Container Plants and Gardening

In this article, we will be discussing how to grow acanthus in containers. They are wonderful flowering plants that belong to their own family, where 30 species are known to exist. It is native to tropical and warm regions in the Mediterranean and Asia. The flowers are grown for their nectar production and for attracting butterflies.

Acanthus make handsome plants that are grown for their attractive leaves and colourful, impactful flower displays. The deeply-divided arching leaves clothe the bases of the tall spikes of tubular purple and white flowers that appear in midsummer.

This is one plant that will suit …

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the beautiful and colourful trailing bedding plant of Lobelia in containers. They are a mainstay of hanging baskets and tall plant pots, where the deep blue, red, white or purple flowers are allowed to cascade over the edge.

These tend to blend well with the red, white, orange and yellow Begonias and showy pansies. The flowers that are often used are based on the half-hardy annual called Lobelia erinus, where some varieties are trailers, whilst others are more compact.

The annuals are not the only plant in the species as there …

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the wonderful scented and colourful herb Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm) in containers. Lemon balm to give its common name is a perennial herb that has lemon-scented leaves and small, white or pale pink flowers in summer. The flowers are a magnet for bees, so great as part of a wildlife container garden. The flowers are insignificant compared to the leaves that can be green, gold or variegated, especially in early spring when new growth emerges.

It is a vigorous grower and like mint, it is best to grow them in containers …

In this article, we will be discussing how to grow the low-growing, clump-forming plant of Erigeron in containers. They are plants for the herbaceous border or alpine garden but they are also home in the container garden. There are many varieties that can be grown with their solid, daisy-like blooms but the most common are based on Erigeron karvinskianus, the Mexican Fleabane.

The small white flowers that fade to pink with age are produced over a long period of time from spring to first frosts in autumn. Other varieties produce blooms that come in shades of blue, pink and purple.…

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the wonderful colourful corm called Cyclamens in containers. Cyclamens will add beauty to the container garden, where the 20cm tall plants are covered in elegant blooms that are either red, pink, purple or white. You tend to find them on offer as either corms or garden-ready plants that appear in the outdoor patio section of shops.

They are tender cyclamens and hardy cyclamens but as you guess you need to grow the hardy cyclamens to do well outside here in the UK.

The flower with upswept petals are beautiful but the …

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the firm favourite summer bedding plant of Verbena in containers. They are plants that will attract pollinators with their rich nectar blooms produced all summer long. You will short varieties more suitable as part of container summer display schemes or you have Verbena bonariensis, a hardy verbena that can be grown as a sole specimen in containers, they do well in the ground and do well in containers.

The leaves are small and velvety green but this is nothing to the mass of white, blue, purple, pink and red blooms produced …

In this article, we will discover how to grow the beautiful flowering Mirabilis in containers. If you have holidayed abroad in the Mediterranean, you will have seen this tender, tuberous rooted perennial growing.  Its Latin name is Mirabilis jalapa and is often grown for its flowers that open in the afternoon (hence the common name of the Four o’clock plant). It is a leafy plant that forms a rounded bush that is easy to overlook during the day.

Later on in the afternoon, the flowers open that are magenta-purple or crimson orange and sometimes orange, yellow or striped. What is …

In this article, we will discover how to grow the beautiful fern of Dryopteris in containers. They are low maintenance plants that have the common name of male fern or copper shield fern, depending on the species grown.

The main advantage is that they will grow in a wide range of conditions from poor soil to rich soil in the shade and even in full sun if you are prepared to water.

Several ferns can be grown in pots but the one that is normally recommended is Dryopteris filix-mas, the male fern that has a shuttlecock-like habit. In spring as …

In this article, we will discover how to grow the wonderful colourful plant of Cuphea in containers. The plant has many common names depending on what variety and species are grown. You may find them sold as firecracker plants, cigar flower, Mexican cigar plant, Bat Ear flower, Bunny Ears or False heather. It is a tender perennial/sub-shrub that is often grown as an annual in the UK.

The leaves are glossy, oblong and come in shades from bright green to bluish-green, but they are nothing compared to the flowers that are produced. The flowers are typically long and tubular in …

In this article, we will discover how to grow ipomoeas (Morning Glory) in containers. Ipomoeas are beautiful old-fashioned annual climbers that bring much colour and height to the container garden. You can grow them up canes, trellises, pergolas, walls and fenced where the tendrils grasp on to.

If you do not have much ground to grow morning glories in the ground, why not grow them in containers and find out how to do this in this article.

First, growing Ipomoeas in containers will keep the rampant vines from taking over the garden. In this way, you will need less vertical …