventing root rot, which can be a problem for clematis in containers. But any brand of mix with bark will work. Compact varieties work best in Cindy’s containers — those topping out at 6 feet tall or less are easier to manage.

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Clematis care

Maintenance during the growing season is simple: Water and feed. Container-grown clematis can dry out more quickly than their counterparts in the ground, so check the potting mix regularly, especially when temperatures rise in summer. You’ll know the container needs watering when you stick your forefinger in the potting mix up to the first knuckle and it’s dry.

Feed with liquid plant food while blooming

While clematis aren’t usually heavy feeders, those in containers need more attention because watering pushes the nutrients from the potting mix quickly, sometimes before plant roots can access them. Cindy recommends using any liquid plant food according to label directions every week or two while plants are blooming.

Check soil pH

One year, some of the clematis developed interveinal chlorosis — a yellowing between the veins as a result of nutrient deficiency. A soil pH that’s too alkaline is often the problem. But Cindy discovered that the well water at Hummingbird Farms had a pH of 8.2. If the pH is over 6.7, iron and magnesium can’t be taken up by the plant, so yellow leaves develop. She solved this with a water-soluble acid formula plant food, which helped lower the pH, and now her clematis can take up nutrients properly.

Prune clematis roots and stems every few years

After two or three years the bark in the potting mix tends to break down, so it’s a good idea to take everything out of the pot, add more mix and replant your clematis. This provides fresh nutrients and keeps drainage sharp. When Cindy unpots the plant, most of the potting mix falls away. She takes this opportunity to do a little root pruning, which ensures plants can grow in the same container for years.

To do this, she teases out the roots and keeps an eye out for any that are broken or diseased to cut away. Her rule of thumb is that if the roots won’t fit neatly back into the pot without winding around, she cuts them back just enough to get it back into the container.

Tips for pruning clematis

Prune the clematis stems just like you would if it were growing in the ground. The varieties in the gallery below are all part of pruning groups 2 or 3.

• Cut group 3 clematis to within a foot of the crown in late winter or early spring.
• Clean up group 2 clematis by removing broken stems and shaping the vine (trim long stems or reposition those that are going where you don’t want them to).

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Try these clematis varieties in containers

The varieties above are some of her favorites and look spectacular throughout the nursery’s seating and display areas. Most of these are compact varieties that will perform well in containers; find details for each below.

• A) Sarah Elizabeth^™Clematis hybrid
  Pale pink single flowers with maroon anthers from late spring to fall; 4 to 5 ft. tall; pruning group 3; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

• B) Guernsey Flute^™Clematis hybrid
  Large 5-in. white flowers with red anthers from late spring to fall; 3 to 4 ft. tall; pruning group 2; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

• C) ‘Piilu’Clematis hybrid
  Double 4- to 5-in. two-tone pink blooms in late spring, single flowers until fall; 4 to 6 ft. tall; pruning group 2; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

• D) Bourbon^™Clematis hybrid
  Single 5-in. red-purple flowers in late spring to fall; 4 to 6 ft. tall; pruning group 2; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

• E) Tranquilité^™Clematis hybrid
  Star-shaped flowers have overlapping lavender petals that fade to a white center in late spring to fall; 4 to 5 ft. tall; pruning group 3; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

Clematis plant source

Hummingbird Farm, hummingbirdfarm.net, 207-224-8220

Tips for overwintering clematis in containers

Getting container-grown clematis through the winter can be tricky if you garden in zones 5 or colder. Over the years, Cindy has tried lots of different ways to get clematis in containers through winter. Here are the tips she’s learned from hard-won experience.

Container materials matter!

Gardening in USDA zone 5, where winter temperatures regularly drop below freezing, Cindy learned an expensive lesson about different types of containers when several ceramic pots planted with clematis and left outdoors cracked and broke. Now she plants in wooden containers, which are both sturdy and drain well. Resin containers are another reliable option for cold climates. Plastic pots are more of a temporary fix — they tend to get brittle and crack after a few years. For gardeners in zone 8 or 9, ceramic pots are an excellent choice, as they won’t face the destructive expansion and contraction that comes with freezing temperatures.

Plan for protection

Initially, Cindy left container-grown clematis outdoors all winter without protection. While most survived, the melting spring snow sometimes kept the potting mix cold and wet for too long, causing root rot.

Two easy ways to overwinter clematis in containers

1. Overwinter clematis grown in containers in a garage or shed

Now she has a better system, so all the clematis get through winter. In late fall Cindy hauls the container-grown clematis at Hummingbird Farm into the greenhouse. (An unheated garage or shed would work too.)

The best part is that you can basically forget about them until spring. No watering or fussing with lights needed — the foliage turns brown like the one in the illustration above and plants go dormant anyway. When spring arrives and the threat of frost is past, drag them outside, water and do whatever pruning is required for that variety.

2. Protect container-grown clematis in place

If you can’t move a large container into a shed or greenhouse, try this tip from one of Cindy’s customers:

Cut the stems back to 6 to 8 inches tall in fall after it goes dormant. Then place a 10-inch diameter (or slightly larger) nursery pot over the stems and drape a piece of heavy plastic sheeting, the kind you find in the paint department at the hardware store, over the whole setup. Avoid a porous tarp, as you need it to shed water.

Secure the plastic on the ground with a few bricks or stones to keep everything in place through winter. You can see how it all goes together in the illustration above. The overturned nursery pot ensures that the plastic sends snow and ice melt to the ground and away from the plant. In spring, remove the covering and watch your container-grown clematis take off.

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Tips for success with container-grown trees

Need privacy on your porch? Move in a hedge of container-grown evergreens to shield the view. Patio too sunny? Add a touch of shade with a kousa dogwood in a pot. Want more color in a shady spot? Try a burgundy-foliaged Japanese maple in a teal pot like the one above. The great thing about trees grown in containers is that they are relatively mobile, so you can place them wherever you want.

Container-grown trees provide height in spots where you can’t plant in the ground and add drama and permanence where you might normally just grow annuals. But there are a few tips and techniques that can help you keep them growing healthy for years. Although you can plant almost any tree in a container, you’ll have the best results with varieties that are naturally small. Read on to find a few good candidates to grow well in a pot.

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Choose the best container to grow a tree

To grow a tree in a pot, use a container at least 20 inches in diameter and height. The larger the pot, the better your tree will grow, plus it will be heavier and less likely to blow over. Though I love the look, I avoid containers that narrow at the top — they are hard to pull the root ball out when you need to repot or root-prune. Instead, I tend to choose a pot that flares out at the top.

Best Trees to Grow in Containers

• Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)
• Crabapple (Malus hybrids)
• Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
• Dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca ‘Conica’)
• Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
• Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp. and hybrids)
• Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)
• Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa)
• Orange (Citrus x sinensis)

Prune roots to keep container-grown trees healthy longer

To encourage smaller feeder roots to grow and control the plant’s size, the tree should be root-pruned every two to three years. This is important because over time, roots will circle inside the pot and may girdle the trunk, which constricts the flow of water and nutrients and could kill the tree.

See how I root-pruned and repotted an arborvitae from the test garden in our video. Many trees can be grown in pots for up to 20 years or more. Keeping the roots healthy will ensure your container tree lives a long, full life.

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With another gardening season just around the corner, container gardens are probably already on your mind! Half the fun is trying out new plant combinations or swapping in something fresh each season. The other half? Checking out the creative ideas other gardeners have come up with —because a little inspiration can spark some big ideas of your own.

Thanks to everyone who submitted an entry in the 2026 Container Challenge, and congratulations to our winners! With so many fantastic designs, we wanted to shine a spotlight on a handful of honorable mentions that stood out as well. Browse these top entries, and you’re sure to find one (or several!) that will inspire new plants, colors, or design ideas for your containers this year.

Read More: Get Inspired by Our 2026 Container Challenge Winners!

2026 Container Challenge Honorable Mentions

Wonderful Windowbox

Michelle & Paul Frati, NY | @pardonandmirth

After moving to a new home, Michelle and Paul were looking for a way to stretch their limited garden budget. So they shopped sales and looked for perennials and shrubs in smaller nursery pots that could do double duty. First they created a cool-color combo to fill their self-watering windowbox. Then when the growing season was over, the hydrangeas, astilbe and coral bells went in the ground to help fill the borders of their new garden. The Endless Summer hydrangeas bloomed off and on from planting until frost, and the long-lasting astilbe flowers created an interesting accent even after they faded.

The house faces north, so the windowbox gets a few hours of morning sun and they only need to fill the reservoir about every two weeks, even during the heat of summer. Because it’s made of resin, the Fratis leave the planter in place in their zone 5 region with no worries.

Key container plants

A) AstilbeAstilbe ‘Happy Spirit’
B) Coral bellsHeuchera ‘Wildberry’
C) Bigleaf hydrangeaHydrangea macrophylla Endless Summer^®
D) Creeping JennyLysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’
E) LobeliaLobelia erinus
Windowbox is 11 in. deep x 11 in. wide x 60 in. long

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Part-Shade Patio Container Solution

Camille McElroy, TN | @catmintcoop

Looking for just the right container plants for a part-shade patio in zone 8, Camille created this great-looking group. While there are a few annuals in it, her design makes good use of the foliage color and texture that shrubs and perennials, such as coral bells, lamb’s ear and paperbush, provide. The stairstep containers are made of cast concrete and stay outdoors all year. The shrubs and perennials also stay in the pots year-round and often last for several years. Once they start looking tired, they’re moved out to the garden.

Even though the containers are large, Camille doesn’t use fillers, such as rock, Styrofoam^™ or cans, in the bottom to reduce the amount of potting mix needed. This technique has blocked the drainage hole in the past, causing rot or even cracked pots over winter. Instead, she fills them about a third full of bark mulch, then tops it off with potting mix. This works especially well for shrubs or perennials, but if all the plants going in the pot are shallow-rooted annuals, she can add a bit more mulch.

Key container plants

A) AbeliaAbelia x grandiflora ‘Kaleidoscope’
B) Foam flowerTiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’
C) Creeping JennyLysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’
D) Coral bellsHeuchera ‘Palace Purple’
E) Coral bellsHeuchera ‘Plum Pudding’
F) PaperbushEdgeworthia chrysantha
G) Coral bellsHeuchera ‘Fire Alarm’
H) Lamb’s earStachys byzantina
I) Foxtail fernAsparagus densiflorus ‘Meyersii’
J) DichondraDichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’
K) BacopaChaenostoma cordatum ‘Snowflake’

Large container is 38 in. tall x 30 in. wide
Medium container is 21 in. tall x 20 in. wide
Small container is 20 in. tall x 18 in. wide

Classic Curb Appeal

Marie Herbert, MI

Coleus and impatiens are some of Marie’s favorite plants, so it was natural for her to fill these concrete urns with them, creating a colorful greeting for visitors at her north-facing front door last year.

This combination didn’t need a lot of care, but Marie kept an eye on the Kong coleus because, true to its name, it can get pretty big — up to 20 inches tall. If any stems grew out of proportion with the planting, she cut them back along with any flowers that formed. If dichondra sends out a stray stem, it’s easy to snip it off to maintain the neat and tidy look essential for eye-catching curb appeal.

Key container plants

A) ColeusColeus scutellarioides Kong^® Rose
B) New Guinea impatiensImpatiens hawkeri Painted Paradise Orange
C) DichondraDichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’
Container is 40 in. tall x 23 in. wide

Enter Garden Gate’s 2027 Reader Container Challenge!

Submit photos of your best container gardens, and we’ll choose our favorites to feature in a future issue of Garden Gate Magazine. The containers can be any size, season or style! See full entry rules here.

Pretty in Pink

Heather Markway, MO | @lifegardenstyle

This corner only gets an hour or two of sunlight each day, making it a challenge to grow plants there. So Heather nestled this lovely urn filled with colorful shade annuals into the corner where her sunporch meets the house.

The iron-framed urn needed a coir liner to hold in the potting mix, but its unusual shape made it necessary for Heather to get creative. She used an ordinary hanging basket liner at the base of the urn, then cut a sheet of coir to cover the “walls” of the urn.

With a tall caladium as the thriller, begonias and sedge as the filler and dichondra as the spiller, this classic container formula couldn’t be prettier or easier to care for. Besides watering, all Heather had to do to keep it tidy was occasionally tug off a spent begonia bloom or trim a stray dichondra stem. If the begonia gets too tall and competes too much with the caladium, just cut it back by a third. New compact growth will take off in a few weeks.

Key container plants

A) CaladiumCaladium bicolor ‘Bottle Rocket’
B) BegoniaBegonia Dragon Wing^® Pink
C) SedgeCarex oshimensis ‘Everillo’
D) BrowalliaBrowallia Endless^™ Illumination
E) DichondraDichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’
Container is 30 in. tall x 16 in. wide

Bold & Beautiful Planter

Summer Bryan, GA| @petals_of_summer

With a west-facing front porch in Georgia where temperatures easily reach 100 degrees F and higher, Summer needed a group of plants that could take the tough growing conditions. This collection of heat lovers fit the bill. She placed the tall papyrus toward the back of the pot, where it supplies plenty of elegant drama. Then she added a bright red geranium and begonias, orange coleus and chartreuse creeping Jenny for eye-catching color. It’s perfect for drawing visitors over to sit on the porch. The blue glazed container cools the hot colors down a bit and coordinates with the dark siding.

Summer keeps plants happy through the heat with drip irrigation held in place with landscape pins. She makes sure to position the emitters so they’re watering at soil level instead of splashing the leaves, in order to avoid fungal disease in her densely planted pots.

Key container plants

A) PapyrusCyperus papyrus King Tut^®
B) BegoniaBegonia Dragon Wing^® Red
C) Mealycup sageSalvia farinacea
D) VerbenaVerbena hybrid
E) BacopaChaenostoma cordatum
F) Creeping JennyLysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’
G) GeraniumPelargonium hybrid
H) ColeusColeus scutellarioides ‘Alabama Sunset’
I) EvolvulusEvolvulus hybrid
Container is 30 in. tall x 24 in. wide

See Previous Year’s Container Challenge Winners:
2026 Winners
2025 Winners
2024 Winners
2023 Winners

Pollinator Paradise

Sue Cashman, WI | @sue.cashman.167

This big resin container is packed with colorful flowers and was one of Sue’s favorites last year—and the neighborhood hummingbirds liked it too! It sits in a hot, dry spot in full sun, which is just what lantanas love, but marguerite daisies can struggle there. Fortunately, Golden Butterfly is more heat tolerant than older varieties so made it through Sue’s Wisconsin summer just fine. Deadheading its yellow blooms isn’t essential, but she snipped out fading ones to keep it looking tip-top.

Sue liked this design so much that she packed the canna bulbs away last fall to overwinter so she can bring them out in spring and grow this combo again.

Key container plants

A) CannaCanna x generalis Cannova^® Red Golden Flame
B) Marguerite daisyArgyranthemum Golden Butterfly^®
C) LantanaLantana Luscious^® Citrus Blend^™
D) LantanaLantana Bandana^® Black Cherry
Container is 22 in. tall x 16 in. wide

Prizes for 2026’s Container Challenge Honorable Mentions

This year’s Garden Gate Container Challenge Honorable mentions received a $50 gift card from Garden Crossings and a one-year subscription or extension to Garden Gate magazine.

Spring is here, and garden centers will soon be bursting with colorful flowers and foliage perfect for container planting. Whether you’re sprucing up a patio, deck or border, the possibilities are endless — and sometimes overwhelming. Take inspiration from fellow gardeners to help you kick-start a design or get out of the same old routine.

Our readers have shared their most exciting creations, offering some stunning designs and unique plant pairings you can use to transform your outdoor spaces. In addition, you’ll find helpful growing tips and plant lists along with each design. Thanks to everyone who entered our 2026 Container Challenge, and congratulations to all the winners! Ready to dig in? Let these ideas guide your container planting plans this year.

Read More: See the 2026 Container Challenge Honorable Mentions

Enter Garden Gate’s 2027 Container Challenge!

Submit photos of your best container gardens, and we’ll choose our favorites to feature in a future issue of Garden Gate magazine. The containers can be any size, season or style! See full entry rules and submit your photos here.

Elegant Entry Container

Deborah Trickett, MA | @thecapturedgarden

With a focus on foliage, these traditional-looking urns provide a beautiful low-care greeting that lasts for months near this shady entry. Deborah wanted containers that were simple but made a dramatic impact, even from a distance. Stately snake plant is a great choice for grabbing attention, and she likes the way the purple foliage of the inch plant plays off the yellow siding. Both plants are easy to overwinter indoors. Deborah bought an inch plant in a hanging basket and split it to plant in both urns, and the divisions quickly took off.

Key container plants

A) Snake plantSansevieria trifasciata ‘Ghost’
B) New Guinea impatiensImpatiens hawkeri Sonic^® Light Lavender
C) Inch plantTradescantia zebrina
D) Fanflower Scaevola aemula Whirlwind^® White
Urns are 24 in. tall x 18 in. wide

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Colorful Shade Container

Kelly Stankelis, CT

Keeping this corner on Kelly’s shady deck colorful was easy last summer with a square blue ceramic container that perfectly fit the space. It was filled with cheery yellow Rieger begonias along with a supporting cast of chartreuse creeping Jenny and cool-colored wishbone flower, and topped off with a canopy of upright papyrus.

Kelly didn’t even have to deadhead these plants to keep the container looking great. Rieger begonias are a cross between tuberous and wax begonias, with flowers that can last for months in a cool spot out of the hot afternoon sun. And the wishbone flower is self-cleaning. All she needed to do to get a great performance was give this grouping a thorough watering two to three times a week.

Key container plants

A) PapyrusCyperus papyrus King Tut^®
B) Rieger begoniaBegonia Amstel Blitz
C) Wishbone flowerTorenia hybrid
D) Creeping JennyLysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’
Container is 18 in. square

Fabulous Foliage-Focused Container

Lynnie Goss, OH

Lynnie loves creating containers with lots of color and texture, and last year’s planter was especially colorful. It sat next to her driveway under the kitchen window, where leaves stretched to frame her view.

This spot gets morning sun and shade for the rest of the day, so the caladium and fern leaves stay colorful without getting burned. The remaining container companions will grow just fine in full sun. Lynnie’s maintenance schedule was light. She fertilized a couple of times during the growing season, snipped off coleus blooms as they formed and removed fading caladium leaves.

Key container plants

A) ColeusColeus ‘Wasabi’
B) CaladiumCaladium ‘Burning Heart’
C) Australian sword fernNephrolepis obliterata ‘Kimberly Queen’
D) Purple heartTradescantia pallida ‘Purpurea’
E) English ivyHedera helix ‘Golden Curl’
F) Sweet potato vineIpomoea Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Mahogany^™
Planter is 10 in. deep x 12 in. wide x 45 in. long

2026 Container Challenge Winning Prize Package

This year’s Garden Gate Container Challenge top winners each received the following prizes:

• A custom-engraved 30-inch ColorMark Rain Wand From Dramm
• $150 gift cards from Garden Crossings
• A set of three Woodland Tools
• A one-year subscription or extension to Garden Gate magazine

Dealing with scale on citrus trees and other plants

You can’t expect to grow a robust lemon tree outdoors in most zones colder than zone 9. But you can care for the same citrus year after year by growing it in a container and overwintering the plant indoors. Michele moves her potted lemon tree and potted bay plant into her home for the winter season. But overwintered plants can be susceptible to common houseplant diseases while sharing the space inside. By the time spring returns and it’s warm enough to move the plants outside, they often are dusty and infected with scale. Instead of applying insecticidal soap, Michele opted for a faster and more thorough solution to removing the scale and dust.

Use a mesh-covered sponge to gently remove scale from plant leaves

She grabbed a Dobie sponge (though any similar mesh-covered sponge should do the trick) and lightly scraped it across the tops and undersides of leaves, rinsing the sponge every few leaves to let the scale wash down the drain. The mesh casing of the sponge adds just enough abrasion to peel off the scale without harming the leaf, and the damp sponge adds a little moisture to help remove the layer of dust as well. While you’re at it, check all your houseplants for scale infestations and get them taken care of at the same time. A sponge makes the task quicker, easier and less messy!

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Cactus need some support?

After repotting a cactus, Karen noticed that the plant’s tall, top-heavy growth made it a little unstable in its new home. While the fresh soil and roomier pot would help the roots spread out and strengthen over time, the cactus still needed temporary support to stay upright and avoid tipping over. Instead of purchasing specialty plant stakes, she reached for a simple, budget-friendly solution you might already have in your kitchen: chopsticks!

Cactus staking tip

She used four chopsticks to create a horizontal grid support across the soil. To make this grid, first cut the chopsticks to a size that fits snugly inside the rim. Fit two sticks on either side of the cactus, and run another set of two perpendicular to the first. To avoid damaging the plant, make sure the chopsticks aren’t squeezing the plant. It’s an easy, affordable trick that works especially well for newly repotted succulents and cacti with narrow bases or heavy tops.

Tip submitted by Karen Nickel, WI

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Cactus watering hack

Robert grows cactus under lights at his home and finds it hard to water with a watering can. The light fixture is set close to the tops of the plants, they’re spaced close together, often growing tightly in tiny pots, and it’s time-consuming to pull each cactus out to water. So he attached an 18-in.-long piece of clear plastic tubing to the spout of a condiment bottle. He fills the bottle with water, guides the tubing into the pot, gives a squeeze and dampens the soil. Robert finds it easier to maneuver the flexible tubing in each pot than a watering can spout. Plus, by using the long tube, he avoids getting poked by the sharp spines on his prickly plants!

Tip submitted by Robert Mapes, Iowa

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