Hardy Plant/Flower Ideas for Outdoor Pots

Updated on August 26, 2010
M.B. asks from Milwaukee, WI
4 answers

Hi everyone :) I have two large pots out front that had shrubs in them that died (I'm no good at planting or growing anything) the pots were from the people who sold us this house last year. We will probably change our landscaping next spring (don't know when hubby or I will get time, we both work full-time and I have a busy little 2-year-old)... Anyway, so I now have two empty pots out front and I'd like to put a large planter/pot of flowers in each one (the soil is still in the pots from the shrubs that died)... our front porch gets lots of strong afternoon sun. What pots of flowers or plants are hardy enough to put in the pots, that will last hopefully into the fall? I look forward to your ideas, many thanks! ~M.

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So What Happened?

Hi everyone! I ended up going to Stein's Gardens and Gifts and talked to someone in the nursery. She suggested Garden Mums, so I bought two large plants and put them in the pots. We've been having fun counting the blossoms as they arrive (the plants had no blooms when I bought them)... I think we'll be happy with these for the fall, then in winter we'll take them out and then replace them in the Spring :) Thanks everyone for your answers, *Peace*! :)

More Answers

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Plumbago... which is a shrub plant with continuous nice blue flowers on it. I have it. Nice plant. Easy. Hardy. Can be grown in a pot or in the ground and can be shaped as you want. Used often for landscaping.
Google Search "Plumbago" and you will see what it looks like.
Some people use it as a border as well in their yard.

Also, go to www.burpee.com and you can check out the plants there for reference and the "zone" you live in to see what plants do well there.
Here is the link:
http://www.burpee.com/gardening/content/gygg/growing-zone...

All the best,
Susan

C.C.

answers from Fresno on

I would call the local Master Gardeners club and ask them for advice (or if there is a locally-owned nursery, you could go there and ask). The thing is, here in central CA where I live, a rosemary or lavender plant would do great in full afternoon sun - but I live in a different climate zone than you do. There are a lot of things that flourish in a semi-arid climate like mine that would die in a week where you live, and vice versa.

But, your local Master Gardeners will almost certainly have a staffed help line and/or email address, and they know what plants will do well where you live. They are a wonderful resource and love to talk about gardening -they are all volunteers and will not make you feel silly for not knowing. My mom has been a master gardener for years, which is how I know this!

One thing she has always told me is this: it's not that you're not good at gardening, it's that you're picking the wrong plants. The right plants will love where you've planted them (for instance, you don't want to plant a hydrangea there in the full afternoon sun, but a rose will love it there). If you aren't good at remembering to water, you need to pick plants that are drought tolerant. If you love flowers, don't plant a juniper. If you're deathly afraid of bees, then by all means, juniper is the way to go since it will not flower and attract them.

Anyhow, Master Gardeners! Call them, they're great! =)

M.H.

answers from Raleigh on

Mums do really well, so I would recommend those (even in the crazy NC heat they do fine). Personally, I don't like the look of petunias, so I would steer clear, but pansies are pretty and you can buy winter pansies to have pretty color even with snow on the ground! (Although I'm not sure how they fair in WI.)

My best suggestion is to go to a local nursery (not a Home Depot or Lowes, but a real nursery) and tell them exactly what you told us. Our nursery people are SO helpful, and we now have the nicest front yard in the neighborhood because of them! Good luck!

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Hardy mums or geraniums--geraniums love sun!

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