3 Flower planter ideas perfect for summer!
Perched on a balcony or nestled in a cozy patio corner, container gardens transform outdoor living areas into lush getaways. Whether it’s a tropical-themed container with towering palms and vivid underplantings, a colorful mix of coleus and trailing fanflower, or the simplicity of a succulent display, these summer plantings are your ticket to months of vibrant blooms and foliage textures.
Add bold texture to your containers with coleus
This container combo is sure to draw attention. The large, cup-shaped leaves of the elephant ear tower above the rest of the plants and create a dramatic backdrop with their dark, coffee-colored foliage. Coleus leaves’ bright, intricate patterns in crimson, green and yellow hues complement the darker tones of the elephant ear. Cool blue blooms of ‘Whirlwind Blue’ fanflower form a delicate fringe around the pot.
Growing tips
- Plants grow best in full sun to part shade. In too much shade the coleus’ colorful foliage will start to fade.
- Keep the soil moist, especially during hot weather, but to avoid waterlogging, make sure you plant in potting mix and use a container with drainage holes.
- Snip the coleus stems when plants are 6 inches tall to encourage a bushier plant and prevent them from growing leggy by late summer.
- Coleus is typically grown for the foliage, so pinch off buds as they form.
Container plant list
A) Elephant ear Colocasia ‘Coffee Cups’
B) Coleus Plectranthus scutellarioides El Brighto
C) Fanflower Scaevola Whirlwind® Blue
Container shown is 18 inches in diameter
You Might Also Like
Video: 5 Favorite Houseplants to Plant in Containers
Colorful Summer Garden Bed Ideas
How to Propagate Coleus
Plant up a succulent container display
If you’re a busy gardener, succulents are a great low-maintenance and resilient option. Plus, they’re the perfect candidates for overwintering indoors as houseplants.
Kalanchoe’s large, light-green-and-pink tinted leaves and the blue chalk sticks’ striking blue-green foliage draw you in with their unique forms. The smaller, more compact plants’ varied leaf shapes and shades add depth to the arrangement. Stonecrop’s delicate foliage and light green tones brighten the arrangement and fill in the gaps, giving a lush, full appearance to the design.
Growing tips
- Grow these succulents in bright, indirect light to help them maintain their vibrant colors and prevent etiolation, or stretching due to insufficient light.
- Plants grow best in a well-drained soil mix specifically for cacti and succulents.
- Water sparingly, allowing the soil to dry out completely between waterings.
- Feed plants during their active growing season in spring and summer using a diluted, balanced fertilizer designed for succulents.
Container plant list
A) Kalanchoe Kalanchoe thyrsiflora
B) Blue chalksticks Curio repens
C) Jade plant Crassula ovata
D) Graptopetalum Graptopetalum paraguayense
E) Echeveria Echeveria elegans
F) Sedum Sedum japonicum ‘Tokyo Sun’
G) Watch chain Crassula muscosa
H) Stonecrop Petrosedum rupestre
I) Aeonium Aeonium lindleyi var. viscatum ‘Irish Bouquet’
You Might Also Like
How to Make a Succulent Wall Planter
Easy Way to Water Succulents and Cacti
Where to Buy: Succulent Gardens
Bring tropical elegance to part shade
The varied textures and colors of this trio will make you feel like you’re in a tropical paradise. The Chinese fan palm’s broad leaves make a fantastic vertical accent. Hummingbirds are big fans of the red begonia flowers that appear from spring through fall. Trailing Swedish ivy softens the edges of the container and adds a layer of textural contrast and variegated foliage.
Growing tips
- Put this container in an area where it will receive full sun to part shade.
- Be careful not to overwater, as the palm and begonina can be prone to root rot.
- During the growing season, a balanced, slow-release fertilizer can help support the palm's lush foliage.
- Variegated Swedish ivy could use regular trimming to help maintain its shape and fullness.
Container plant list
A) Chinese fan palm Livistona chinensis
B) Begonia Begonia Dragon Wing® Red Variegated
C) Swedish ivy Plectranthus coleoides ‘Variegata’
