Sales of self-watering planters peaked this heatwave summer, but there’s an important check you need to make before fall rains arrive. Not all self-watering pots and raised beds come with an overflow hole to drain excess rainwater, so it’s essential to check ahead of storm season, and add one if needs be. Roots sitting in permanently soggy soil will quickly rot and even reliably cold-hardy plants will struggle in overly moist conditions as temperatures plummet.

Some planters with water reservoirs for easy container gardening feature an overflow hole as standard, but many have a removable drainage plug or adjustable drainage system. Plenty more require you to punch out or drill an overflow hole, and this is especially true for planters designed for both indoor and outdoor use.

As we've all looked to fresh ways to cut watering time in the heat and drought of this El Niño summer, chances are you have a new self-watering planter sitting on your patio. So, add this essential task to your list of September gardening jobs to ensure plants in self-watering containers aren't swamped by late-season rainstorms.

How to Check for an Overflow Hole

Most self-watering containers have a double-base system with the soil sitting above a lower water reservoir, so an overflow hole will look very different to a drainage hole on a standard planter. Look for a small, intentional hole on the outer wall of the planter, fairly low down. If you can see the level of the reservoir, then the overflow hole may sit just above or below this line.

You might find that the overflow hole is blocked by a rubber or plastic plug, in which case remove it. Some raised beds also have adjustable drainage systems, so test to check that the overflow hole is open.

If you don't find an overflow hole then you will need to add one yourself.

How to Add an Overflow Hole

Many self-watering containers require you to punch out the overflow hole, and you'll usually find a slightly indented circle in the right spot. While it’s straight-forward to knock punch-out drainage holes through when a container is unplanted, it’s best to drill these once planted up.

If the overflow spot isn’t marked, create the hole just above the top of the water reservoir so the bottom layer of soil stays well-drained. Once you’ve identified the right position, stick a strip of masking tape over the target spot to help the drill bit catch and prevent the outer container wall from getting scratched.

For Plastic Containers

The easiest way to create a hole in most plastics is to carefully heat the tip of an old screwdriver over a flame and push it through the material. For strong, rigid plastic, drill a hole using a wood bit, and preferably a brad point bit that has a sharp, needle-like tip. Use a low speed and light pressure to avoid the plastic melting or cracking.

For Fiberstone, Concrete or Terracotta Planters

Use a masonry bit, keep the drill speed low and the pressure light, and let the drill do all the work.

For Ceramic Planters

For glazed ceramic, you’ll need a diamond-tipped drill bit – the same type you’d use for drilling tiles – and the same slow-and-steady approach. A splash of water, once you’re through the hard glaze, helps to keep the bit cool and speeds progress.

For Metal Containers

Use a cobalt drill bit or a high-speed steel (HSS) bit with a titanium coating, designed for use with metal. Always use protective safety glasses when drilling any material, but especially metal.

Most self-watering pots designed primarily for indoor use are fully sealed. A planter designed for houseplants is unlikely to be frost-proof so is better kept for indoor use, in which case the lack of an overflow hole will protect windowsills and floors from water damage. Do buy a cheap moisture meter such as this long-probe device from Amazon, though, so you can accurately judge whether or not a plant needs more water.

Self-Watering Raised Beds With Excellent Drainage

A fall hanging basket packed with bright flowers and colorful foliage is a showstopper addition to any garden, not least because most folk consign these suspended displays to the summer months. Hang a fall basket from your porch and it’s sure to get noticed, especially if you choose container plants that thrive in cooler weather so the vibrant show carries on into winter.

The secret to a flourishing fall basket is to plant it early. Get your basket planted in September and the weather is still warm enough for strong growth so your plants will quickly make themselves at home. That way, by the time temperatures plummet, the plants will be strong enough to withstand the harsh conditions that hanging in an exposed spot brings.

There are plenty of fall bloomers to choose from but add cool-hardy plants to your autumn hanging basket too, and you'll create a container display that performs well for many months to come. Bother to move the planter to a more sheltered spot in prolonged cold snaps and your basket will still be looking good for the holidays, and even last long enough to get spring off to an early start.

How to Plant a Fall Hanging Basket

1. Use a Big Hanging Basket

While summer bedding plants bred to flower abundantly in hanging baskets have relatively small root systems, many plants used in fall displays are perennial plants with bigger roots. So, unless you’re sticking with small plants such as pansies, it’s best to go up a size. Hanging baskets are exposed to the air on all sides so the soil will freeze far more quickly than in the ground, so a bigger volume gives roots more protection, too.

While summer hanging planters are often 12 to 14 inches in diameter, look for a basket that’s 16 to 20 inches for a fall display.

2. Get the Lining Right

Your hanging basket will typically come with a coco coir liner and while this does a great job of holding the potting soil and providing a little insulation, this organic material is extremely porous. Because fall winds quickly dry out the soil in hanging baskets, it’s a smart move to add a second liner inside. Use some sturdy waterproof plastic – an old compost bag is perfect – and cut a size that sits just below the rim of the coco coir so it's not visible once the basket is planted. The easiest way to get the plastic to sit flush is to cut a large circle, snip a straight line from the edge to the center point, then place this in the basket and trim to size.

Next, use a knife or scissor tips to carefully poke plenty of drainage holes through the plastic. You see, you don’t want to create a watertight layer or compromise drainage, especially with heavy fall rainfall due, but simply provide a barrier between the soil and the coco liner so wind doesn’t continually pull moisture from the basket.

3. Half-Fill with Potting Mix

To fuel a generous display, use an enriched potting soil designed for containers such as Miracle-Gro Potting Mix, available from Amazon, which already has slow-release fertilizer mixed in. If you’re using a regular potting mix, add a broad-range slow-release granular plant food such as Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food, available from Walmart, to the soil at the recommended dose.

Half-fill the double-lined container with the fortified potting mix. Unclipping the hanging chains and standing your basket in a big plant pot first makes this much easier to do.

4. Add Long-Lasting Plants

There are plenty of options when it comes to choosing cool-season plants for containers that last not just through fall but well into winter, too. You’ll need to take a very different approach to planting summer baskets, though, and look to fabulous foliage as well as fall flowers to provide color.

Plan your planting based on three elements: thrillers, fillers and spillers.

Thrillers

When you're container gardening, every planter needs a thriller or three. These are the standout plants that will sit in the center of your hanging basket, around which all the other blooms and leaves spill. You’ll probably only need one thriller plant in a basket as by its look-at-me nature, it’s likely to be fairly big.

Look for cold-hardy plants that bring texture as well as color such as compact varieties of Scotch heather (Calluna vulgaris) such as Scarlet Scotch heather, available from Plant Addicts, and ornamental kale such as ‘Red Kamone’ available from Trees. Another standout option that hits both tone and texture is a small heuchera variety such as Caramel coral bells, available from Plant Addicts.

Fillers

The next element in your hanging basket will be fillers: flowers or foliage that work hard to bring abundant color or texture to your display. Plant these around your thriller plant. Cool Wave pansies, available from Trees (previously Fast Growing Trees), if planted in September, will start flowering in October and won’t stop till May. Carex are evergreen grass-like perennials that also work brilliantly in a hanging basket, with highly ornamental arching foliage. Evergold carex, available from Plant Addicts, is a particularly good choice for a fall basket as leaves have an appealing golden stripe.

Spillers

The final element in a hanging basket are the spillers, adding trailing plant stems that cascade downwards. Again, choose evergreen plants that will look good all through fall and winter into spring. Corralling English ivy, available from Garden Goods Direct, in a hanging basket focuses its enthusiasm on throwing out a waterfall of long leafy stems. Hedera helix Glacier, also available from Garden Goods Direct, is a more ornamental English ivy with pretty variegated leaves.

Another good choice for trailing fall foliage is Ajuga reptans, such as ‘Chocolate Chip’, also available from Garden Goods Direct. Ordinarily a groundcover plant, bugleweed’s spreading habit means its stems will creep over the rim of a hanging basket and trail artfully down.

4. Top Up with Compost and Water

With your plants arranged in the basket, top up the container with more potting mix, firming it down well and leaving a half-inch gap below the rim to make watering easy.

Now all that’s left to do is hang up your basket, water it well, and enjoy! Don’t forget to add a few decorations to suit the season, too. Tucking in a few mini gourds adds a lovely fall touch, especially while plants mature to fill the gaps. Swap them out for pinecones in winter, and use fairylights or baubles to bring a festive sparkle.

Keep your hanging basket watered when it doesn’t rain and snip off faded pansy blooms and your container will flourish all through fall. As temperatures drop, if you move the container to a more sheltered spot during long spells of cold weather, plants will carry on looking good all through winter and into spring. While snow falls and sudden temperature drops may temporarily stop growth, all these plants will quickly bounce back, so you can enjoy the colorful display for many months to come.

Chrysanthemums bring glorious color to fall containers – but when that first frost hits, the show is quickly over. Far better to plant cold-hardy beauties that will bring color all through fall but carry on looking good into winter. Whether you have patio planters, welcoming containers either side of your front door or want to make showstopper fall hanging baskets, these cold-season plants will flourish while everything else in your garden fades away.

Get your fall containers planted in early September while the weather is still warm enough to encourage strong growth, and all the plants will have the time to develop a good root system. Then, when temperatures start to drop and fall storms move in, you have strong plants that can handle whatever the weather throws at them.

From trailing pansies to ornamental kale, gracefully arching Carex leaves to intensely colored Heuchera foliage and the prettiest little cyclamen blooms, there are plenty of fabulous options to choose from. All with thrive in containers big or small, so you can choose to fill fall planters with just one variety or mix and match for a textural feast. As budget ideas to keep your yard looking good into fall, they're such an easy win. With a little deadheading, and a sheltered position in prolonged cold snaps, all these plants will shine through winter and get spring off to an early start, too.

1. Pansies

For easy color, pretty pansies are one of the finest cool-season container plants, but be savvy about which varieties you buy if you want blooms that keep on coming as the weather gets colder. While standard pansy varieties flower in fall, they’re not hardy so won’t last for long. Instead, choose winter-flowering pansies that have been bred to survive plummeting temperatures. As long as you plant these early enough in September, they’ll start blooming in fall and continue to spring. Cool Wave pansies, available from Trees (previously Fast Growing Trees) are a brilliant winter-flowering choice with exceptional hardiness and superfast growth to quickly fill a container with cheery blooms from October to May.

Another good choice is Plentifall pansies that flower from October to May. As well as growing upwards to around 8 inches, Plentiful pansies also boast trailing stems so they’ll spill over the edge of baskets and pots. Burpee stocks both the Plentifall Lavender Blue Pansies and the paler blooms of Plentifall Frost Pansies.

2. Ornamental Kale and Cabbage

One of the most unusual, eye-catching plants for autumn containers is ornamental kale or cabbage. These ornamental varieties have been bred for intense color which typically become more intense as temperatures drop. Ornamental kale tends to be a little more frilly and flouncy than cabbage, but both bring a tight rosette of leaves for incredible texture. Crane Pink, known as the cut-flower kale and available from Burpee, has even been bred to grow on 35-inch stems to resemble roses!

Cold-hardy and frost-tolerant, these plants are set to be a huge trend this fall, and make for a showstopper display, whether you choose to fill a planter with one variety or pop just one into a hanging basket.

3. Heuchera

If you want your container to stay looking good from fall into winter, it’s a smart move to use evergreen foliage to bring statement color, rather than relying solely on flowers. Coral bells (Heuchera) are technically semi-evergreen and keep their leaves through winter in milder climates, but varieties with leathery dark leaves tend to retain their colorful foliage better as temperatures fall, so are a good option for colder zones.

It’s a happy fact that darker-toned heuchera do better in sun and lighter, brighter foliage colors prefer shade, so they’re brilliant plants to bring contrast to a container. As well as a range of intense colors from lime green to amber, vibrant purple to almost black, coral bell varieties come in all sizes so pair the cultivar with your container capacity. Varieties that naturally grow in a neat mound, such as Caramel coral bells, available from Plant Addicts, work best in pots. For a smaller container or fall hanging baskets, choose heuchera hybrid heucherella (foamy bells) which is more compact but just as cold-hardy. Fun and Games Capture the Flag, also available from Plant Addicts, is a great choice.

Another option if you’re pushed for space in a hanging basket is to opt for a starter plant of any variety – and Heuchera ‘Wildberry’, with starter plants available from Walmart – is a fabulous deep purple – then move them into a bed or border next spring.

4. Heather

Compact varieties of perennial Scotch heather (Calluna vulgaris) and autumn heather (Erica manipuliflora) are ideal for a fall container as they add texture as well as color and as they’re evergreen, look good all through winter, too. These slow growers need very little care and stand up well to harsh weather. Look for a variety that excels as temperatures fall, such as Beauty Ladies Scarlet Scotch Heather, available from Plant Addicts, whose red hues intensify as winter approaches.

5. Carex

Fully evergreen, sedges are grass-like perennial plants with a wonderfully ornate habit, their blades growing up and over to create an elegant arching effect. They're also one of the most easy-going plants that practically grow themselves. Use carex in the center of containers and pansies will grow up through the slender blades for a professional-looking display, or position them towards the planter edge so the leaves cascade over the rim.

The Evercolor carex series is a super choice for all containers, including hanging baskets, as they’re compact, low maintenance and grow at a manageable pace. They’ve been bred to be highly ornamental and there are all sorts of cultivars to choose from. Plant Addicts stocks a good range, including the harder-to-find Eversheen carex which has has a lime stripe down the center of its green leaves.

6. Hardy Cyclamen

A lovely little add to any fall container or hanging basket is hardy cyclamen. Look for Cyclamen hederifolium (ivy-leaved cyclamen) as this flowers in fall, while Cyclamen coum flowers a little later in winter and early spring, so planting a combination of the two will keep your planter filled with these sweet blooms from September to March.

You’ll find ready-to-flower plants in garden centers at this time of the year, and can often pick them up at grocery, big-box and hardware stores too. Watch that you don’t buy the florist’s cyclamen, Cyclamen persicum, though, as these are houseplants and will quickly die outdoors, so aren't the best plants for fall pots. They’re easy to tell apart: Cyclamen persicum have large, marbled heart-shaped leaves with scalloped or serrated edges; the foliage of Cyclamen coum is heart-shaped or round but with smooth edges, while Cyclamen hederifolium leaves are shaped like ivy.

7. English Ivy

The great thing about English ivy is that it’s happy to grow pretty much anywhere. While it can grow into a big plant, corralling it in a planter or hanging basket will control its vigorous nature and it’ll put all its efforts into throwing out a waterfall of long leafy stems to drape over the container sides.

English ivy is often sold as a houseplant, and these plants raised for a life indoors won’t be as hardy as those destined for garden use. So, make sure you look for garden-bound plants such as English ivy from Garden Goods Direct. For an even prettier effect, Hedera helix ‘Glacier’ is an English ivy cultivar with smaller gray-green with creamy-white, almost silver variegation. Glacier ivy is also available from Garden Goods Direct.

8. Bugleweed

A more unusual but no less fabulous spiller is Ajuga reptans, or bugleweed. Normally used as a groundcover plant, position this near the edge of a planter or hanging basket and its spreading habit means that stems that creep over the rim. But its biggest boast is the light it brings to any container as the leaves have a waxy coating that shimmers even in dappled sunlight. While bugleweed is hardy down to zone 4, it’s a semi-evergreen, only fully retaining its leaves in warmer zones 8-9. It’s a tough cookie, though, and quickly regrows after a blast of cold weather.

There’s a wide range of colored foliage to choose from. Ajuga reptans ‘Chocolate Chip’, available from Garden Goods Direct, is super in a container as it has smaller, narrower foliage than most varieties in a classy chocolate-burgundy shade. More modern varieties boast particularly ornate leaves, such as Feathered Friends Pleasant Pheasant Ajuga, available from Plant Addicts. As well as foliage that takes on appealing copper tones, it’s been bred for variations in leaf shape for added texture.

What Potting Mix to Use for Fall Containers

While plants grow more slowly in fall and winter, you still need to fuel good growth if you want an abundant display in a small volume of soil. Use potting soil designed for containers such as Miracle-Gro Potting Mix, available from Amazon, which already has slow-release fertilizer mixed in. If you’re using a regular potting mix, add a broad-range slow-release granular plant food such as Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food, available from Walmart, to the soil at the recommended dose.

Ensure your planter has good drainage, and drill extra holes if needs be.

By all means enjoy planters filled with fall flowers that dazzle till the first frost. But by choosing plants that thrive in cooler weather for your fall containers, too, you’ll enjoy a display that lasts well beyond into winter. Using vibrant foliage such as heuchera as well as enthusiastic bloomers like pansies for color, adding texture with heather and the frilly leaves of ornamental kale, and forming interesting shapes with the spilling stems of English ivy or bugleweed, you’ll create containers that will still be looking good as the holiday season comes around, for no more effort than potting up those chrysanthemums.

As August comes to an end, a gardener’s thoughts turn to fall flowers. Now is the perfect time to refill containers for color and fragrance into autumn. Spring flowers are just a memory and summer plantings are beginning to look faded.

When you are looking for fall flowers for pots, you can’t just grab the first plants that come to hand. You need fast-blooming, cold-tolerant, long lasting plants that will provide flowers that brighten the backyard as the temperatures cool.

That's why I've put together this shortlist for you of the five best fall-blooming flowers to fill your containers with bright autumn color from now until winter hits.

Fast-Growing Fall Flowers for Pots

It makes sense to try new, exotic plants in the summer garden. The season is so full of growing green tips and blossoms and fruit that you can afford to take a risk on something different. But as summer wanes and fall arrives, you want tried-and-true fall favorites. Here are the top popular container flowers for fall.

1. Asters

Adding fall color to your backyard is going to cost you something – so why not spend money on fall-blooming perennials that comes back year after year? Annuals can be like rockstars. They live fast and die quickly. If you want something that comes back each year, asters could be your best answer.

Asters flower in late summer and early fall, when other blooms are fading. They offer happy flowers that look like a blend between mums and daisies – and these flowers seem to bloom forever. There are numerous aster varieties that range in size from tiny to tall in colors from white to blue, pink, and purple. You can get a 4-pack of purple asters now from Home Depot.

Asters are easy to grow and fit well into containers. Late-season pollinators will approve of this choice, too. Use asters in pots appropriate for the aster's mature size. Select a pot that is as wide as your plant’s mature width and about half of its mature height.

Make your asters happy by picking pots that have adequate drain holes and use potting soil that drains well. Place the pot in a site that gets 6 hours a day of direct sun. Check the soil every other day and water when dry.

2. Pansies & Violas

It’s hard not to love a pansy flower, with its cute “face” and bright jewel-tone colors. These cool-season plants, often grown as annuals, are just made for autumn temperatures and are ideal for fall containers.

They ride right through light frosts, bouncing back from even single-digit temperatures. If you want pansies to last as long into winter as possible, pick winter pansies (Viola hiemalis). Wait until weather cools a bit before planting. You can pre-order a wide variety of pansies from Burpee to suit any color palette.

Set up your pansies in containers with ample drainage holes. Use moist, humus-rich, well-draining soil and place your pots in a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade. The sun helps them to bloom, but they live longest in cooler weather.

Watering is a little trickier. As soon as you set up your new pansy containers, they need daily water. Don’t worry! Those drooping pansies are not dead even if they are lying on the soil, they just need big drinks. After a couple of weeks, you can cut back watering to once a week or so.

3. Million Bells

Million bells grow fast and bloom profusely. No, you may not get a million blooms, but you’ll get too many to count. Many gardeners (including me!) grow this warm-weather perennial as an annual. But the lovely blooms, which look like small petunias, ride out the cooling weather well.

Million bells is a fabulous container plant thanks to its mounding growth habit. In fact, it works so well in pots that it is rare to see it planted in the ground. Flowers come in white, blue, pink, purple, red, yellow, and even bronze. You can find all those colors of calibrachoa and more for sale at the Home Depot.

Again, make sure your containers have drain holes and use rich, well-draining soil. Put them in a location that gets full sun or – if necessary – partial sun. Give these plants enough water to keep the soil evenly moist.

4. Chrysanthemums

If there is one plant we associate with autumn, it would be mums. Chrysanthemums are the ultimate fall classic. Known as the “Queen of the Fall,” mums bloom profusely, their jewel-toned flowering magically changing your front porch into a magnificent display of fall color.

While mums can be perennials, those pretty plants available in garden centers in September are best treated as annuals. You can find mums almost anywhere in fall or order these beautiful mums in a decorative pot that come in a variety of colors from the Home Depot.

Chrysanthemum flowers are really gorgeous, available in such a wide range of jewel tones it boggles the mind. Look for shades of white, yellow, pink, lavender, purple, red, bronze, and orange. Each flower isn’t just one flower. It is made up of myriad tiny flowers called florets. Some varieties are tiny, while others are giant.

Plant your fall mums in a container with drain holes. Use well-draining potting soil, too, and give them ample direct sun. Water deeply when a poke of the finger reveals dry soil.

5. Snapdragons

Don’t let the fact that grandma planted snapdragons deter you. These classic old-fashioned flowers are still popular today – and they’re better than ever. The latest hybrids offer more hues and a wide variety of heights, ranging from teeny to knee high and trailing.

With all these improvements, snapdragons are still happy in cool fall weather and a perfect addition to your fall containers. Want bold pops of color in spring or fall? Think snapdragons!

It’s harder to describe the snapdragon flower than many others, because there are so many different variations. And the available colors are too many to list out, especially when you take into account the showy bicolored and tricolored varieties.

You can buy them as plants, like this 4-pack of pink snapdragons from Home Depot, for fast flowers or you can start your own plants with snapdragon seeds from Burpee.

Put any variety that isn’t too tall in your containers, focusing on dwarf and trailing types. Needless to say, you’ll want a container that drains well filled with high-quality potting mix. Water frequently until they are established, then cut back irrigation to a few times a week.

We’ve all experienced the disappointment of a dying plant in a dried-out patio planter. But before you consign that wilted plant to the compost heap, there’s an easy trick that will bring even severely dehydrated plants in pots back to life. And the magic ingredient you need is already in your kitchen.

The problem with half-dead dehydrated plants in pots – even those that have dried out past the point of return without this handy trick – is that the potting soil has lost its ability to absorb water. In fact, fully dehydrated soil becomes water repellent. So, no matter how much you water your ailing plant, that water passes straight through the soil and roots don’t get a chance to suck up any moisture. The result? Your plant dies.

If you add just one or two drops of this household staple to the water, however, everything changes. That tiny amount helps the water grip the soil particles so the moisture penetrates the compost and your plant can rehydrate. And that vital ingredient? Dish soap. As quick and clever fixes for container planting go, this trick is a handy one to know, especially if you've just got back from a vacation this heatwave summer!

Why Does Dish Soap Help Save Plants?

Fully dehydrated soil becomes hydrophobic, which literally means ‘water-fearing’. The soil repels water droplets are repelled, which run straight past the particles rather than being absorbed. This doesn’t just happen because you've forgotten to water your plant, though that's often the cause: long spells of hot, dry weather can kill good bacteria and fungi that live in soil, and they leave behind an oily, waxy residue that coats the soil particles.

Dishwashing liquid contains surfactants – short for 'surface-active agent' – and these chemical compounds have one end that loves water, and one end that loves oil or grease. That’s why they work to clean your dishes, grabbing hold of the dirt and pulling it into the water. And you can put this ability to good use in your garden to force the hydrophobic soil and water together, saturating the soil and allowing the plant’s roots to finally suck up that moisture it’s so desperate for.

How to Use Dishwashing Liquid to Save Plants in Pots

1. Find a Watertight Tub

The size of the tub you need will depend on your pot: ideally, you want to stand your dried-out planter in the tub. A large rubber bucket such as this Kings County 8-Gallon Bucket from Lowe’s is perfect for the job, but use whatever you can find.

If your planter is too big to fit in a tub, don’t worry, you can still use this method.

2. Make a Mild Dish Soap Solution

It’s vital to use an extremely mild solution of detergent to revive potted plants: one or two drops of liquid dish soap in a standard 3-gallon builders’ bucket of water is plenty. Use a higher concentration and the washing up liquid can damage roots and leave harmful residues in the soil.

If you have a plant-based dish soap such as Attitude Dish Soap, available from Amazon, great. If not, any dish soap is fine but a cheaper, basic dishwashing liquid is likely to contain fewer chemical additives than a premium heavily-formulated dish soap. So, choose the bottom-of-the-line dish soap such as this Dawn Dishwashing Liquid from Amazon over a higher-end product in the same range.

Using tepid water rather than cold will help the dish soap disperse.

3. Soak the Dried-Out Pot in the Solution

If the dehydrated pot is small enough to fit in your bucket, fill your tub with enough water to submerge around two-thirds of the pot height in the dish soap solution. Let the pot sit for around half an hour, or until the top layer of soil feels damp to the touch.

If your planter is too big or heavy to fit in a tub, carefully poke a few holes into the soil surface with a chopstick or similar, doing the best you can to avoid the central ball of roots. Use a watering can without a rose fitted to very slowly pour the dish soap solution over the soil, targeting those holes. Give the soil a second application after 15-30 minutes.

Either way, don’t let the dish soap solution touch the plant stems or foliage as it can strip their protecting coating, leading to further dehydration, fungal disease and scorching. Rinse off any splashes immediately.

4. Drain and Irrigate With Plain Water

If your pot has been standing in a tub of dish-soap solution, lift it out and leave it to drain fully. Then fill a watering can with plain water and irrigate as usual until you see water draining from the base.

If you’ve applied the dish-soap solution from above, you need to do the same with plain water, but irrigate very slowly to begin with, and repeat the procedure a few times. While the dish-soap surfactants have treated the soil, you're now rehydrating it with the plain water.

How to Help Your Plant During Recovery

It’s wise to move your plant into a spot that’s shaded from the harsh midday sun while it recovers. Even plants that prefer full sun will be fine if they only have 4-6 hours of gentle morning and evening sun for a few weeks while they recover. Grouping pots together will lower the cumulative temperature of the soil, too.

It’s vital that your plant has consistent moisture during recovery. An easy way to achieve this – as well as keeping plants well irrigated going forwards to avoid getting to this stage – is to use a simple drip irrigation system. These don’t need to be complicated or expensive.

Basic drip irrigation systems for potted plants simply transfer water from a container to potted plants so take minutes to set up and don’t need to be connected to a faucet, and all you need do is keep the main water bucket topped up. This $27 Bamworld Automatic Waterer from Walmart has an easy-to-operate digital control unit, while this Drip Irrigation Kit for Patio Pots, also from Walmart, is even simpler with a solar-powered pump.

Another option to make keeping patio pots evenly watered without spending a fortune is to use upturned recycled bottles in spikes. This $13 six-pack of plastic spikes with adjustable drip spouts from Walmart fits plastic soda bottles, while this set of 10 terracotta watering spikes from Amazon relies on the porous clay to slowly deliver moisture from long-necked glass wine or beer bottles.

Don’t fertilize your plant for at least a month, as it needs to fully recover before new growth is encouraged.

Plants should perk up within 24 hours as stems and leaves rehydrate. Wait a week before pruning any leaves or stems, as you may be surprised what comes back to life. Any that are still completely brown after a week won’t recover, though, so snip these off. Within 2-4 weeks, you should see fresh buds and leaves starting to sprout.

If any plants don't recover, then do replace them with low-maintenance perennials that bring maximum flowers for minimum effort in patio containers.

More Easy Ways to Keep Plants in Pots Hydrated

Can I Use the Dish Soap Method For Houseplants Too?

This recovery process works just as well for houseplants as well as potted outdoor plants. However, do make sure the pot has a drainage hole. If it doesn’t, you won’t be able to wash out the dish soap residue, which can harm roots long-term. If the pot doesn’t have a drainage hole, carefully tip the plant out and either repot it into a container with drainage holes or wrap the rootball and compost in newspaper or paper towels before soaking, flushing and returning to its planter. And don't feel bad, we all need a little help to keep houseplants perfectly watered!

More Handy Tricks To Use Pantry Staples in Your Garden

• Baking soda, vegetable oil and dish soap makes an effective spray to prevent fungal disease on tomato plants.
• Baking soda and dish soap can be used to treat powdery mildew.
• Use baking soda and white vinegar to make a natural mosquito trap.
• Baking soda, icing sugar and water makes an effective ant trap.
• Sprinkling cinnamon on houseplant soil can help to control fungus gnats.
• Smouldering coffee granules are a natural wasp repellent.
• Cayenne pepper can be an effective pest control if used in the correct way.

We all need a makeover from time to time and what fun it is to head out for a haircut, facial, and a new outfit! Well, why does it surprise you that hanging baskets need a refresh too? The baskets that looked fresh, vibrant, and gorgeous in spring will be showing their age by early August.

But don’t think of tossing out your hanging baskets! It’s a normal progression for a basket to go from picture-perfect to overgrown and tired as summer peaks and then wanes. All it needs is a mid-season refresh to wake it up and make it the star of the patio through fall.

Follow these simple tips to refresh your hanging baskets in August and get them looking perky and pretty again for fall.

How to Refresh Hanging Baskets in August

Be kind to your hanging basket in August. It has worked hard in spring and early summer, leafing, flowering, and growing that cascading foliage. By this point in the year, it’s ready to do the plant equivalent of heading to the spa.

Since it’s your job to manage your hanging basket’s mid-season makeover, it’s important to understand how to transform it from tired to admired. Below are a few simple steps for you to take to make the magic happen.

1. Snip Off Faded Flowers

Almost everyone knows the practice known as deadheading. When flowers are blazing, they wake up the entire hanging basket and change it from just a few plants in a pot to a work of art. But as blooms fade and wilt, everything looks tired, like someone who pulled an all-nighter at the office.

Deadheading takes only a couple minutes, but it moves mountains in terms of making a difference in the look of your basket. Just by taking out the dying flowers, the basket looks younger and fresher – and it actually is. The practice not only promotes new growth, but also puts the brakes on diseases, fungus, and insects that dead blossoms can attract.

2. Remove Anything Dead or Dying

Now that the dead blooms are gone, look carefully at the foliage that remains. By this time in the growing season, some stems and leaves are on their way out, too.

Use a sharp, sterilized pair of pruners – our experts tested and reviewed the best ones here – to snip off sections of plants that are finished. If an entire plant is done or the roots are rotting, take out the entire thing, roots and all. Removing some plants makes room for fresh new ones that will wake up the look as well.

3. Trim Leggy Stems

Some stems in your hanging basket have neither died nor rotted. Instead, they have thrived. But they have grown to such an extent that their length has thrown the basket out of balance. They might be stringy at the ends or bare at the bottom.

These stems should be cut back with a bold hand. Try to take off about a third of the leggy stems. It’s hard to do but lots of these are vining plants that will produce dense new shoots quickly once the haircut happens.

4. Check the Soil and Water Accordingly

All the flowers and foliage in your aging hanging basket share the same container of soil and get the water they need from that soil. One important step in the refresh is checking whether the soil is watered well.

Start by lifting up the basket and checking the weight of it. If the basket seems heavy, the soil is probably well watered. A bone dry basket will feel very light. To confirm, poke a finger into the soil as far as you can. If it’s dry, it is watering time. If you're unsure about the moisture levels, then a simple soil moisture meter like this one from Amazon is a great way to gain clarity and avoid either overwatering or underwatering.

If the soil is completely dry, water will run straight through it. In that case, fill up a bucket of water and put the entire inner basket into it, leaving it there for 15 minutes. Otherwise, get a watering schedule for the rest of the summer and fall. The best time to water container plants is in the morning, providing moisture to the plants well before the heat of the day while letting leaves dry fully before nightfall.

5. Fill in Spaces With Fresh Flowers

Now comes the fun part! You’ve taken out the dead and wilting plants and deadheaded the flowers. Early August is the perfect time to freshen containers by adding new flowers for hanging baskets. Use starts from the garden center and pick a species that establishes quickly.

A few favorites of mine for refreshing sunny baskets midsummer include colorful compact zinnias, vibrant yellow calibrachoa, or pretty pink angelonia from the Home Depot. Coleus are preferred for shady baskets.

If necessary, add a little bit of fresh potting soil at the same time to give the new plants a steady base. Content Editor Laura swears by this Miracle-Gro potting mix for her containers.

6. Fertilize Your Baskets

Last but not least, give your hanging baskets a boost with a fresh dose of fertilizer. By the last month of summer, your basket has used all the nutrients in the original potting soil and they are ready for additional fertilizer.

Your best choice is to use a liquid fertilizer formulated to support leaf growth and flowering, like this all-purpose organic bloom-boosting plant food from Espoma. You’ll need to dilute the product with water and use it the same time you are watering hanging baskets. This will give your plants the necessary nutrients without burning the roots.

If your container garden started out thriving in May but completely gave up by July, you're probably not doing anything wrong with your watering or feeding. Actually, you're doing something wrong before you even get to the garden center.

Instagram influencer @mamakaytie.green puts it bluntly: "Flowers don't fail in pots because you picked the wrong color. They fail because you paired a sun-loving drought survivor with a shade-loving moisture addict and watered somewhere in the middle." To put it simply, the problem isn’t your commitment; it’s the compatibility of your plants.

Why Mixed Containers Work So Well

The appeal of growing multiple flowers in a single pot has taken off for good reason. Cindy Funes, founder of Garden Revelry and a certified professional horticulturist, explains it well: "Mixed flower container plantings are popular because they are space-efficient, creating seasonal impact, and the feeling of a whole garden without requiring a full garden. A thoughtfully planted container with a combination of flowers can feel like a floral arrangement, but one that lasts much longer and changes over the season."

There's also something about the visual effect that a single plant just can't achieve. "When you combine flowers and foliage with different heights, textures, colors, and growth habits, the planting can feel a little more expressive, and your eye moves through it instead of landing on one flat note," Funes says. "It creates a pause – and I think that's what people are craving right now."

The Framework Every Beginner Needs

Before you start grabbing every pretty thing in the plant section, it will be more helpful to start with some structure. McCauley Adams, principal designer and owner of Ramble on Rose Garden Design in Louisville, lives by one rule: "thriller, filler, and spiller – something tall and structural, something full in the middle, and something that creeps over the edges." He's been using it to get client patios Derby Ready this spring with combinations like coral geranium, diamond frost euphorbia, and potato vine, as well as Kimberly Queen fern, blue hydrangea macrophylla, and potato vine and vinca vine.

Funes agrees with the framework as a starting point: "Although it's basic, it is still a wonderful place to start because it naturally creates layers within a planting. From there, keep the color palette simple, select a mix of textures and leaf shapes, and choose plants with a long bloom time."

6 Container Planting Recipes Worth Trying

These easy thriller, filler, spiller recipe combine compatible plants for a balanced, professional-looking display that keeps its color through fall.

1. Geraniums + Petunias + Ivy

"As a beginner, you can't go wrong using geraniums, petunias, and ivy," says Seymen Usta, CEO and landscape designer at Modern Chandelier. Together, they make a well-balanced container combination, with upright geraniums providing height, petunias filling the middle with abundant color, and ivy trailing gracefully over the edges.

Crucially, they also thrive in broadly similar conditions, preferring well-drained soil and regular watering, while the contrasting foliage and flower shapes keep the display looking full and varied.

2. Pansies + Dusty Miller + Lobelia

Seymen also suggests that another classic combination is pansies, dusty miller, and lobelia. Together, they create a beautifully layered container, with pansies providing bold color, dusty miller adding silvery foliage and structure, and lobelia spilling softly over the edges.

All three prefer cooler conditions, making them especially well suited to spring and fall displays.

3. Zinnias + Marigolds + Portulaca

Zinnias, marigolds, and portulaca for full sun and heat make for a great drought-proof trio. "It's the pot you forget to water that still looks good in August!" says @mamakaytie.green.

All three thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, while their varied flower shapes create a cheerful, long-lasting mix. Zinnias provide the height, marigolds give dense color through the middle, and low-growing portulaca softens the edges.

4. Petunias + Calibrachoa + Verbena

Petunias, calibrachoa, and verbena for a trailing hanging basket (like these on Amazon) that covers an entire porch railing. They are ideal for creating a container that looks effortlessly abundant, as their blooms mingle and spill together in a cascade of color. They all flower best in a sunny spot and, with regular feeding and watering, will keep the display going for months.

5. Begonias + Impatiens + Coleus

Begonias, impatiens, and coleus bring plenty of color to containers that receive little direct sun. The flowers of begonias and impatiens brighten shady spots, while coleus adds bold, long-lasting foliage that keeps the display interesting even between blooms.

6. Dahlias + Cannas + Sweet Potato Vine

Dahlias and cannas turn a large container into a bold, tropical-looking focal point, while ornamental sweet potato vine tumbles over the rim to soften all that height. Give the combination a deep pot, rich soil, and full sun, and it will build into an impressive display that lasts throughout summer.

Shop Container Flowers

The Mistake That Kills the Whole Pot

Every expert lands on the same issue. Funes calls it out directly: "One of the most common mistakes I see people making is combining plants with different exposure requirements – mixing sun-loving plants with shade plants, or pairing drought-tolerant with thirsty water-loving plants."

Adams agrees: "The most common mistake I see is a single plant sitting too low with no height or texture contrast." And Usta flags overcrowding: "Too many plants will compete for water, light, and nutrients."

Keeping It Going All Season

Getting the combination right is only half the job. Adams is specific about maintenance: "Keep combinations thriving with consistent moisture, regular deadheading, and a mid-season cutback on aggressive fillers – sweet potato vine especially. Slow-release granular at planting (try this Osmocote Slow-Release plant food on Amazon), liquid feed monthly through summer."

Funes adds that spacing matters more than most people think: "Planting with enough spacing and choosing plants with similar growth rates means plants have room to fill in and no single plant overwhelms another. Reading the plant tag is a great place to start."

Get the roommates right, and the pot will take care of itself. Get them wrong, and you'll be making a second trip to the garden center before August.

Whether you have a large backyard patio or a small, postage stamp-sized balcony, there is nothing better than filling outdoor spaces with potted plants. Indeed, container displays are one of the easiest ways to transform any outdoor yard.

The trouble is, many patio seating areas are positioned in sunny spots where you can enjoy the sunshine with a refreshing drink and chat with family and friends. But when temperatures climb and humidity lingers, many popular bedding plants grown in pots in sunny positions can begin to wilt, stop flowering, or simply give up altogether.

Fortunately, there are plenty of patio plants that thrive in such conditions. The key is choosing species that evolved in tropical or Mediterranean climates where hot, sticky summers are simply part of the environment. A little heat and humidity in July and August won't worry these plants too much.

Whatever you grow, remember that even the toughest heat-tolerant container plants need a little help every now and then. Water deeply rather than little and often, feed regularly during the growing season to encourage extra blooms, and always use a quality, free-draining potting mix so roots never sit in water.

With the right care, these humidity and heat-loving patio plants will reward you with spectacular displays from early summer right through to the first frosts. Here are five of my favorites that I have grown in my time as a gardener.

Heat-Loving Patio Plants

While all of these patio plants enjoy sunshine, always match them to your growing conditions. If your yard is especially hot and dry, lantana and bougainvillea are hard to beat, while mandevilla and hibiscus will appreciate regular watering during prolonged dry spells.

Whatever you choose, though, good drainage is essential for these plants. So, always buy pots with drainage holes (or drill them yourself), and combine a little sand, grit or gravel in the mix to help. With the right care, these five heat-loving low-maintenance patio plants will keep your containers looking colorful and healthy all summer long.

1. Lantana

With clusters of fiery orange, yellow, pink and red flowers, lantana will bloom almost continuously through summer. It thrives in heat, humidity, and even periods of drought once established.

Hardy in USDA growing zones 9 to 11, it is typically grown as an annual in cooler regions, although you can overwinter container plants indoors or in a frost-free greenhouse from November through March.

Try these live lantana plants, available via Amazon, planting them in pots filled with good quality, free-draining soil. Or, if yellow borders are more your thing, try the 'New Gold' variety of Lantana, available now to order from Fast Growing Trees.

One word of caution: lantana is considered invasive in some frost-free parts of the US, including Hawaii, Florida, and parts of Texas, where it can spread into natural habitats. It is also toxic to pets and livestock if ingested, so always check with your local government office before planting and keep pots away from curious dogs or cats.

In summer, I would also suggest using an organic bloom-booster feed, high in phosphorus, or potash, which will help to encourage flowering for as long as possible. Something like this Dr. Earth fertilizer, available from Walmart, should do the job.

2. Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea will always remind me of holidays in Italy where brilliant cascades of hot pink and magenta spill over whitewashed walls and terracotta pots in the summer sunshine. It looks wonderfully exotic, but it is also one of the toughest patio plants you can grow, thriving in heat, humidity and full sun where many other flowering plants struggle.

Hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11, bougainvillea is best grown in containers in cooler regions, allowing you to move plants indoors or into a frost-free greenhouse before winter arrives. Given plenty of warmth and sunshine, don't be surprised if it puts on 3 to 6 feet of growth in a single season.

The 'La Jolla' bougainvillea variety, available via Walmart, is a particularly striking variety, producing vivid fuchsia bracts that create a spectacular display all summer long.

Plant it in a pot filled with free-draining potting mix and resist the temptation to overwater. Bougainvillea actually flowers best when allowed to dry slightly between thorough soakings, so a bit of neglect is no bad thing. To keep blooms coming, feed weekly from mid-spring through to early fall

3. Mandevilla

Rocktrumpets, or mandevilla, are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, stretching from the southern United States through Mexico and into Central America. As you might imagine, these are plants that positively thrive in high heat and sticky humidity, making them one of the best choices for a summer patio.

Given the right conditions, this vigorous climber can easily produce 10 feet of growth in a single season, although newer compact varieties are perfect for smaller patios and balconies.

Live mandevilla plants are available to buy from the Fast Growing Trees store, just be sure to water well on delivery and position in a bright, sunny location on your patio. While they enjoy consistently moist soil during the growing season, avoid letting containers become waterlogged.

In cooler regions, simply move pots indoors before temperatures begin to dip in September or October. Kept somewhere bright and frost-free, the evergreen foliage will carry on looking good until it is time to return the plant outdoors the following spring (typically around April).

4. Hibiscus

With enormous blooms in shades of red, pink, orange, yellow and white, hibiscus shrubs are hard to beat, particularly as they seem to flower all the more enthusiastically during long spells of heat and humidity.

Most tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) are native to Asia and are hardy in US zones 9 to 11, although they thrive in pots elsewhere, allowing you to move them indoors before the first frosts arrive.

For a North American option, Hibiscus coccineus, also called swamp hibiscus or rose mallow, is native to the southeastern US including Texas. It features striking, bright red, firework-like flowers. It thrives in warm but wet, swampy areas down to zone 6.

Position containers somewhere warm and sunny, watering deeply whenever the top inch of soil begins to dry, but never allowing roots to sit in soggy compost (unless you are growing the swamp hibiscus!).

During the growing season, feed plants every week or two with a fertilizer high in potash to encourage as many blooms as possible. Remove spent flowers by deadheading as they fade and, with a little care, your hibiscus will keep producing spectacular tropical color right through to fall.

Walmart has a range of attractive hibiscus varieties, including some beautiful bicolored options.

5. Geraniums

No list of heat-loving patio plants would be complete without zonal pelargoniums. Often called geraniums, these classic summer flowers have been brightening pots, window boxes, and patios for centuries – and for good reason.

Native to South Africa, they are perfectly adapted to hot, sunny conditions, producing masses of flowers in shades of pink, red, salmon, orange and white throughout the summer months.

Pink and red live pelargonium plants can be ordered via Amazon and planted at any point through the summer. Position in a sunny spot on the patio (they will also cope with part-sun/part-shade), water, and feed regularly for the best results. Removing faded flower heads will also encourage fresh flowers well into October.

Shop Patio Garden Essentials

To find out more about inspirational gardens and gardening, read The Garden Through Time by Thomas Rutter, available from Amazon. From Persian paradises to New York’s High Line, this volume offers practical ideas and plant selections to help you design a gorgeous, low-maintenance garden. Telling the story of 45 gardens found worldwide, it is an essential read (or gift) for gardeners looking for timeless inspiration.

Every summer, I find myself wanting the same thing from my containers: big, beautiful color without having to spend every evening dragging a watering can around the yard (no offense, plants, but I have better things to do). I love a lush-looking planter, but I also want to enjoy my garden – not spend the entire season keeping it alive.

Over the years, I’ve learned that the secret is choosing the right flower combinations. The best containers aren’t always the ones with the most blooms packed into them – they’re the ones filled with drought-tolerant plants that can handle heat, occasional missed waterings, and those long stretches of hot weather (which seem to be hitting us with alarming frequency) that can turn a pretty planter into a wilted mess overnight.

No container can survive indefinitely without water, especially during extreme heat or in smaller pots that dry out quickly, of course. Choosing tough, heat-loving plants, though? Well, that can reduce how often you need to reach for the hose in a surprisingly dramatic way.

6 Flower Container Combinations That Stay Beautiful All Summer

These flower combinations are the definition of easy breezy summer displays. They rely on resilient plants that keep performing when temperatures climb and watering becomes less frequent.

So, whether you’re gardening in a cooler USDA planting zone or dealing with a hot southern summer, these combinations give you a container that keeps looking good with less work.

Without any further ado then...

1. Supertunia, Verbena, and Sweet Potato Vine

This is one of those flower container combinations that feels almost too easy. Supertunias provide nonstop blooms, verbena adds another layer of color, and sweet potato vine spills beautifully over the edge of the container.

I love this mix because it fills out quickly and keeps its good looks through summer heat. Once established, these plants can handle short dry spells much better than many traditional container favorites.

It is worth noting that supertunias will still appreciate regular watering in containers, but their heat tolerance and nonstop flowering make them a much better choice than many older petunia varieties.

2. Lantana, Angelonia, and Calibrachoa

If you have a sunny spot that turns into a heat trap, this is the flower container combination I would reach for. Lantana brings clusters of colorful flowers, angelonia adds height and structure, and calibrachoa creates a trailing blanket of blooms.

This trio is especially reliable during the hottest part of summer when other flowers start looking tired. It’s a great choice for anyone who wants a bright container without needing daily watering in most conditions.

Lantana and angelonia are especially tough in hot weather, while calibrachoa adds the constant color that makes the whole planter feel full and vibrant. Happy days!

3. Zinnias, Globe Amaranths, and Euphorbia

For a more relaxed cottage garden look, this combination is hard to beat. Zinnias bring bold color, globe amaranths adds charming spherical blooms, and euphorbia creates airy filler that softens the whole container.

This is the kind of planter that looks cheerful and abundant without needing constant fussing. It also attracts pollinators, making it a favorite for busy gardeners who want beauty and wildlife value.

These are all reliable heat lovers that keep performing through the toughest part of summer, making them winners in my eyes.

4. Periwinkle, Angelonia, and Scaevola

When summer gets brutally hot, periwinkle is one of the plants I trust most. Pair it with upright angelonia and trailing scaevola, and you get a container that keeps its shape while producing plenty of color.

This combination is especially useful for gardeners who sometimes forget a watering day or two. These plants are built for warm weather and don’t need constant pampering to look good.

Periwinkle, angelonia, and scaevola are all excellent choices for hot, sunny locations where more delicate plants can struggle (and they look so pretty!).

5. Heat-Loving Salvia, Calibrachoa, and Sweet Potato Vine

This flower container combination gives you a little bit of everything – height, flowers, and dramatic trailing foliage. Heat-loving salvias create vertical interest, calibrachoa fills the middle with blooms, and sweet potato vine cascades over the container edge.

I like using this mix near entrances and patios because it looks polished but still feels relaxed. It’s the kind of planter that handles busy schedules while continuing to put on a summer show.

For the best results, just take care to choose salvias known for heat tolerance, such as Salvia farinacea or Salvia greggii.

6. Portulaca, Euphorbia, and Sweet Potato Vine

Not every low-water container needs to be packed with large blooms; sometimes the secret is choosing plants that naturally thrive in dry conditions.

Portulaca brings bright, cheerful flowers, euphorbia adds delicate texture, and sweet potato vine ties everything together with trailing growth. This is a combination that can handle sunshine and heat while still looking full and colorful.

It’s especially useful for gardeners who want a beautiful container without having to constantly monitor moisture levels. Who doesn’t love that?

Shop Container Garden Essentials:

A beautiful summer pot doesn’t have to mean constant watering and daily maintenance. If you get creative with your flower container combinations, you can create planters that keep looking fresh through the hottest days of summer and well into fall (and make your neighbors green with envy at the same time).

Last one to the potting shed is a rotten egg, I guess!

Let's be honest: gardening can get expensive, especially if you're planting above ground. Maybe your soil isn't good, or maybe you don't have any soil, and you're growing on a balcony or patio. Whatever the reason, the result is the same – you need containers to hold all that dirt, and those containers don't necessarily come cheap.

There's one, however, that does! It's affordable, it's ubiquitous, and it's famously durable. You already know what it is, because you saw the picture up above, but let's give it a proper introduction anyway. Say hello to the humble cinder block.

Some call then breeze blocks; some call them concrete masonry units. Everyone on the planet knows them, and they're pretty easy to come by. But have you ever stopped to consider that they're the ideal shape for planting in? Unlike bricks, cinder blocks have hollow centers (really, two hollow centers, one on each half). This is by design – it significantly reduces weight and material while keeping the whole thing structurally sound. Just fill those hollow centers with soil and voila! You've made yourself an adorable double planter.

Is It Safe to Grow Edibles in Cinder Blocks?

Let's get this out of the way: it's perfectly safe to grow edible plants in cinder blocks. You'll find plenty of people who'll tell you it's dangerous, but this is largely due to outdated information. (I actually researched this myself years ago). Basically, cinder blocks earned their name because they used to literally be made of cinders, a byproduct of burning coal, and it's true that you probably don't want to eat that. But while the name's still around, cinder blocks haven't been commercially made this way in over half a century. (More or less since we stopped burning massive amounts of coal).

These days they're just made of concrete, cast in the same shape. That means they're exactly as safe as that expensive concrete planter you're already growing your carrots in.

Where Can You Find Cinder Blocks?

Cinder blocks are like a lot of things – you see them everywhere until the time you actually need one. Then, all of a sudden, they're scarce! Well, that might be for the best, because unless you're getting them from a trusted source, I'd recommend buying your cinder blocks new, especially if you're growing vegetables or herbs. That's because while the cinder blocks themselves are food-safe, the same can't necessarily be said of whatever they've come into contact with. Paint, solvent, mysterious dust... the more you think about it, the less desirable it becomes to plant your parsley in that cinder block you found lying around.

The good news is, cinder blocks are cheap. You can get them for under $3 pretty much everywhere. Amazon doesn't seem to deal in them. (They do sell mini cinder blocks – don't get duped!) But you can get them delivered from The Home Depot, Lowe's and Ace Hardware.

How to Make a Cinder Block Container Garden

Cinder blocks are great for container gardens for a few reasons. They have a cohesive look, they're stackable, and you can even build larger structures with them. It's an ideal raised bed design: Outline a bed with cinder blocks, and you can plant in the holes in the walls as well as in the bed! Turn a few on their sides and stack them, and you've got a living wall. Or just pile a few into a short pyramid for instant structure and intrigue.

At the end of the day, what you do with your cinder block containers is limited only by your imagination. So why not get a few (you can get six for under $20) and play around with them? At this price, you can't afford not to.

If your summer containers are anything like mine, there will be a few that already look like they’ve done their time and seem ready to curl up in the heat. Summer is a weird season: it seems to take forever to arrive, but when it does, it can feel like everything happens in a few days, only for key plants to lose their joyful tones almost as soon as the colors finally pop. If your pots and planters are looking a little crispy, don’t fret. You don’t have to spend ages giving your containers a summer makeover.

The beauty of this timely summer refresh is that it involves key planting choices that adapt and establish quickly in these intense yet changeable summer weeks. These gorgeous container ideas don’t require loads of ongoing care, and they flourish in spots where early-season tubs may have faltered and faded. So don’t spend your precious outdoors time staring at drab, weary containers. There’s plenty of summer left to enjoy, and these zingy superheroes can carry you all the way into fall.

Best of all, they hit their stride quickly and keep going, maintaining their richness and intensity where others bolt or bleach. Plant these container champs as nursery starts or plug plants, and you cut out weeks of waiting. Whether you’re after vibrant blooms or high contrast foliage, these favorite summer pick-me-ups deliver in abundance. And as a bonus, they also keep local pollinators happy. So make some room for prolific, saturated color that lasts, courtesy of some special drought-tolerant dazzlers.

Plant These Container Superheroes

In sweltering midsummer weeks, container garden planting requires a different approach to early spring labors. Fresh root systems need a little initial care so they don’t fall victim to transplant shock, and even the most colorful plants need to be matched to the right garden spot. If you are reusing tubs, you’ll also need to check for dry, spent soil. To ensure these drought tolerant perennials and annuals thrive right out of the gate, use a diagnostic tool like the Yamron 4-in-1 Soil Meter from Amazon to check your existing potting mix isn't depleted, overheated, or compacted.

Where it does feel spent, it’s best to breathe some new life into your potting medium. Don’t chance it and stuff a new plant into old, compressed soil. Even superheroes deserve a little treat. Ideally, you need pots that offer a coarse environment where fresh roots can anchor fast. Scoop out the top few inches of old soil and clear away any decaying roots or debris from faded annuals. Summer watering can cause some standard potting mixes to compact like cement, so blend a decent scoop of perlite or some coarse sand like Hoffman Western Desert Sand for Potting from Walmart into upper container layers to help with drainage.

Another way to improve drainage ahead of this second wave of color is to prime the base of your pots. If a large container sits flat against a hot wooden deck or a humid stone patio, the drainage holes can trap stale water inside and cook plant roots. To maximize airflow, slide in some pot toes, like sturdy Kigeli Resin Pot Feet from Amazon. It’s a simple way to keep pots healthy and keep these superheroes happy. Then you’re ready to welcome the stars of the show!

1. Lantana

For neon zinginess that keeps glowing, lantana (L. camara) thrives where lesser plants crumble. This rugged bloomer is often used as a select spiller, but fills a space well as a specimen, with vibrant clusters of color. Treated as a fast-growing annual in zones 3-8 and a tough perennial in zones 9-11, this neon queen pumps out lush pops of color right up until the first frosts. Container soil temperatures can get 10°F (5.6°C) hotter than garden beds, causing sensitive flowers to wilt. Lantana shrugs off these issues thanks to its sandpapery leaves, which prevent moisture loss.

Choose compact, mounding midget varieties like Bandana, Little Lucky, or the 'Luscious Series, which only reach 12 inches (30 cm). For a buttery gold beauty, buy 'New Gold' Lantana from Fast Growing Trees as potted starts. In terms of ongoing care, just avoid overwatering and allow the potting mix to dry out slightly between deep soakings. While lantana loves lean living, a tiny sprinkle of Dr. Earth Premium Gold All Purpose Fertilizer from Walmart mixed into the potting mix at planting time give nursery roots a gentle nutrient lift without burning. Then just sit back and enjoy the swallowtail butterflies, hummingbird moths, and lantana-loving bees.

2. Coleus

Coleus (C. scutellarioides) is the ultimate superhero for instant container color, because you don’t have to wait for flowers to open. Its fiery visual foliage pops from late spring all the way until first frost, delivering dense, velvety volume that fills a tub in no time. Honestly, I’ve grown coleus in containers that can take on a shrub-like mass that definitely turns heads with little encouragement. Sun-tolerant stars include the Main Street Series, compact Wizard, or dazzling Inferno. Try Coleus ‘Dipt in Wine’ from Amazon as starter plants for high-contrast burgundy and bright chartreuse. Grow as an annual in zones 3-9, though it keeps going in zones 10-11.

What makes coleus a true superpower is its ability to provide uninterrupted color without requiring a drop of flower-building energy. However, it has thin, fleshy stems, so it is the thirstiest on my list. If a container dries out completely, coleus will shed its lower foliage. So skip clay pots and go for glazed ceramic or plastic, and water frequently as temperatures spike. Misting the foliage weekly with a little Arber Organic Bio-Fungicide Concentrate from Walmart can also protect against mildew and leaf drop. Pinching off the fuzzy flower spikes will keep fresh foliage at its zingy best, though it’s good to keep a couple of blooms for hummers and bumbles.

3. Salvia

Not everyone goes for hot colors in the heat, I get that. So if you‘re looking to ramp up the cool notes in the summer heat, roll out some potted salvia for instant, lush structure and refreshing dynamics. Compact salvia varieties like S. nemorosa offer an elegant palette of cobalts, electric blues, and velvety plums that keep their cool well into high summer and beyond. Treat them as fast-growing, non-stop annuals in zones 3-8, and perennials in zones 9-11. Their dense, dramatic spires double as a nectar bar that delights local bumbles, migrating monarchs and visiting hummers.

While giant varieties like S. guaranitica can outgrow a pot, modern bred cultivars are tailor-made for tight root zones. Alongside violet temptress 'Amistad', you can enjoy the compact Miracle Series (such as 'Blue Marvel') or the Sensation Series for enduring color that keeps its shape, around 12-20 inches (30-50 cm). Try airy, compact Sky Blue Marvel Salvias from Fast Growing Trees. Just make sure your pot has a large drainage hole, and add a fortnightly splash of Neptune's Harvest Organic Fish & Seaweed Formula from Amazon for continuous cool-toned splendor.

4. Coneflowers

If you don’t love coneflowers, you might be dead: there, I’ve said it. Coneflowers (Echinacea spp.) are exceptionally hardy perennials (in zones 3-9) and bring raw, rugged vibrancy to any space, from mass planter drifts to modest terracotta pots. They are uniquely suited to pots and will happily overwinter in cold container soil to return year after year. Just keep the root ball well watered in the first fortnight, and add a bit of bonemeal, such as Down To Earth Organic Fish Bone Meal from Lowe's, into the planting hole to encourage resilient root growth.

Choose compact, dwarf coneflower varieties for the longest-serving heroes. I will stubbornly grow the occasional towering echinacea, like the lovely 3ft (90cm) Green Twister. But there are gorgeous stout options, like Sombrero or PowWow, which settle at 12-20 inches (30-50 cm). These substantial varieties produce thick, stocky flower stems that stand proud without staking. Try Hirt’s Gardens Sombrero Lemon Yellow Coneflower Plants from Walmart for sunshine-rich vibrancy. Your pollen-rich cones will draw in a flurry of native bees and swallowtail butterflies, while the late seed heads will delight local goldfinches.

5. Zinnias

Yes, zinnias! These triumphant mega-bloomers (Z. elegans) are a revelation for container gardeners who crave the intense folds of popular potted dahlias without any fuss. While dahlia tubers can rot easily and require continuous feeding, these annual superstars throw everything into one memorable and generous season – and they really can flourish in pots. Just remember to water zinnias at the base, and blend a handful of Worm Bliss Premium Earthworm Castings from Amazon directly into the top layer of your container's potting medium. This will enhance your pot's water-holding capacity and will help make those late-summer petals pop.

What makes zinnias a perfect long-flowering annual for containers is their love of hot, dry soil conditions. Thanks to their desert heritage, they keep producing crisp flower heads long after many other annuals are packing up for the season. Try compact varieties such as Dreamland and Magellan, or disease-resistant Profusion, which reaches 10-14 inches (25-36 cm). That said, you can grow taller zinnias like feisty California Giant if you pinch them back at the main stem tips. This restricts their height, forcing the plants to bush out laterally. Buy California Giant Zinnia Mix Plants from Walmart for the ultimate summer refresh you’ll still be admiring come fall.

Container Care for Summer

As promised, you don’t have to spend loads of time pampering these container heroes. Just a few little attentions here and there will keep the flower show epic, lovely and enduring. One big thing to factor in is some deadheading. For your zinnias and coneflowers, follow the stem down to the next node, where you’ll see tiny green leaves emerging, and snip right above them. Try to do this once a week with a trusty pair of shears, scissors or snips. I’m a big fan of Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Shears from Amazon to slice through pot-based stems without bruising the foliage.

By late August, lantana’s trailing stems might start looking a little sparse near the root crown. Snip back the tips of the longest branches by a couple of inches (5cm). This quick pinch once a month in late summer forces your neon queen to shoot out new side stems, keeping your container display packed with fresh, bushy color.

Because containers require daily watering during heat waves, vital nutrients can leach out. To prevent salvia spikes shrinking or your coleus losing its saturation, give your pots a deep water flush in the morning once a fortnight to wash away stale salts. Follow it up the next evening with a little liquid organic feed to replenish your potted color champs. And that’s all it takes to keep these heroes going strong.

Shop Summer Container Heroes

Creating a high-impact, long-lasting container garden doesn’t require hours toiling during precious summer weekends. These tough, drought-tolerant container plants handle midseason heat with effortless grace. They root fast, and keep pumping out glorious hues to charm local pollinators as well as visitors. So, grab these heroes for a lush, saturated container summer makeover that will last well into fall.

Need more ideas for getting the most from your plants, indoors and out, and looking for the best seasonal expert advice delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the free Gardening Know How Newsletter!

If there are gardeners out there who look forward to heatwaves, I haven’t met them. It’s pretty awful to wake up to a hot morning when the heat just keeps getting hotter as the day goes along.

Many popular garden plants make it through a heatwave because they have roots that go deep into the soil where there is moisture. But when those same plants live in containers, there is no deep soil and no room for deep roots. Container plants have a very limited amount of soil, and that soil dries out quickly during summer droughts.

That doesn’t mean that all container plants are doomed in summer heat. The best drought-tolerant container plants thrive in hot weather and with reduced water. Succulents and cacti are at the top of the list, but there are plenty of other low-water, heat-loving plants that bring color and interest. Below are seven of my favorites, and some tips for helping container plants survive heatwaves.

Helping Container Plants Survive Heatwaves

You can help your container plants thrive in a heatwave by taking a few precautions. Be sure the plants you leave out during a heatwave are drought-tolerant and like the heat – but their maturity is important too. Don't leave new, young perennial plants outside during a heat wave. Give them a year to establish.

Otherwise, follow these tips:

• Water your container plants in the early morning every day.
• Water until you see water coming out of the drain holes.
• Add a 2–3 inch layer of mulch on the top of the soil in every container. Use organic compost, chopped dry leaves, or wood chips.
• In truly scorching weather, move the containers out of the sun for the afternoon. A location with morning sun and afternoon shade is best.
• Don’t fertilise plants at all during hot weather. Wait until cooler weather comes in.

Heatwave Garden Essentials

1. Silver Jade Plant

The silver dollar jade plant (Crassula arborescens) is an attractive succulent with round, puffy blue-gray leaves edged in a rich wine color. Native to South Africa, this striking plant has thick stems and starry white or pink blossoms in spring.

You can buy a variety pack of jade plants online from Altman Plants at Lowe's.

Jade is a perfect container plant in USDA zones 9-11. Its relatively short roots need well-draining soil and minimal water. In fact, too much water will rot the roots of this plant. Like other succulents, silver dollar jade plant stores water in its puffy leaves to use during times of drought. This is one of those plants you can set on a patio, admire every few days, and neglect the rest of the time.

2. Russian Sage

Are there any plants with stunning flowers that actually grow best in a full-sun, arid location? There are indeed, and Russian sage is one of them. It’s an erect shrub that prefers full sun in well-drained soil. It performs best in dry, arid conditions.

Russian sage forms clumps that rise to 3 feet (1 m) tall, with sturdy upright stems and silvery-gray leaves. They have a pleasing pungent aroma when touched. The tubular purple flowers appear from June to October. Cultivars like 'Blue Spire ' and 'Blue Mist' produce better flowers than the species plant.

You can plant Russian sage in a container on a sunny patio, but you might want to select a dwarf cultivar like Denim ‘n Lace from Plant Addicts, or Little Spire, available at Lowe's. Give the container an occasional deep watering, then leave it alone until it’s completely dry.

3. Purple Fountain Grass

Oh la la, this is a lovely fountain grass plant! It’s graceful and colorful, with waves of soft purple plumes arching up from burgundy-tinted foliage. Purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum') is the superstar of fountain grass, dramatic in containers or mass plantings.

With its short roots, purple fountain grass thrives in containers as an annual, and as a perennial in zones 9–11. It is free of pests and diseases, and tolerant of hot sun and minimal water. Planted in large containers, this grass can grow up to 5 feet tall, making a fabulous frame for entryways when placed on either side of a doorway, adding visual interest with its height, movement, and color.

Buy purple fountain grass online from Nature Hills.

4. Thorncrest Century Plant

Thorncrest century plant (Agave univittata ), a type of agave, grows wild in the Rio Grande Plains, thriving in dry, well-drained, rocky soil in zones 9–11. This qualifies it to take its rightful place among the best, drought-proof container plants that stay lush in heatwaves. Try this attractive Quadricolor variety from Altman Plants via Amazon.

Agave forms a rosette of leaves at its base; lovely, dark green leaves with a lighter green stripe down the middle. These large leaves heap up to about 2 feet (60 cm) tall. Then, of course, they flower – but don’t hold your breath. Agaves only bloom once in a lifetime, but when they do, what a show! The flower stalk appears in spring and shoots up to 10–15 feet (3–5 m) tall.

Thorncrest century plant is a fuss-free container plant that doesn’t need much water. Put it in a spot that gets sun. If you live in a cooler zone, you can still grow century plant. Set it up in a container and move it indoors during winter.

5. Asiatic Jasmine

Common jasmine is a lush climbing vine with gorgeously fragrant white blossoms that requires regular water to leaf and flower. But Asiatic jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum) – unrelated to the real jasmine clan – is an evergreen, vine-like woody plant that makes a good, drought-proof perennial for containers in zones 7–10. In cooler zones, it can be grown as an annual.

Variegated varieties, like the new Snow-N-Summer Asiatic Jasmine, available at Plant Addicts, are particularly stunning, with foliage spanning pink, white, and green.

While many use Asiatic jasmine in the landscape for alternative groundcover, this plant, with tiny yellow “pinwheel” flowers, also does well in containers placed in the shade or sun. It will grow to 3 feet (1 m) tall and half that wide. Gardeners in Florida often choose Asiatic jasmine given its hardiness and drought tolerance. Once established, this jasmine needs very little care.

6. Rosemary

Native to the hot Mediterranean area of Europe, rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) offers so much that you can’t pass it up as a drought-tolerant, heat-loving plant. This shrubby perennial herb has truly lovely blue flowers as well, attracting oohs and aahs and pollinators. Driving through Spain, I’ve seen wild fields of rosemary so beautiful that they took my breath away.

Rosemary is drought-tolerant and grows best in full sun in warm areas. Can you grow it in a pot? It’s best, since the shrub doesn’t like much moisture in its soil, and soil in a container stays drier than soil in the ground. Rosemary thrives in zones 7–11. In colder areas, grow rosemary in a container and bring it inside for the winter.

7. Cushion Spurge

Never heard of cushion spurge (Euphorbia epithymoides)? Well, say hello to one of the most drought-tolerant perennials for USDA zones 4 to 8. The plant’s flowers are lovely, yellow blooms backed by chartreuse bracts on a plant that grows to about 18 inches (50 cm) tall. The second show happens in fall when the foliage changes to orange and red.

Cushion spurge is a great choice for patio container plants; just pick a large container with adequate drain holes. This plant is happy but will also thrive in partial shade, though too much shade will make the cushion spurge leggy, rather than its classic cushion shape.

Another good spurge for containers that has a similar cushion-like growth habit is Tiny Tim dwarf spurge, available at Walmart.

As the 250th anniversary of America approaches, this year’s Independence Day is extra special. One way to show your patriotism and love of country is with a vibrant, red, white, and blue porch display made with thoughtful combinations of potted plants.

Container gardening is ideal for creating a special moment because it’s an easy way to customize a display and can be used for a big impact in small spaces. Your choices don’t have to be overly themed, just choose attractive flower and foliage plants with different heights and textures with an elegant red, white, and blue palette. (If you want to get really festive, you can add some American-made flags from Amazon to your pots!)

Here are some ideas to get you started.

1. Full Sun Star-Spangled Banner

Here’s a great combo to recreate the classic colors of the flag with sun-loving flowers. Red geraniums are easy to grow and love the heat of summer. Place these in the center of the pot and surround them with white alyssum, a carpet of scented and tiny bright white flowers. For blue, let blue cascade lobelia spill over the edge of the pot.

All of these flowers either prefer or will tolerate full sun and need soil that drains well. Be sure to deadhead your geranium as flowers fade to encourage ongoing bright blooms.

2. Shady American Flag

If you want to recreate the red, white, and blue of the flag but don’t have full sun, this combination is for you. Replace geranium with red dragon wing begonia, which has attractive foliage and graceful, arching red flowers.

Fill in the space around the begonia with white wishbone flower, a heavy bloomer all summer. Finally, add trailing blue lobelia, which can grow in either sun or shade. Make sure this container has rich soil that drains well, and keep it consistently moist throughout the summer.

3. Classic Cottage Garden Pot

If an informal cottage garden is your style, try this mix for a soft, patriotic pot. White larkspur has feathery sprays of delicate white flowers that will rise above your red and blue options. You can find seeds for Galilee white larkspur from Territorial Seed Company.

A red verbena provides tight clusters of bright red blooms to fill in around the larkspur. Obsession red verbena seeds can be found at Park Seeds.

Petunias make soft spillers for the edges of a cottage pot. Try ‘Surfinia’ blue petunias, which cascade nicely and do not need to be deadheaded. Give this blend a pot with well-draining soil and a spot in full sun.

4. Contemporary Red, White, & Blue

For a more modern garden style, look for geometric shapes and contrasting textures. Start with a clump of spiky blue fescue grass. Fill in around it with a coleus in a striking shade of red. Finally, add a white variety of million bells, which will trail over the side and bloom in flowers that look like mini petunias.

The best lighting for this combination is partial shade. The soil should be rich and moist, although it also needs to drain well.

5. Patriotic Pollinators

If you want to be patriotic but also support your local wildlife and attract pollinators to the garden, this combination is for you. Black and blue salvia, also known as anise sage, has deep cobalt-blue flowers that pollinators love. It will grow large and provide a good focal point for a big container.

Add pentas around the salvia to add nectar-rich white flowers that are magnets for bees and butterflies. Finally, red lantana adds a vibrant spiller element that pollinators love. Each of these plants thrives and flowers best in full sun. They are hot-weather flowers that will give you a good show all summer with regular watering and well-draining soil.

6. Monochrome in Blue Containers

It’s easier to find red and white flowers than blue, so another option is to create masses of red or white flowers in bright blue pots. Picture two cobalt-blue glazed containers, one full of white petunias and the other with red petunias. (You can find large cobalt blue ceramic planters from Home Depot.)

Or, mix red and white flowers together in a blue pot. Some other red and white options include salvia for sun or partial shade, impatiens for shade, or cosmos for sun and for a flower easy to grow from seed.

7. Colorful Hanging Basket

For a hanging basket, choose patriotic flowers that trail and that you can mix together in one or two containers. Million bells or wave petunias are good choices, and come in red, white, and blue varieties. You can’t go wrong with trailing lobelia for a touch of bright blue. These are best for full sun spots.

For some shade, try creeping snapdragon, which comes in shades of blue and white, likewise wishbone flower. For the red element, use dragon wing begonia, red impatiens, or trailing fuchsia.

A living decoration that brightens up your porch, home, and garden is a great way to celebrate this very special Fourth of July. Unlike paper bunting, your display has the potential to last all summer. Just be sure to combine plants with the same growing conditions in one pot for the best results.

Gardening in a small space can initially feel limiting, but it is actually a golden opportunity to throw out the old rule book, get creative, and think outside the box. The secret weapon for tiny patios, balconies or compact courtyards is container gardening. Planting in pots allows you to maximize every square inch of available space, and gives you the flexibility to rotate, shift, and restyle your displays as the seasons change or the sun moves.

The easiest plant combinations for a container garden are those that require similar conditions. For example, mixing desert succulents with tropical understory plants in one pot is asking for difficulties. Also consider size, and make sure one plant won’t overshadow another completely. Once you have addressed these considerations, you can think creatively and focus on high-impact visual design. And it doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming.

Flowers are obvious choices for pots, but they’re temporary. A great trend for 2026 gardening is to combine unexpected foliage textures. Strong plant texture contrasts create the illusion of depth and abundance in small spaces, while leaves give visual interest all season long. These unlikely container plant pairings break old design rules, and give unexpected combinations that are easy to source, put together, and maintain. So add some high-contrast, touchable drama with big impact texture in plants for small spaces that look instantly luxe.

Grow Texture Clashing Containers

The core principle for planting texture partners in containers is simple, and you don’t need to be a design guru to master texture clashing like a pro. Just look for plants with wildly opposing leaf shapes, surfaces, and growth habits, and plant them in tandem. When fine, wispy blades collide with massive, velvety leaves, a unique visual friction occurs that draws the eye, creating a dynamic sense of depth and luxury that simultaneously makes small yards look significantly larger.

Before you start assembling your design pairs, a little baseline preparation is essential to ensure your containers thrive all summer long. Always choose a pot with excellent drainage holes. Waterlogged roots will ruin a foliage display faster than any weather event. Since container plants rely on you for their sustenance, invest in a premium, lightweight potting medium rather than heavy backyard garden soil, which packs down and stifles root respiration.

To guarantee your dynamic duos have the perfect foundation, check your baseline moisture and soil conditions regularly. Use a soil meter or kit like the Luster Leaf Rapitest Soil Test Kit from Amazon to ensure soil pH is balanced and the texture is well draining. Where your soil feels tired, add a little aged compost. If your potting mix feels a bit too dense for your chosen selections, you can easily alter its structure before planting.

For added drainage in your textured planter, add a little perlite or coarse sand. Add a handful of Hoffman Western Desert Sand for Potting from Walmart to create a lean, gritty environment. Conversely, if you are planting moisture-loving varieties, mixing in organic matter like premium compost or worm castings will help retain vital hydration. Once your pots are primed, match your plants to your specific sunlight patterns so your texture-clashing masterpieces will look stunning until first frosts.

1. Senecio ‘Angel Wings’ + Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’

This is a fun pairing of two plants that love hot weather and tolerate dry conditions. Both are native to warm regions, making them great options for container and patio growing. Give them pots with good drainage and a spot with full sun. From a texture perspective, this is an extreme contrast. Senecio ‘Angel Wings’ has large, chalky silver leaves with a velvety soft feel. ‘Diamond Frost’ is a shrubby perennial with delicate, small leaves that create a cloud of airy green leaves. Together, these two create a unique, silvery arrangement that looks luxe and modern.

Plant chunky, structural senecio slightly off-center as your focal thriller, and let the wispy euphorbia weave around its base as a filler. To give your euphorbia a quick boost at planting time, incorporate a tiny sprinkle of a slow-release granular fertilizer to help roots establish rapidly. Let the top two inches (5cm) of soil dry out completely between waterings to protect the velvety senecio leaves from rotting. This pair is hardy in USDA zones 8-11, and both are great summer annuals for northern patios. You can buy Angel Wings Senecio Live Plants from Amazon for frosty summer pop.

2. Blue Agave + Creeping Thyme

Blue agave has large, fleshy, and lance-shaped leaves that are a dusty blue-green or gray-green color, depending on the species and variety. Creeping thyme is the opposite, a low-growing groundcover with tiny, delicate leaves. Both thrive in warm weather and tolerate dry soil. This combination is special for their high contrasting foliage. Agave leaves spike upward and outward and are very thick, while thyme creeps along the edges and spills over the sides of pots with delicate and thin leaves. Together, they look like a unique desert landscape garden in a container.

Agaves have shallow but wide root systems, so choose a wide, bowl-style planter. To give these desert dwellers the sharp drainage they demand, amend a standard potting soil with coarse sand, grit or perlite. Position in your brightest, hottest microclimate, such as a concrete balcony or south-facing patio step. In midsummer, the thyme will erupt in tiny pink or purple blooms, adding a soft, fleeting wash of color against the blue agave's imposing, rigid spikes. You can buy Blue Agave Live Plants from Amazon.

3. Colocasia (Elephant Ear) + Maidenhair Fern

These are both warm-weather species that thrive in heat with rich, moist soil. They also both grow well in partial shade. The elephant ear plant is bold and dramatic, while maidenhair fern foliage is intricate and airy. The combination feels modern and fresh. Elephant ear species and varieties have very large leaves that come in a range of colors, even dusty purple-black and striped. Maidenhair ferns are mostly a shade of medium green. With this pairing, you can play with both texture and color. You can buy Maidenhair Fern Plants from Amazon for the ultimate texture-softener.

Give this pair a large, heavy ceramic or resin container to support the top-heavy weight of the elephant ears as they mature. Plant the maidenhair fern directly under the shadow of the massive colocasia leaves, which will naturally shield the delicate fern fronds from intense afternoon sunbeam. Top the container soil with a protective layer of Back to the Roots Organic Premium Mulch from Amazon to lock in hydration and prevent evaporation.

4. Curly Parsley + Purple Fountain Grass

This is an interesting clash of textures and plant types. It’s not at all typical to match ornamental grass with an herb, but in this case it works in a very modern way. The curly parsley forms dense mounds of ruffled foliage, while the fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum') creates arching blades and feathery plumes. The contrast of the densely-packed parsley curls with the fountain of ribbon-like grass is delightful, as is the contrast of green against purple. Both of these plants grow best in full sun. Make sure the soil can drain well and keep it consistently moist.

Use the purple fountain grass as your central vertical thriller and encircle it with the curly parsley. Give the container a little general-purpose plant food every few weeks to keep both the edible leaves and the ornamental grass blades vibrant. Harvest the parsley from the outer edges all summer long to ensure the container maintains its pristine, balanced shape. You can buy Purple Fountain Grass Live Plants from Walmart for soft, kinetic movement in your container designs.

5. Phormium (New Zealand Flax) + Rex Begonia

Where New Zealand flax is spiky, Rex begonia is known for its ruffly leaves, but both are vibrant and splashy. The contrast of narrow, upright spikes, with broad, ruffled, foliage is highly versatile, and both plants give you a variety of colors to choose from. Both of these plants will grow best in bright, indirect light, dappled shade, or a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade. The soil should be rich and drain well, while also staying consistently moist.

Select a container color, like deep charcoal or brushed pewter, that complements the metallic silver or rich burgundy tones in your begonia leaves. Rex begonias can be sensitive to fungal issues and stem rot if their leaves stay wet overnight, so always water the base of the container. Snip away old, yellowing foliage from the base of the plant to maintain excellent airflow through the lower section of this dense, structural pairing. Buy Rex Begonia Flame Live Plants from Amazon for lush and sultry swirls.

6. Leatherleaf Sedge + Sweet Potato Vine

These two plants combine differing leaf shape and density to dramatic effect. Leatherleaf sedge (Carex buchananii) has narrow, wiry blades that grow upright before curling, while sweet potato vine trails over the edges of pots with wide, flat leaves. This sedge is bronze colored, while sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas) is chartreuse or burgundy. This combination also provides a unique contrast between a grass that almost looks dormant and a vibrantly alive vine. Both thrive in full sun or light shade, and are easy to grow. They just need consistent watering over the summer. You can buy RedCrocus Sweet Potato Vine Deep Purple from Walmart.

This container setup is an excellent choice for framing front entryways or setting on a patio pedestal where the vine can cascade freely. Sweet potato vines are fast growers in the summer heat and can easily outpace the slower-growing sedge if left unchecked. To support the massive energy requirements of the trailing vine, feed this pot a balanced fortnightly nutrient blend such as Neptune's Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer from Amazon.

7. Blue Spruce Stonecrop + Broad-Leaved Kalanchoe

Pairing succulents is an easy match. All succulents store water in their fleshy leaves, so they tolerate or even thrive in dry, sandy soils. This combination also grows well in full sun and plenty of heat. They’re great for sunny, hot areas where you might not water often. Blue spruce stonecrop (sedum) is a low-growing, carpet-like plant with narrow, blue-green, fleshy leaves. Kalanchoe has broad, fleshy leaves. Look for varieties with the broadest leaves for the biggest contrasting impact. Kalanchoe luciae (flapjack) has pancake-like leaves, while K. beharensis (felt plant) has large, triangular leaves with a fuzzy texture, and standard florist kalanchoe (K. blossfeldiana) has glossy leaves with scalloped edges.

Under the stress of full summer sun, the edges of the flapjack kalanchoe leaves will turn a brilliant, fiery red, amplifying the intense color contrast against the icy-blue sedum. Plant this succulent duo in a terracotta pot, so the soil medium can breathe and dry rapidly. Water only when the potting mix is bone-dry, and avoid heavy fertilizers. These hardy plants prefer a lean, rugged environment. You can buy Blue Spruce Stonecrops from Amazon.

Shop Texture Superstars

Ready to bring these high-contrast, texture-clashing designs to life in your own yard? Investing in robust live plants is the fastest way to achieve instant volume and designer flair on your patio without waiting months for seeds to mature. These premium, curated selections establish rapidly into warm summer potting soil, ensuring your small spaces look lush, high-end, and vibrant with minimal fuss.

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Shopping for a new raised garden bed can feel a bit like standing in the middle of a crowded plant nursery: where do you begin? Unlike shopping for plants, it’s not as if you can buy in bulk. I get it, these really can feel like big purchases, and you’ll want to know that the raised bed you pick is durable, generous, and nice to look at, while also blending well with the aesthetic of your yard, patio, or balcony.

Do you fancy heavy-duty steel or warm, natural wood? Do you need a vertical tiered setup to save your back, or a built-in trellis for climbing crops? Trying to balance durability, drainage, and style with a price tag that doesn't make your eyes water is enough to cause serious overwhelm. Well, panic no more, because this guide to the best Amazon Prime Day deals for raised beds can help you skip the endless scrolling. This curated cart-friendly collection hones in on the uber-cool raised bed bargains that can truly raise your growing game while saving you cash.

Maybe you’re just starting out and want something simple, or maybe you’re feeling adventurous and like the idea of building out (or up!) from an existing raised bed plot? This “best of the best” raised bed bonanza covers off some of the loveliest and most practical picks currently available with generous price reductions as part of the Prime Day Event. Take advantage of some of the most bargain-stuffed beds around, freeing you up to focus on your next big planting project – and spending that extra cash on even more plants (don’t worry, we won’t tell).

Big & Beautiful

Raised beds are intended to be practical but that doesn’t mean they can’t look good. They’re going to be housing some precious cargo, after all. Just like a picture frame defines something beautiful, the right bed can also be a thing of beauty. These stylish raised bed ideas balance impressive functionality with sleek aesthetics, all while helping you score generous discounts. Whether you’re after an extra-deep bed for root vegetables or a greenhouse-style combo for large-scale growing adventures, these big and beautiful beds offer longevity, weather resistance and plenty of room.

Compact Corners

If you’re like me, space is not something you have loads of – which is why I love these smaller-sized raised beds, as they still hold their own for all kinds of growing projects. If you are working with a cozy patio, a sun-drenched balcony, or a spare corner of a paved courtyard, compact raised beds are your ultimate ticket to raising your growing game. These space-saving designs prove that limited square footage shouldn't limit your ambitions. You can grow high-yielding salad greens, tumbling patio tomatoes and vibrant ornamentals outside your back door: no digging required.

Tiers and Trellises

When horizontal ground space is at a premium, the only way to go is up. Vertical gardening is one of the smartest ways to maximize your space, turning bare walls, tight patios, or blank fences into lush towers of verdant joy. Choosing a raised bed that features built-in tiers or integrated trellises allows you to cultivate deep-rooted vining plants alongside shallow-root herbs. These multi-dimensional setups create a striking structural focal point, while giving climbing crops like sugar snap peas, pole beans, and flowering jasmine the sturdy support they need to reach for the sky.

These raised garden deal ideas are for a limited time – so don’t miss out. Whether you’re after a compact unit or a big-capacity beast, these super-bargains are sure to take your gardening adventures to the next level. Don’t forget to keep your eye out for any Clip Coupon boxes as part of these deals. A lot of garden brands stack an extra 10-20% off coupon on top of official Prime Day discounts, so you might bag an even bigger bargain.

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When in doubt, just add a pot! Honstly, if your garden is looking a little lackluster, I genuinely believe that one of the quickest ways to give it a designer feel is with a large planter. And the good news? Well, you don't need a huge budget to achieve the look.

Yes, while luxury planters can cost hundreds of dollars, some of the best large garden planters out there can be snapped up for a fraction of the price. And they give you some serious bang for your buck, too, as – container garden or not – large garden planters work incredibly hard in a space.

A perfectly placed pot can frame a front door, define a seating area, or bring life to an empty patio corner that feels difficult to style. Plus, in smaller gardens, I have found that a few statement containers can even have more impact than filling every inch with borders.

The Best Large Garden Planters for Instant Impact

Personally, I love nothing more than a big pot; in fact, the large potted trees and oversized window planter in my own garden are the features that consistently look the most polished and designer, even when the rest of the garden is between seasons or looking a little... well, a little unruly.

The trick is choosing planters that look more expensive than they are. Materials with a stone- or concrete-effect finish, oversized shapes, and simple silhouettes all create a premium feel without the designer price tag. And a single large planter filled with architectural plants or colorful flowers can completely change the feel of your garden in an afternoon.

Whether you're after Mediterranean-inspired terracotta, sleek contemporary designs, a gothic urn, or lightweight faux-stone pots, there are plenty of budget-friendly buys that will elevate your outdoor space.

To help you find the best options, I've rounded up the large garden planters that make an instant impact while keeping your spending firmly in check...

As you can see, the best large planters all have a way of doing the heavy lifting in a garden, offering some serious structure and year-round style, even when everything else is still growing in.

Sometimes, all it takes is one bold container to shift the entire feel of a space. And, if you're clever about it, it won't cost the earth to find one, either. Good luck!

Isn’t it glorious to slug down a glass of cold water or lemonade on a hot day? Plants may get the same thrill when their roots uptake water from the soil in warm weather. But even if they don’t get excited, extracting water from the soil is necessary to keep them alive and healthy.

When it comes to container gardening, the amount of water a plant can uptake is limited since the soil is limited. Water-hungry plants in small containers might need irrigation every day to keep that soil moist enough to meet the plant’s needs.

That’s why your best bet for containers is to use drought-tolerant plants.

5 Drought-Resistant Container Plants

Drought-tolerant container plants are the patio favorites that will keep looking great in the summer even if they aren’t watered frequently. Pair these tough plants with containers you already own or with a gorgeous new planter from Terrain (I am obsessed with their rustic earthenware pots!) These plants can be left on their own to dry a little longer.

Here are five great container plants that (almost) never need watering.

1. Cushion Spurge

If you live in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8, you can enjoy a drought-tolerant perennial by the name of cushion spurge. It blooms spring through mid-summer, offering dense yellow blossoms with yellow or chartreuse bracts that contrast nicely with the bright green foliage. In fall, the leaves become the color show as they turn fiery shades.

Cushion spurge is a fairly large plant that can grow to 18 inches (45.72 cm) tall and wide in a large container on the deck. The herbaceous perennial has a mounding growth habit, growing into a dome-shaped mound (like a cushion!)

Site cushion spurge in a location with sun (either full sun or partial sun) and well-draining soil. If your summers are hot, put it somewhere it won’t get direct sun in the afternoon. It is known for its drought tolerance. You can find cushion spurge seeds from Sow Beautiful Seeds nursery on Etsy.

2. Hen and Chicks

Nope, “hens and chicks” is not a plant exclusively for barnyards. I have lots of these terrific succulents in pots on my back patio in San Francisco. To say they are drought tolerant is an understatement. I may actually water them once or twice a month and they look happy as can be. They are said to be hardy in USDA zones 3-8, but San Francisco is zone 10 and the hen and chick plants just never stop.

These succulents have a large central rosette of leaves, and gathered around it are smaller rosette offsets. It looks for all the world like a hen surrounded by her chicks. Like most succulents, a hen and chicks plant stores water in its thick leaves and can go a very long time without irrigation. If it rains every two weeks, you can skip watering altogether. Sometimes these plants produce small star-shaped flowers in bright colors. Find a 6-pack of of hens and chicks from Lowe's.

3. Blackfoot Daisies

Here’s a tip for selecting drought-tolerant container plants: pick perennials native to the southwest. Blackfoot daisy is one such and, despite its pretty flowers, it is a tough cookie. A friend told me it’s the plant least likely to die due to dry conditions. In the wild, these “daisies” usually grow in arid soil made largely of decomposed granite.

Some drought-tolerant container plants can’t take direct sun. Blackfoot daisies love a full sun location, and they form a mound of foliage topped by white daisy-like flowers with butter yellow centers. Hardy in USDA zones 4 - 11, these great container plants bloom all season long until the first frosts. Live in a region that doesn’t have cold winters? You may see daisies in winter too. You can purchase Blackfoot daisy seeds from Texas Native Seeds on Etsy.

4. Lavender

Few perennials are easier or more beautiful in a container on the patio than lavender, that queen of hers from the Mediterranean region. This aromatic perennial prefers sunny, dry conditions, rewarding a gardener with its charming silvery-green foliage and purple blooms. Yes, lavender thrives in containers in a full sun location, yet requires very little water once established.

Known for its drought tolerance, lavender thrives in hot climates and adds charm and color to any backyard space. Don’t even think of watering English lavender until the soil is completely dry a solid inch into the soil. Be sure to plant in a container with drain holes and use soil that drains well too. It thrives in USDA zones 5-10. Get an established 2-gallon 'Hidcote' lavender plant from Fast Growing Trees delivered right to your door.

5. Catmint

Like English lavender, catmint is a perennial ornamental herb and extremely low-maintenance. It charms with its aromatic foliage and soft blue flowers, while winning gardeners’ hearts by thriving in dry conditions and offering no objection to minimal watering. Catmint is hardy in USDA hardiness zones 5-8.

If you’ve never grown catmint, you’re in for a treat. The tough plant grows rapidly, filling your container with an abundance of green foliage plus lots of small, fragrant blooms. They may be small, but they attract beneficial pollinators like bees and butterflies. Catmint plants have a growth habit that can only be called “sprawling”. This works well in a container, since, as it spreads, it cascades over the sides. Catmint seeds from Seed Needs on Amazon are easy to grow (and your cat will like it, too)!

The perfect pot or planter on your front porch can totally transform the look of your home. Choosing the right container that suits your home’s style and the plants you want to grow instantly adds curb appeal and stunning summer color.

My own house is definitely lacking in terms of curb appeal (the front yard transformation on my fixer upper is a process!) so I’ve been scouring my favorite online sources for beautiful pots and planters to spruce up my front porch. Target is a great place to find tons of different pots and planters, whether you want a classic style with timeless appeal or a contemporary and trnedy aesthetic for your budget container garden.

Here are the best pots and planters available at Target right now that will make passersby stop to take a second look at your front porch. These options look high-end, but can fit into almost any budget – and several of them are on sale now, too!

Best Budget Pots & Planters

These stylish pots and planters from Target fit any budget and outdoor decor aesthetic. You can use them to grow a container vegetable garden that’s equally beautiful and delicious. Or fill them with long-blooming summer annuals or potted perennial plants for a colorful display that will make your neighbors green with envy.

New Takes on Timeless Classics

These planters and pots are made from classic materials or hearken back to longstanding styles that gardeners have loved for decades, but with a contemporary touch.

Modern Planters for Trendy Gardeners

Many of us plant hanging baskets and window boxes that stop performing by mid-July. We think there’s nothing to do but keep watering our containers that are past their prime. But with a little planning and thought about plant selection now before you pot up your containers, you can avoid this common pitfall.

The annuals worth building a basket around aren’t always the most dramatic at the garden center in spring and early summer. But they’re the ones that still look reasonable in late August when everything else has given up.

For the best display of summer flowers in containers, you have to choose varieties that continue to perform from June until the first frost. These don’t need constant intervention to shine. They have long bloom seasons that ensure hanging baskets and window boxes dazzle from the beginning of summer to the start of fall.

Longest-Blooming Annuals for Containers

These are all plants that earn their place in a hanging basket or window box because of their ability to bloom from the beginning to the end of summer.

1. Calibrachoa

Calibrachoa (Calibrachoa spp.) might be the most reliable long-season annual in this category. The flowers are petunia-like and come in a wide variety of colors, but the real selling point is how this plant handles summer on its own. It's self-cleaning, so spent blooms drop without deadheading and new ones follow continuously.

Calibrachoa is equally effective spilling over the edge of a window box or out of a hanging basket. However, it is worth noting that this plant is iron-hungry and prone to chlorosis at high pH.

Most varieties of calibrachoa bloom from late spring through hard frost without many dips in between. Feeding makes a real difference in flowering, though. Calibrachoa is a hungry plant, so a slow-release fertilizer from Amazon worked in at planting followed by weekly liquid feeding through the season keeps the flowering well into autumn.

Shop tons of calibrachoa in a gorgeous assortment of colors from Home Depot.

2. Trailing Petunia

Modern types of trailing petunias (Petunia × atkinsiana) have been bred for better spread and summer endurance. So most newer petunias hold up well through July and August in a way older bedding varieties rarely manage.

Petunias keep flowering without deadheading. Spent blooms drop and new ones follow without any work from you. Their fragrance is a real bonus, too, especially near a door or seating area. The sweet scent carries well on a warm evening.

Fertilize petunias weekly and keep them watered well. These classic annual flowers are thirsty, but they can flower right up until frost in return with the proper care.

Try this elegant trailing Supertunia from Proven Winners for a stunning basket display.

3. Bacopa

Bacopa (Sutera cordata) is technically a filler plant, but it does more work than that suggests. The growth trails gently – rather than sprawling – and the tiny white or pale pink flowers are densely packed so the whole plant looks frosted for most of the summer. This is useful when larger flowers become patchy in July.

Spent flowers drop without any help, so bacopa stays beautiful without regular deadheading. Consistent moisture is key and so is afternoon shade, rather than full afternoon sun. This plant is not demanding, but it does best when you give it plenty of water and a little shade during the hottest hours of the day.

You can find bacopa plants online from Home Depot.

4. Verbena

Verbena (Verbena spp.) brings heat tolerance that most other basket plants can't match. In a hanging basket on a south-facing wall where containers bake all afternoon, verbena tends to be the one plant still performing in August when everything else has faded.

The flower clusters are dense and bright, ranging from white to purple and coral. Trailing types of verbena that are bred for containers have better spread and coverage than older garden varieties.

Water-storing cyrstals from Miracle-Gro mixed into the compost at planting extend the interval between waterings noticeably, which is useful for any sun-facing basket. Trim occasionally if your verbena gets leggy, otherwise feed and water it regularly and verbena largely takes care of itself.

Explore lovely varieties of verbena for sale at the Home Depot.

5. Trailing Lobelia

Trailing lobelia (Lobelia erinus) looks best during the cooler parts of the season, which tells you something about where it fits in a basket. In hot climates or during heat waves, it flags – color fades and growth stalls – and doesn't really come back until temperatures cool off.

Pair lobelia with plants that hold onto colorful blooms through the hottest weeks and it will return with a second flush of flowers after temperatures fall a bit. North-facing and partially shaded locations help sort out this problem.

Get live trailing lobelia plants for your hanging baskets from Walmart.

6. Ivy-Leaf Geranium

Ivy-leaf geraniums (Pelargonium peltatum) are the most drought-tolerant option on this list. In a hanging basket or window box that matters more than in-ground plants. Containers dry out fast, especially in warm weather, and this pelargonium's forgiveness when you miss a watering is one of its biggest benefits.

A coco coir basket liner from Amazon retains moisture well, making it a good option for wire baskets that bake in the afternoon sun.

The trailing growth of this type of geranium is vigorous and the flower clusters are dense from late spring right through autumn, with very little care needed from you. During a really warm summer, these plants can put on a serious show.

Shop ivy-leaf geraniums plants online from Amazon.

I think of trailing plants as the botanical world’s answer to the waterfall, and the same verbs apply: cascading, overflowing, rushing, tumbling, spilling. As the stems of your vining plants ease over the edge of a container and meander on down, they offer the same graceful and enchanting vision as water sparkling its way down a rocky slope. The result is a dynamic, living art form that instantly elevates a patio, porch, or balcony from simple pots of soil into a lush, vibrant focal point.

Everyone needs a few trailing plants in their life, and they are absolutely perfect for container gardening, indoors or out. But as we transition through June and head into the fierce, baking crucible of high summer, the stakes get significantly higher. Unlike plants that are nestled snugly in garden beds, container roots are exposed to ambient air temperatures, drying winds, and rapid evaporation. So if you choose the wrong plant varieties, an afternoon away can spell disaster.

That’s why it’s important to select the right trailing plants for containers in full sun. If your region is known for its scorching summer heat, there is no need to panic or resign yourself to crunchy brown leaves, because this dynamic roundup of tough trailing beauties has you covered. Choose these ultra-resilient, heat tolerant container plants, and you can step away from the watering can occasionally without sacrificing a single drop of breathtaking season-long color.

Best Heat Tolerant Trailing Plants

Every region and hardiness zone presents unique challenges for container displays. In San Francisco, I get morning and evening fog, so the actual hours of warmth and direct sun are limited. Southern and southwestern cities face the opposite issue: baking sunshine and intense heat for months on end. There’s no changing the weather, but you can stack the deck in your favor with these gorgeous trailing plants, which view triple-digit temperatures as a luxury rather than a death sentence.

To ensure your cascading displays don't fail, avoid small, shallow pots that dry out in the blink of an eye. Instead, opt for generous containers or deep hanging baskets crafted from non-porous materials like resin or glazed ceramic. Fill with a lightweight potting mix amended with organic compost and a handful of perlite to ensure flawless drainage. You can buy Legigo Organic Perlite from Amazon.

Before planting, it is also a good idea to use a reliable soil moisture and pH meter, like the Yamron 4-in-1 Meter from Amazon, to check your potting medium's baseline health. A nutrient-rich, free-draining environment allows these tough trailing plants to establish the deep, resilient roots they need to push out non-stop summer blooms. Just don’t forget to give them some water to keep them flourishing. Without further ado, here are 6 of the best drought tolerant container plants for full sun and heat.

1. Creeping Zinnia

Often, the plants that tolerate heat best are those native to arid, sun-baked environments. This is the case with creeping zinnia (Sanvitalia procumbens), a cheerful annual that hails from the rugged, rocky terrains of Mexico and Guatemala. While its low-growing, mat-forming habit makes it a spectacular groundcover in garden beds, its true calling is found spilling over the edges of a sunny hanging basket. From early summer right up to first frost, it produces a mass of miniature, daisy-like yellow flowers with dark centers, framed by lush, bright green foliage.

And here’s the best news: creeping zinnia thrives in the heat and humidity of southern summers. So place your creeping zinnia in a location that receives full sun. While it is very drought-tolerant once established, it will flower most prolifically if watered when the top inch of soil feels dry. You also need to make sure containers have good drainage. This zinnia doesn’t transplant well, so if you are starting seeds then plant them right in a hanging basket, or buy young starts in biodegradable pots. Cool-weather folks look out: the plant will die if temperatures dip below 50 degrees F (10°C). You can buy OutsidePride Creeping Zinnia Seeds from Amazon.

2. Burro’s Tail

Call it burro’s tail or donkey’s tail (Sedum morganianum), but you get the picture! This trailing perennial succulent is hardy in USDA zones 10-11 and is native to the warm climates of southern Mexico and Honduras. It features thick, fleshy, blue-green lance-shaped foliage that overlaps tightly along heavy, cascading stems, and the trailing portions really do resemble a donkey. When grown outdoors in optimal summer conditions, mature specimens will occasionally surprise you with terminal clusters of star-shaped blossoms that shift pink to red.

Because the heavy, water-packed stems of a mature burro's tail can reach 4 feet (1.2m), it requires a sturdy, heavy-duty hanging basket or a tall, weighted urn that won't tip over. Also, while they adore ambient summer warmth, providing a location with filtered morning light and bright afternoon shade prevents their plump foliage from scorching. If you live in a cooler climate, remember to move it indoors to a bright window before the autumn chill arrives. Buy Burro’s Tail Plants from Walmart.

3. Sweet Potato Vine

Even if you aren't a fan of eating sweet potatoes, it is impossible not to fall in love with ornamental sweet potato vines (Ipomoea batatas). Heralded as the ultimate spiller plant, this fast-growing herbaceous perennial (grown as a vigorous annual in zones 8 and below) is cultivated for its dramatic foliage. Depending on the cultivar you choose, the leaves can be deeply lobed like maples or heart-shaped, and come in vivid shades of neon lime green, rich bronze, chartreuse, or midnight purple.

For the most intense leaf coloration, place your vines in a spot that receives 6-8 hours of direct sun daily. They thrive on intense heat and high humidity, quickly putting on multiple feet of growth when temperatures soar. Because vines can easily reach lengths of 10 feet (3m) in a single season, they do require plenty of watering during heat waves. Pair dark 'Blackie' with electric green 'Margarita' for a modern patio focal point. You can buy ‘Marguerite’ (aka ‘Margarita’) Pot Plants from Walmart.

4. Madagascar Periwinkle

Also known as annual vinca, the Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) is a titan when weathering summer heat. Native to the wilds of Madagascar, this glossy vining perennial is grown as a tough-as-nails summer annual that can grow to 3 feet (1m) long. Its sleek, emerald-green foliage is a lovely backdrop for a medley of flat, 5-petaled blossoms. Blooms come in brilliant shades of pink, striking white, lavender, and rose, often featuring a contrasting, brightly colored eye right in the center.

Madagascar periwinkle is perfect for hot, humid locations where other flowers might succumb to powdery mildew. It handles baking full sun with ease and its lively trailing habit quickly masks the edges of hanging baskets. Avoid overwatering, and allow the potting medium to dry out between watering sessions. The 'Cora Cascade' series is especially good for container gardening. Buy Vinca Seeds from Eden Brothers.

5. Trailing Portulaca

I love the common name of portulaca, which is moss rose (Portulaca grandiflora). And the flowers of this stunning plant really do look like bright, ruffled roses. This low-growing, high-impact succulent annual features needle-like, fleshy green leaves, hence why it is so drought tolerant. From late spring until fall, it yields a non-stop profusion of ruffled, multi-petaled blossoms. These flowers open with the morning sun and close again in the evening, appearing in an electric carnival of colors.

To see it reach its full potential, seek out the hyper-vigorous 'Heatwave' or 'Sundial' series, which have been bred to stay open longer on cloudy days and withstand extreme temperatures. Plant them in a sandy, fast-draining potting mix, and place the basket in the brightest, most sun-drenched location you have. While moss roses can survive on minimal intervention, an inch of water a week keeps blossom production super high. Buy Sow Right Seeds Moss Rose Seeds from Amazon.

6. Trailing Lantana

Native to South America, trailing lantana (L. montevidensis) is a rugged perennial evergreen in zones 9-11, and a fast-growing annual everywhere else. Unlike its upright shrub cousins, this species possesses a graceful, weeping growth habit that sends long, flexible branches cascading down to 5 feet (1.5m) from hanging baskets. Through the season, it is smothered in clusters of flowers that emit a pleasant, honey-like fragrance. These are a magnet for local butterflies and pollinators.

Trailing lantana is a fierce heat lover and very drought-resistant once its roots have adapted to its container. It prefers a well-draining potting soil and must be sited in full sun, as too much shade causes flower production to halt. While it requires minimal fussing, a light trim in midsummer helps stimulate a fresh wave of brand-new wood and subsequent flower buds. It’s a low-maintenance plant but look out for kids and pets, as the leaves and flowers are toxic. Be sure to suspend your hanging baskets safely out of reach. You can buy Trailing Lavender Lantana Plants from Walmart.

Shop Container Essentials

Keeping your high-impact summer containers looking lush and vibrant through the hottest months deserves the right support crew. Investing in top-tier maintenance gear makes your daily gardening routines easier. These items will ensure that your heat-tolerant trailing beauties continue to cascade magnificently all summer long. Treat your patio display to these curated essentials, designed to maximize summer blooms and keep your plants thriving all season long.

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I’m forever rearranging my patio pots, so the display looks different from week to week. I treat it a little like flower arranging, but on a bigger scale, and it's just the best thing to do on a sunny Saturday morning, coffee in hand. And what lets me create ever-changing groupings of foliage and flowers? A metal plant stand, like this new design IKEA just launched.

As small-space container gardening ideas go, a plant stand is such an easy win. For a start, it allows you to see your plants from a different angle: and while the sprawling stems of geraniums just look messy spilling from a pot on the ground, raise that planter and suddenly they’re stylishly sculptural. Pots of trailing plants – creeping Jenny and Dichondra that you’d normally grow in a hanging basket – on a high shelf create fabulous cascades of foliage, and hanging-basket blooms such as petunias can look almost ravishing, tumbling downwards without a care.

Get creative with grocery-store bedding plants and you can add all sorts of unique accents to your patio display. Find space for a few garden knick-knacks for a final shelf-scape flourish, and suddenly that boring wall looks a million dollars.

As you can probably tell by now, I like my plant stand a lot. But what I love most about it is that it makes me look like a great gardener. The majority of my patio pots are filled with low-maintenance perennials and, while they flower on-and-off for months, this rollercoaster of a blooming cycle means that some weeks they look fantastic, others less so. When a pot is at its peak, I shift it into the spotlight on the plant stand; as soon as it starts to fade, and I snip its stems to encourage another flush of flowers, I move it down onto the paving, out of the way.

The result? Everyone only ever notices the abundance of loveliness on the plant stand, and thinks my fingers are greener than a gherkin.

So, let’s take a closer look at the IKEA LACKO Shelf Unit. Like my garden plant stand, it's metal which means it blends nicely into the background and leaves all the glory to the plants. Another benefit of metal is that it doesn’t need re-treating every year like wood, which would be such a fiddly job with a plant stand.

At 36¼ inches wide and 12⅝ inches deep, the unit brings plenty of shelf space without taking up much floorspace. It will tuck under most windows at 29⅞ inches high, and is an unobtrusive, not-quite-black gray tone. Adjustable feet mean it’s sturdy on uneven paving, and the shelves are perforated to allow good drainage. Though it’s made of powder-coated steel, the unit has the echo of old wrought-iron furniture, so would be equally at home in a romantic cottage garden as a sleek, modern yard.

This new shelf unit is designed to coordinate with IKEA's existing LÄCKÖ Shelving Unit that’s the same depth but narrower at 24 inches and taller at 63 inches. If you love the metal look, then there’s a matching chair, table, bistro set and a seriously tempting loveseat with and without cushions, all in the same gray tone.

If you’re still wondering what some patio plant shelves will add to your life (and yes, your backyard design too), then how about using one to create a herb garden outside your back door? Heck, there are plenty of small-space vegetable varieties bred to thrive in containers, so you could grow a vertical veggie garden if you wanted to. The bottom shelf is just the right size to fit a heated seed mat and tray, too, and you could even attach a gro-light to the shelf above.

Or how about popping a mini water feature made with a floating solar fountain on the top shelf among your pots of blooms?

And that’s another reason why you need a plant stand: it will let you dream up all sorts of new ways to squeeze even more plants into your garden!

Shop More Metal Plant Stands

Hanging baskets of vibrant flowers, cascading ferns, or trailing vines add softness, depth, and vertical enchantment to our porches, balconies, and patios. Traditionally, our instinct is to suspend these containers high above our heads, tucked under roof eves or dangling from towering brackets. While this placement offers a classic look, it frequently forces gardeners into a frustrating compromise. Suspended high in the air, these baskets are fully exposed to drying winds, turning daily watering routines into a fiddly chore that involves blind stretching, dripping sleeves, and heavy lifting.

Furthermore, it can sometimes mean we wind up staring up at plastic liners, wire frames, or moss bottoms rather than the full spectacle of the plants. If you are willing to adjust your perspective and break away from conventional rules, you can sort out both these issues at once – by lowering your hanging basket level. Container gardening with baskets positioned lower creates a lush illusion of flowers and foliage hovering over borders, patios, and beds. With low hanging baskets, you see your favorite trailing plants in a whole new light, while drastically simplifying plant care.

Dropping your hanging displays down to knee level or lower softens container lines, adds multi-tiered depth, and allows you to think creatively about vertical space, while saving you time straining or stretching on chairs, transforming a standard walkway into a fairytale scene. Here’s everything you need to know to master lower hanging baskets, select the ultimate spilling flora, and cultivate a stunning hovering carpet of blooms without the fuss.

Presenting the Floating Carpet Trick

The traditional way to use hanging baskets of flowers and other plants is to suspend them high, maybe from the ceiling of a porch or from a tall shepherd’s crook in a bed or along a walkway. The “floating carpet” strategy involves positioning baskets much lower. They are situated so the bottoms of the containers are just a few inches from the ground. Spillover and trailing plants then cover the container and tumble down, creating an illusion of a floating carpet of flowers and foliage.

Depending on where you place them, plants can blend seamlessly into beds, borders and lawn edges. It helps you create a layered look in less space by taking advantage of the vertical space. This approach is used in professional landscaping and botanical garden displays, but it’s easy to adapt the style for home use. Adjust your hanging heights by looping durable, rust-proof Syocsek Heavy Duty Outdoor Stainless Steel Extension Chains from Amazon over porch railings or low tree limbs.

The trick is to hide the mechanics of your support system. When containers sit 4-12 inches above the soil line, rapidly growing vining accents cascade downward. Within weeks, the lush foliage hits the ground and fans outward, concealing the pot, chains, and hooks. You can get Anideer 36-Inch Heavy Duty Steel Shepherd Hooks from Amazon to anchor your displays for that extra bit of support. The result is a magical, living cushion of color that appears to float entirely under its own power.

Best Plants for a Floating Carpet

If you’ve ever made a mixed container, you know what a spiller plant is. These are vining or trailing plants that spill over the edges. Spillers work especially well for this type of hanging container, because they cover the pots, soften hard edges, and create movement and texture. Ideal plants for a floating carpet hanging basket are:

• Petunias: Petunias bloom all summer and well into the fall with abundant flowers. Look for trailing varieties and those that grow rapidly, like Wave and Supertunia. Some need to be deadheaded to keep the blooms going, but this is an easier chore when your pots are lower. Just give them full sun. Buy Supertunia ‘Hoopla’ Petunia Plants from Walmart for a rapid, high density floral spill.
• Million Bells: Million bells is also known as mini petunia, but is a different plant with trailing growth. It also flowers all the way to the first frost. You don’t even need to deadhead to keep getting flowers. The flowers are small but bloom thickly, making this an ideal carpet. Million bells thrive in full sun and come in a range of colors. It will grow best with regular water and fertilizer.
• Dichondra: Also known as the silver falls plant, dichondra is grown primarily for its fan-shaped, silvery foliage that trails elegantly. Mix it with flowers for a striking contrast. Full sun is best, but dichondra can grow with some shade. This is a desert plant, so it needs soil that drains very well, and it is drought-tolerant. You can buy Silver Falls Dichondra from Amazon.
• Sweet Potato Vine: Another good foliage option, sweet potato vine grows vigorously and will quickly spill over the sides of your floating carpet. The leaves are large and heart-shaped, and come in chartreuse, deep purple, and bronze. You can grow it in full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil. Buy ‘Marguerite’ Sweet Potato Vine from Amazon.

Cultivars like Petunia 'Wave Purple' can rapidly trail up to three feet (90cm) in a single season, creating a solid wall of color that conceals container walls. For a breathtaking multi-tonal layout, weave the molten-silver strands of Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls' directly into a basket of midnight-purple petunias to build an eye-catching, high-contrast mat with intriguing three-dimensional movement.

Best Containers for a Floating Carpet

Selecting the proper container is vital to make this optical illusion successful. Traditional hard plastic hanging pots with stiff, integrated plastic hanger arms should be avoided. Those rigid arms can break the clean visual silhouette and are tricky for soft vines to climb over and conceal. Instead, opt for wire-frame baskets lined with natural, organic coco-coir fibers. The fibrous texture of coco-coir encourages adventurous aerial roots and creeping stems to cling tightly to the basket's exterior walls, speeding up the process of concealing the container. Use Ashman Online 14-Inch Coco Coir Dia Black Wire Baskets from Home Depot to give your cascading flowers an organic, high-drainage, and easy-to-hide home.

In terms of shape, go for wide, shallow bowl designs or half-basket, flat-backed wall troughs. A wider surface area at the rim allows you to plant spillers at an outward-facing angle, forcing the foliage to tumble out and over the edges. You can also try breathable, heavy-duty fabric root pouches with soft webbed handles. These fabric liners prevent roots from circling, maximize oxygenation to root balls, and easily tuck out of sight behind a low border or lawn margin.

Creating the Floating Carpet

When creating this garden arrangement, avoid long strings or twine, which don’t look tidy and can be unsafe. Find more discreet ways to position them 4-12 inches (10-30 cm) over the ground without hanging. You can use short shepherd hooks, plant stands, overturned pots, bricks, or brackets on porch railings. Anything you place the containers on will be hidden once the trailing plants begin to grow and hang over the sides. Secure your low porch or deck railings using robust brackets like Symple Stuff Cheridy Rail Brackets from Wayfair to suspend containers safely over patio borders.

The floating carpet effect works in several areas of the garden. Try lining a walkway with raised containers to soften the edges. Place them around the edges of flower beds and let the vines trail into the lawn. Create a floating edge around patios and porches for a soft, romantic effect. Containers can also soften walls and fences.

Consider safety and wind shear. Because these containers hover mere inches from walkways and patio floors, ensure they do not obstruct foot traffic or present a tripping hazard for guests. Don't sit the coir bottoms directly flush onto damp garden soil or lawn grass without a low support spacer like a brick or flat paver underneath. Direct ground contact blocks the vital drainage holes, traps stagnant water, and invites persistent garden slugs or woodlice to crawl inside your containers.

Maintaining Your Floating Carpet

Lower hanging baskets make watering and other plant care so much easier. Overhead baskets dry out rapidly, often requiring hydration twice a day. At ground level, your containers benefit from the natural ambient moisture evaporating from the surrounding lawn and soil, reducing water loss. When you do water, you can easily pour directly into the heart of the foliage using a standard watering can, eliminating the uncomfortable splash-back and missed targets common with overhead watering.

To keep flowers dense and blooming vigorously until first frost, make time for nutrition and trimming. Trailing annuals like petunias and million bells are heavy feeders confined to limited soil space, so apply a high-potassium liquid fertilizer every two weeks to sustain continuous bud production. Add Neptune's Harvest Fish & Seaweed Liquid Fertilizer from Amazon every two weeks to intensify flower color and build strong, rot-resistant cell walls.

You can also add a handful of slow-release Espoma Organic Chicken Manure Granules from Walmart at the start of the flowering season to help with the summer surge. Keep an eye out for leggy, sparse growth midsummer. Don't be afraid to clip back errant stems by one-third to force dense, lateral branching. This is all it takes to ensure your floating carpet retains its magical texture all season long.

Shop Great Floating Plants

Lowering hanging baskets is a brilliant way to introduce unforgettable drama, rich texture, and cascading color that you can better appreciate and care for. By choosing high-performance, trailing varieties, you can easily mask pots and build an ethereal, hovering rug of blossoms. These curated high-yielding plant varieties will help you create a floating carpet of glorious color and texture with confidence.

Lowering your baskets completely changes the effect of the traditional hanging basket style. It adds more depth, softens hard areas of the garden, and gives your space a unique, professional look. Choose the right plants, provide good care, and position containers just right to make this look work.

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The difference between a container planting that looks finished and one that looks like it’s still waiting for something is almost always the spiller. Thrillers and fillers get most of the attention, but neither one creates density on its own. That’s what a spiller does. Spillers drape over the edges of containers making them look intentional, lush and complete.

Choosing a spiller plant well means matching it to the container’s conditions and the surrounding plants. Thriller, filler, spiller ideas are abundant. For the spiller role specifically, what matters is sideways spread and quick density—something that fills negative space fast and languidly spills over container edges without muscling out its neighbors.

Let's dig in and learn about the best spillers to improve the look of your containers.

1. Bacopa

Tiny bacopa flowers bloom in white or pale pink from spring through fall, covering the mid and lower container with fine-textured branching growth. Heat is the limitation; above 90F (32C) it tends to shut down mid-summer, then comes back once temperatures ease. Partial shade extends its season in warm climates.

It drinks a fair amount and wilts fast when dry, though it recovers. A slow-release fertilizer from Amazon worked into the mix at planting keeps it going longer without much ongoing effort. Pretty white bacopa plants can be found at the Home Depot.

2. Sweet Potato Vine

Hot climates need a spiller that isn’t bothered by heat, and sweet potato vine can be the answer for USDA zones 9 and up. Dense, fast-spreading foliage in chartreuse, deep burgundy, or near-black—the color holds through summer heat when a lot of other plants start looking sorry for themselves. It wants full sun to partial shade and drinks quite quickly in containers. Trim it occasionally or it’ll try to take over. Find a 6-pack of black sweet potato vines from the Home Depot.

3. Creeping Jenny

Few low-growing spillers are reliably hardy into very cold zones. Creeping jenny is hardy down to zone 3, which opens it up for climates where the spiller options get thin. The golden-yellow form brings a brightness that stands out even in lower light—it spreads fast and stays low, rooting as it goes.

Partial shade and consistently moist soil are what it wants. In cooler zones it often overwinters in the container rather than needing annual replacement, which many annuals can’t manage. Find creeping Jenny plants at Garden Goods Direct (and they are on sale for Memorial Day!)

4. Calibrachoa

Calibrachoa looks like a miniature petunia but skips the maintenance—no deadheading, and it blooms more consistently. It mounds slightly and trails at the rim, so it handles the mid-level while softening the container edge at the same time.

Heavier feeder than most spillers; it needs full sun and good drainage to perform. Iron deficiency shows up as yellowing between the veins and is fairly common in high-pH containers—a chelated iron supplement from Amazon sorts it out once the symptoms appear. A pretty purple calibrachoa from Proven Winners can be found at the Home Depot.

5. Sweet Alyssum

Zone 5 through 11 covers a lot of ground, and sweet alyssum is one of the few spillers that’s genuinely useful across that range depending on when it’s planted relative to the season. It stays low—roughly four to six inches (10–15cm)—and fills the lower sections of a container with dense clusters of tiny white, pink, or purple flowers with a faint honey scent.

In the hottest weeks it can look tired and paused; shearing it back by about half usually brings it back within a couple of weeks, which is a better return than replacing it. Find a 6-pack of sweet alyssum plants from Lowe's and get ready to attract tons of pollinators!

Confession: I find watering patio planters such a chore. I adore sitting on the outdoor sofa, surrounded by pots spilling with flowers, and watching bumblebees and butterflies going about their day. But what I don’t love is remembering I've forgotten to water the containers when I’m mid-way through stacking the dishwasher at 9pm. Now, I’m a self-confessed lazy gardener and my pots are full of the most low-maintenance plants possible – but still, I’m sick of having to water them so often.

We all know that plants in pots need watering more than those in the ground, and my patio is sheltered and south-facing so bakes in the sun, exacerbating the problem. And for the most abundant blooms, the compost needs to be kept consistently moist. Dehydrated plants also produce less nectar for pollinators, which is a worry. And heaven forbid I go away for a long weekend in a summer heatwave: unwatered containers become a botanical graveyard to greet my return.

It was quite by chance that I found the solution to reduce watering, when I stopped to chat to an exhibitor at a garden show earlier this year. All his planters were topped with tiny clay balls. Why, I asked, thinking they were simply for earthy-toned aesthetics. You can imagine how my ears pricked up when I discovered it was so he didn’t have to water as often. Within a week, my pots had the same clay balls and guess what? He was right! Now I have planters of cascading stems and colorful flowers without any stress over every-day irrigation.

What are LECA Clay Balls?

These little clay balls are normally used to grow plants hydroponically without soil, as a biological filter in fish tanks or a drainage layer in terrariums. Little pellets of clay are flash-heated so moisture inside turns to steam, causing them to puff up into balls, rather like how popcorn is made. And the result is called LECA which stands for Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate, also known as Hydroton.

The clay's now sponge-like texture is extremely good at holding onto water. That’s why LECA is used to grow plants hydroponically: the clay pebbles suck water up from the base reservoir and deliver it to the roots. Used as a planter topper, the balls hold onto water when it rains or you irrigate, then slowly but surely release it to the soil. A layer of clay pebbles atop container soil also slows evaporation, further helping to keep hold of moisture.

Why Clay Pebbles Work for Patio Pots

As well as helping to maintain moisture levels in the potting soil, LECA balls also block sunlight, meaning fewer weed seeds germinate. Unlike bark and composted mulch, a layer of clay balls doesn’t offer a welcoming environment for damp-loving pests or fungus, either. A topping on the surface not only looks neat, but acts as an insulating duvet that buffers plants from temperature extremes.

The balls also stop soil from being splashed onto leaves in heavy downpours, which is super-useful if you're growing herbs. In my trough of strawberries, they’re doing a great job of keeping the fruit clean, too. And because they’re made of fired clay, the pebbles don’t break down so will last for years.

Where’s the catch, I hear you ask. And there is, of course, a downside. As they’re mostly made of air, dry LECA balls are lightweight so can blow away. If yours is an exposed garden, this isn’t the right solution to watering patio pots for you.

How to Use LECA Balls as Pot Toppers

You can buy pebbles of all sizes and for outdoor planters, bigger balls are better. You’ll need a layer that’s at least an inch thick to be effective – preferably 2 inches – so you may want to scrape a little soil out of your planters first. It’s also important that there’s at least an inch between the rim of the pot and the top of the clay pebble layer, too, to stop them blowing away. Very dry balls can also float if torrential rain floods the pot, so you need a buffer zone to keep them where they’re supposed to be.

Soak the balls for at least 12 hours so they’re fully hydrated and water your pots before adding the layer. And that’s it, you’re done!

If you find the clay pebbles do get moved by the wind, spreading a layer of grit over the top will weigh them down. I’ve used hessian to cover them on a tall pot that seems to catch the breeze, cutting a slit so the fabric was easy to slide around the plant stem.

Is LECA Good for Houseplants, Too?

If, like me, you’re an erratic irrigator of houseplants as well as patio planters, then topping pots with clay pebbles indoors will even out any over- and under-watering. This also creates an inhospitable environment for pests, making clay balls a natural solution to prevent fungus gnats. Standing humidity-loving plants such as ferns and peace lilies on a tray of clay pebbles and water also gives them the moist environment they need to thrive.

Some houseplants can be grown entirely in LECA rather than potting mix. Drought-tolerant houseplants that aren’t too sensitive to under-watering do best, such as snake plants, jade, hoya and spider plants. It’s best to only transition young plants, or propagate new plants with LECA, as roots that have grown in soil will find the move difficult.

I hope this solution works to cut watering frequency for you, too. My patio is now lush with cascading stems and hanging basket blooms, and I don't panic when I've forgotten to water.

Hanging baskets add instant beauty and vertical that enlivens any porch or patio. But keeping containers well-watered during the hot, dry summer months can be a challenge. If you don’t provide plants with enough water they can quickly shrivel up and die in the heat.

That’s why learning how to keep hanging baskets hydrated during the hottest part of the year is the key to growing gorgeous containers that thrive all summer. It’s easy to keep your hanging plants fresh and lush as long as you follow a few simple rules.

I’ll share the best ways to prevent hanging baskets from drying out during the summer heat and tips to make sure your potted plants are hydrated all season. Here’s how to do it.

1. Pick the Right Container

Making sure hanging baskets are well-hydrated begins with choosing the right container. There are lots of different types of hanging baskets available and picking the proper kind can mean the difference between dried up plants and lush growth that lasts all summer long.

The best types of hanging baskets for hot, dry weather are plastic containers. They retain more moisture than wooden, ceramic, or wire baskets filled with coco coir or sphagnum peat moss liners. These stylish resin hanging baskets from Lowe’s are a great choice for a minimalist look that suits a lot of different types of outdoor decor.

Ideally, you want a container that holds onto some moisture, but still drains freely. Be sure that your plastic baskets have drainage holes, though, or else your plants may develop root rot if they end up sitting in water. Wood is another good choice because it is porous, so it will drain water, but it holds more moisture than wire baskets.

2. Add a Liner

Wire baskets filled with moss or coco coir are classic and add an elegant touch to any outdoor space, but they are not the best at retaining moisture. If you want that look, but are worried about your containers drying out in the summer heat then you can add a liner to keep your plants hydrated.

The easiest way to make a liner for your planters is to use an empty bag of potting mix. Once your bag is empty, simply flip it inside out and cut with a pair of scissors to the necessary size and shape of your hanging basket.

You can try to find specialty plastic liners for hanging baskets online, but making your own is the most affordable way to increase water retention in your baskets. Poke a few holes to make sure some water can still drain out so plants don’t develop root rot.

3. Use a Moisture-Retaining Potting Mix

Picking a high-quality potting mix that retains moisture well is one of the best ways to prevent hanging baskets from drying out. My go-to potting is this moisture control potting mix from Miracle-Gro.

If you already have some leftover potting soil on hand and don’t want to buy more, you can amend your potting mix to make it retain moisture even better. There is an additive you can put in your soil called hydrogels or super-absorbent polymers (SAP) that hold onto water and help prevent overwatering and underwatering. You can get them from Amazon here.

Just mix in the recommended amount of hydrogels for your size hanging basket and water. Don’t go overboard with these, though. Using too much can cause soil to over-expand and spill out when you water.

4. Grow Drought-Tolerant Plants

Plant choice is also a key to making sure your hanging baskets look perky and fresh all summer long. Choose drought-tolerant plants that don’t require as much water to bloom and grow well. Think succulents like sedum and portulaca, low-maintenance flowers like lantana and calibrachoa, and tough yet lovely vines like black-eyed Susan vine and pothos.

Whatever you choose, make sure your plants are suited to the specific growing conditions where your baskets will hang. If they’re going to be in full sun, don’t fill containers with shade-loving plants like begonias. And if your baskets are in deep shade, they’ll never bloom if you fill them with sun-lovers like petunias.

You can also turn a hanging basket into a drought-tolerant herb garden. Many Mediterranean species thrive in dry summer heat and are perfect for herb hanging baskets. Plus, you will have delicious herbs right at your doorstep.

5. Water Well

Even if you follow all the advice above, you will still need to water your hanging baskets sometimes. However, if you’re looking for the ultimate hands-off hanging basket, you can try self-watering planters like these ones from Amazon. Simply fill the water reservoir at the bottom and you won’t have to worry about watering plants again for two weeks.

If you use regular hanging baskets, though, you will still need to water them whenever they dry out. Stick your finger about an inch (2.5 cm) down into the soil to see if it is dry. If it is, then it’s time to give plants a drink. Water plants deeply and slowly, until it starts to run out the drainage holes. If possible, take down baskets and dunk them in a bucket of water until they are saturated.

Shallow watering causes soil to dry out faster and doesn’t allow water to penetrate down to the deeper layers of soil around plants’ roots where they really need it. Dumping a lot of water on top of plants quickly is also bad because the water just runs off the surface of the soil without getting down to the roots.

Overhead watering can also invite disease. Water at the roots where plants meet the soil and avoid getting foliage wet. The best time to water plants is in the morning, so if foliage does get wet it has time to dry. Plants will also be well-hydrated from morning watering when the heat of the afternoon arrives.

It’s often tempting to think that big plants belong only in big spaces outside, and certainly not in pots on a balcony or patio. When we think about growing in containers and small spaces, it’s often followed with talk of compact varieties, dwarf rootstocks, and polite little plants that stay manageable. While this is practical advice, it’s not the whole story.

The idea that certain flowering showstoppers or massive vegetables are wrong for pots only holds true if you stick strictly to passive, low-effort care. A surprising number of genuinely large plants can live full productive lives if the container gardening setup, root management, and feeding program are matched to what the plant actually needs rather than what’s convenient. Get this right, and certain big plants for big pots won’t just thrive, they will absolutely flourish.

For growers who crave dramatic floral architecture, hefty backyard crops, and big impact in tight city spaces, taking a chance on an “impossible" container plant is the ultimate win for patios, decks and balconies. Breaking the rules with plants for big pots outside gives you a great way to catch the best light, outsmart poor native soil, and create eye-level privacy where you need it most. Meet the 8 backyard giants that push the boundaries of pot culture and help you to break the rules with confidence.

8 Unexpectedly Great Plants for Pots

It sounds like a contradiction, I know: taking a plant that likes to send roots deep into the earth, and trapping it in a few gallons of potting soil. Just remember a container restricts size, not necessarily vigor or productivity. Some of these plants are hardy perennials while others are tender, fast-growing annuals, but all adapt beautifully to life in a pot if you optimize their root zones. This makes May a great time for sowing and planting.

Soil and air temperatures are warming rapidly, so root systems can establish with minimal stress. Whatever your USDA hardiness zone might be, just give some thought to your potting medium before placing your plants in containers. These large plants will quickly pull nutrients and moisture out of a limited space, so you can’t use standard garden soil, which compacts too easily. Instead, you need a highly porous potting mix. Add a little coarse horticultural sand or perlite to enhance porosity.

It’s a good idea to use a soil test or analyzer to get a sense of moisture and pH profile. A meter like the Yamron 4-in-1 Meter from Amazon can help you to make sure soil is well draining and primed for heavy feeding. Also, scrub and sterilize pre-used containers with a mild bleach solution to wipe out lingering pathogens, and verify that drainage holes are clear. You can further boost drainage in heavier containers by raising them on pot feet or toes, like budget-friendly Bosmere Pot Risers (12 Pack) from Amazon. Then you’re ready for these rule-breaking beauties.

1. Peach Trees

A peach tree laden with juicy, fuzzy fruit seems like it should only work in a sprawling orchard, yet dwarf cultivars can produce a jaw-dropping harvest out of a 20-gallon container. Because peaches bloom early in spring on bare wood, a container gives you the distinct advantage of moving the tree to a sheltered porch if a late May frost threatens the delicate pink blossoms. These trees are hardy perennials (zones 5–9). They only fail in containers if left in the same soil forever. To keep fruit production high, just root-prune every 2-3 years in late winter, shearing back the outer third of the root mass, and then refresh the pot with a rich, loam-based potting mix.

Use a sturdy wooden half-barrel or a substantial, heavy ceramic tub that won't tip when the canopy gets top-heavy with fruit. Excellent dwarf varieties include ‘Garden Gold’ or ‘Bonanza’, available from Fast Growing Trees, which stay under 6 feet tall (1.8m) but bear full-sized, exceptionally sweet fruit by late summer. Avoid letting the soil dry out during the crucial summer fruiting window, and apply a high-potassium liquid feed every fortnight once the fruit sets, to guarantee a bumper crop.

2. Climbing Roses

These romantic giants have substantial, aggressive root systems and soaring canes. However, a deep, narrow, long-tom style terracotta or stone planter gives the central rose taproot the vertical space it craves. Climbing roses like fragrant ‘Zephirine Drouhin’ or vibrant ‘William Baffin’ (zones 4-9) respond well to root restriction by channeling their energy into heavy, repeating flushes of summer blooms. Buy ‘Zephirine Drouhin’ from Nature Hills, plus other gorgeous climbing rose cultivars.

Secure a heavy-duty, freestanding iron trellis inside or behind the pot before planting, tying the canes horizontally as they grow to stimulate lateral flowering side-shoots. Ensure your rose receives 6 hours of blazing afternoon sun and a slow-release rose fertilizer in spring. Keep a sharp eye out for powdery mildew, and always water at the base. Durable gauntlet Wells Lamont Rose Pruning Gloves from Amazon are a great way to protect your hands and forearms when potting and training your rose.

3. Indeterminate Tomatoes

The impulse when growing tomatoes in containers is to stick to compact, determinate varieties. But if you want massive, sweet vine-ripened harvests all summer, you can grow them in pots. Indeterminate varieties like ‘Black Krim’ or ‘Super Sweet 100’ can reach 8-10 feet (2.4-3m) tall in a container. Just be sure to pinch out the side-suckers and train the vine to a single, strong central leader. You can buy ‘Black Krim’ Seeds and Plants from Burpee, plus other heirloom seeds.

You need a minimum of 10-15 gallons per plant, and a heavy base to counteract wind resistance. Stake and plant the seedling deeply, burying the stem up to its first set of true leaves to encourage an extensive, sturdy root network. Weight matters at the base, and a pot that feels too heavy to move easily is about the right weight; the base needs mass, not just volume. Back off nitrogen fertilizer once flowering starts to make sure you get the most fruit clusters from your container toms.

4. Giant Sunflowers

Towering sunflower varieties like ‘Russian Mammoth’ hit 10 feet (3m) or more and seem like a non-starter for container life, especially since their thick, wood-like stems require immense structural support. But they can thrive in pots if you build up the internal cell walls of the plant from day one. Adding a liquid silica supplement to your watering routine early in the spring season boosts stem stiffness, ensuring giant flower heads don’t snap under their own weight when they bloom in summer.

Sow these sun-worshipping annuals directly into their final container in May. Stick to one sunflower plant per heavy 5-gallon container, using a dense potting soil blend. Insert a thick stake deep into the pot at planting time, so roots establish around the support. Position the container against a south-facing wall for maximum warmth and wind protection. Buy towering ‘Russian Mammoth’ Sunflower Seeds from Amazon.

5. Zucchini

Zucchini is a real sprawler, and each plant can claim several square feet in a matter of weeks. On a compact patio or balcony, that might seem excessive, but the answer for container growing is to think vertically. By selecting a semi-vining variety like ‘Black Beauty’ or ‘Raven’ and securing the central stem upward to a sturdy wooden tripod or obelisk as it grows, you reduce its spatial footprint yet keep the growth. You can buy ‘Black Beauty’ Zucchini Seeds from Eden Brothers, along with a range of other tasty varieties that produce harvests long into summer.

Go big on the container. Look to large, breathable fabric grow bags or wide wooden planters that hold at least 15 gallons of rich soil mixed with plenty of compost and provide superb drainage. You can buy GardZen 20-Gallon Grow Bags from Amazon to help prevent the plant from becoming root-bound and stressed. Don't let the soil dry out, as erratic moisture leads to bitter fruit. Always pick the squash when young and tender to keep the plant motivated to produce more.

6. Japanese Maples

With their delicate leaves and slow-growing habits, Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) make dazzling container specimens. They function like living sculptures on a shaded deck in zones 5–9, displaying fiery foliage colors in fall. They shouldn't work in pots long-term, as root systems can get choked and sour in stagnant water. But they are happy if you treat them like large-scale bonsai, root-pruning every 3-5 years and refreshing the growing medium (just resist the urge to constantly upsize).

Choose striking Japanese maple cultivars like classic ‘Bloodgood’ or lace-leaf ‘Dissectum’ types. Go for glazed ceramic or heavy terracotta pots with excellent drainage holes, filled with a well-draining, slightly acidic soil mix. Protect the pot from intense, baking afternoon sun in summer, and in freezing winters, move to an unheated garage or against a sheltered wall to protect from freeze-thaw cycles. You can buy ‘Bloodgood’ Japanese Maples from Nature Hills.

7. Corn

Corn is a wind-pollinated crop that is traditionally grown in massive blocks, so you might think a container corn growing setup is futile. A single corn plant standing alone in a pot will almost certainly produce empty, unpollinated cobs, because the pollen falling from the top tassels will miss the silks below. The simple fix is clustering. Plant 3-5 stalks together in a massive, wide tub, or group several large containers tightly together to create a dense canopy of pollen.

Standard varieties can get 6-8 feet (1.8-2.4m) tall, so the container needs real weight and stability (think 20-25 gallons minimum). Look for fast-maturing corn that stay compact, such as ‘On Deck’ or ‘Sweetness’ varieties. Use a potting mix rich in organic matter, and add a liquid seaweed fertilizer in the early vegetative phase, such as Neptune’s Harvest Seaweed Fertilizer from Amazon. Keep the soil consistently moist, and place your container out of strong wind to protect these sail-like plants as they soar. You can buy ‘On Deck’ Corn Seeds from Burpee.

8. Standard Lilacs

Standard lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) in containers are arguably the boldest experiment on this list, but the prospect of sweet, spring-blooming purple panicles at eye level is so compelling. These woody perennial flowering shrubs shouldn't work in pots because they want to sucker and spread into massive hedge banks. But restricting their roots in a large 24-inch (60cm) container keeps their top growth beautifully compact and focused on producing fragrant flowers rather than runaway wood.

The major consideration is regionality. Traditional lilacs require a freezing winter chill period to set flower buds for the following May. If you live in a mild-winter zone, look for low-chill cultivars like the ‘Josee’ or ‘Bloomerang’ series. Use a heavy, frost-proof composite or concrete container filled with a neutral-to-slightly-alkaline potting soil mix. Never overwater, and apply a high-phosphorus bloom booster after flowering to set it up for next year. Buy ‘Bloomerang’ Lilac from Fast Growing Trees.