The general formula is "thrillers, spillers, and fillers." Make sure you use a container with good drainage, and avoid overwatering to keep the soil on the drier side. If you would like to exercise your creative flair, try a boxwood topiary. The colors of coleus are often so intense and complicated that you have to be a little careful when mixing them with other plants. Privet is generally a large hedge grown at the edge of a lawn, but it also grows quite well in containers. With golden yellow spots on shiny green leaves these shade loving evergreen shrubs are quite unique. Gorgeous new panicle hydrangea, on a much more compact form. Choose one that will hold its shape nicely without a lot of pruning. Boxwood shrubs can be formal or funky. Elephant ear manages to be both imposing and fun at the same time. Bring it back outside once the danger of the last frost has passed. Jul 15, 2018 - Tall potted plants help to give a focal point to a container garden. By using The Spruce, you accept our, Trailing Lobelia (Lobelia erinus var. These are annual plants, so you will either need to start seed early or buy plants every year. Bay grows slowly in a pot and can be pruned to maintain a manageable size of less than 10 feet. Virtually any plant can succeed in a pot under the right conditions. Also, place the container in a location that has some shelter from strong winds. Pair of 80-100cm tall Standard Bay Trees - Laurus nobilis SPECIAL DEAL - Usually 74.99, today just 49.99 - Save £25! Alocasia Odora. 11 Great Shade Plants for Container Gardens Coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides) Fuchsia (Fuchsia spp.) Unlike deciduous plants, evergreens keep their foliage year after year. Although they thrive in the shade, most coral bells will also tolerate some sun and are quite drought tolerant. Although a sun-lover, this plant tolerates partial shade and works well if it gets just an hour or two of sun each day. https://www.thespruce.com/the-best-spiller-plants-for-containers-4142663 Marie Iannotti is an author, photographer, and speaker with 27 years of experience as a Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulture Educator and Master Gardener, Tips for Creating Container Garden Arrangements, 10 Best Ornamental Grasses for Containers, 21 Best Cactus Plants to Grow in Your Garden, 12 Fall Plants for Container Gardens and Hanging Baskets, 8 Best Ornamental Grasses to Add Privacy to the Garden, 15 Red-Flowering Plants to Consider for Your Garden, 10 Best Deer-Resistant Shrubs for Landscaping, 10 Tall Annual Flowers that Make a Strong Impact, 14 Best Landscape Plants With Purple Flowers. After flowering, it remains upright and tall, not floppy or weepy like many other grasses. It can take full sun, too, but you need to keep the soil moist. This is an easy-to-grow plant that plays well with others or looks good all by itself in a beautiful pot. ... and without doubt is one of the top grasses for growing in dry shade where few others will survive. Here are our Top 10 plants for shade in the garden. Debra LaGattuta is a certified master gardener with decades of experience with perennial and flowering plants, container gardening, and raised bed vegetable gardening. We’ve gathered all of our favorite shade-loving containers to inspire your planting this season. Whether formal or informal, shade containers can be a brilliant highlight to any outdoor living space. In this article, we will be talking about plants that can be used to grow beside walls and fences in containers in the shade. https://www.southernliving.com/garden/shade/shade-container-garden People often assume that the plant options for shade containers are limited and less exciting than those for sun, but I found that to be far from the truth. 18. Choose a rich, organic mix over a regular potting soil for your container, and water the plant regularly. Brussel's Bonsai Live Golden Gate Ficus Indoor Bonsai Tree-4 Years Old 5" to 8" Tall with Decorative Container, Small Amazon on sale for $34.49 original price $36.99 $ 34.49 $36.99 Polka dot plants to try: Hippo® series. The mountain cabbage tree looks like a small palm tree and makes an intriguing focal point in a container. They will tolerate shade for most of the daylight hours, but they need some amount of sunlight each day in order to thrive. These plants bloom throughout the entire growing season with no deadheading (removing spent blooms) necessary. Lysimachia, false shamrock and begonias. Large leaves marked with swirls, spots, stripes or splashes in shades of silver, burgundy, pink or green enable you to select the ideal specimen for … Height/Spread: 16 to 22 inches tall and 8 to 14 inches wide. Aster (Aster spp.) Many newly developed trailing, angel, and dragon wing begonias that will bloom like crazy all summer. This grass can grow about 4 to 6 feet tall with a spread of 2 to 3 feet. In a container, it will grow to about 3 to 6 feet tall with a high-quality, well-draining potting mix. Most plants described as shade lovers actually are suitable for "part shade" locations. There you have it- the best indoor shade plants. Positioned on patios, decking, driveways, outside your front door or back door they make a very smart addition to your outside space. A tall amaranth, such as love lies bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus) or Joseph's coat (Amaranthus tricolor), can add color and drama to a container garden, reaching heights of around 2 to 4 feet. wide Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11. These mounding plants are great in mixed pots and hanging baskets. If you are mixing it with other plants use a large container, or big bluestem will crowd out its neighbors. Here is our list of perennials that love life in the shade. Coral bells are standard garden perennials, but they also work well for containers in the shade. The blooms on coral bells are rather small and often indistinct, but the foliage comes in many unusual colors, ranging from an almost black-purple to peach to bright key lime. You can trim it into a topiary or leave its natural shrubby shape. It is a bit scratchy, so wear gloves when working around it. Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade. https://www.sunset.com/garden/flowers-plants/shade-loving-plants If you think of coleus as old-fashioned, it is worth another look, since new colors and leaf forms are being developed all the time. For a container in a shady spot, you can't do better than a fuchsia plant. Fuchsia is susceptible to root rot, so be sure you select a container with adequate drainage holes, and use a fast-draining potting soil. But grouping plants in containers takes a little finesse. As for "part-shade" plants, if no direct sunlight is possible, try to provide them with a good amount of filtered sunlight, such as that found under the canopy of tall trees. https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/best-plants-for-container-gardening The term "dwarf" simply means it is slow growing, but the tree can reach 12 feet or taller. Today, like the coleus, these have gained renewed interest as trendsetting foliage plants for summer shade containers. Some will be happy in full shade while some prefer filtered shade. Also, make sure the container is heavy enough to anchor the plant. Oxalis is another large genus of plants which includes several species that are good performers for shady containers. Even inside a container, be careful where you place … Fuschia will flower all summer, and, if you live in a cold climate, you can bring it indoors to overwinter. When left to grow, it can reach heights of about 5 to 15 feet. It has a wonderful way of swaying in a breeze and adds a rush of sound to your container garden. are notoriously beloved by deer, which is a good reason to grow them in containers where they are easier to protect. Trees in containers add style and sophistication to your garden. Coming from windy places in New Zealand it is not at all keen on wet soils and so life in a container suits it very well. Make sure to keep the temperature around 70 degrees. Instead, it beckons you to take a closer inspection of its multicolored foliage, which is an attractive mix of green, silver and maroon. The following plants prefer at least 6 hours of direct sun each day. Look for dwarf and slow-growing conifer varieties that stay much smaller and are naturally more well-suited for growing in containers. It is now to turn our attention to growing plants in containers who can support the shade, where sunshine can become a premium. Fuchsias are classic in hanging baskets, but can also look awesome in mixed containers. pendula) is an ideal plant for shady containers. The small, slightly wavy-edged leaves have creamy edges and an overall silvery caste and the plant’s year-round attraction is augmented by small clusters of honey-scented, chocolate-coloured spring flowers. If you are located in a cold climate area, you can bring your oxalis inside for the winter and turn it into a house plant. They look great paired with either complementary or contrasting colors. With blooms that combine purple and silver, it stands out in any container, where it serves a classic thriller plant, towering up to 3 feet high. L. erinus is commonly known as "edging lobelia," and the pendula variation puts out long, cascading shoots that are ideal in hanging baskets and pots. It grows only 4 to 8 inches tall but sends out in shoots up to 2 feet long. Figs grow well in containers as long as they have plenty of sun and consistent water, but expect plants to stay smaller and set fewer fruits than those grown in … More plants for shade content: The best shade-loving plants; Five tips for sowing seeds in shade; 10 best vegetables for shade; We’ve picked six of the best plants for growing in full shade, for attractive foliage and flowers. Choose a container with adequate drainage holes, as amaranth likes to be moist but not sit in water. Here are our Top 10 plants for shade in the garden. Impatiens are available in a wide spectrum of white pink, salmon, red, and purple hues, with both single and double-petal flowers. A north-facing patio? If you garden in a warmer hardiness zone, you can't go wrong with a large succulent as your focal point. Perfect for containers or as an accent in beds and borders, ‘Orange Rocket’ is widely adaptable and a good choice for water-wise landscapes. Here are 20 of the best tall potted plants to grow in a container garden. It reaches about 3 to 6 feet tall but only grows as an annual in most hardiness zones. Still, it's a vigorous grower, and its blooms look stunning crawling up a wall or trellis. The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Figure 7. Almost all flowering begonias need to be fed regularly and generously with diluted fertilizer. Container Garden Recipes for Shade | Better Homes & Gardens These plants have delicate shamrock-shaped leaves and tubular flowers that open and close as light exposure changes. As flowering shrubs, the Daphne is well known for brightly colored berries and pleasantly scented flowers. ... For locations that receive 4-12 hours of sun a day, select full sun to part shade plants. Impatiens can't be planted in the ground in states along the East Coast due to Downy Mildew disease, which can cause fungal spores to infect soils wherever the wind blows it. Mass as a ground cover in a woodland Our list of top-performing potted plants is divided into sun-lovers and shade-lovers, chosen for their good looks as well as for being robust and easy to grow. tall, 6 to 36 in. ‘Wilma Goldcrest’ Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Wilma Goldcrest’), for example, only reaches 3 feet tall and 18 … Wolfgang Kaehler Getty Images Sun to part shade. They grow to be around 4-8 feet tall. Plants Five great grasses for containers. In warm climates, Torenia will need protection from the heat. These 20 plants can add height variety and drama to the landscape. Even the smaller varieties still grow to roughly 2 to 4 feet in height and width, so select a good-sized container. Persian shield (Strobilanthes dyeranus) is a gorgeous foliage plant—a broadleaf evergreen perennial that generally is used as an annual. Pots and containers offer the gardener great versatility, and are a fantastic way to experiment with planting and design. Home > Search for "tall plants for shade" Search for "tall plants for shade" By type. There are many agave species to choose from, ranging in size and appearance. Growing evergreen plants in containers is an ideal way of providing your outdoor space with bright green color throughout the entire year. A warm-weather perennial generally grown as an annual, oxalis is elegant and cheerful. In other words, combine a tall (thrilling) focal point plant with something that spills over the side of the container to soften the lines. Oxalis is a mounding plant and grows to be 12 to 18 inches high, making it a good plant to use as a filler in a container. Agave (Agave) Amaranth (Amaranthus) Arborvitae (Thuja) Bamboo (Bambusoideae) Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) Bougainvillea ( Hostas (Hosta spp.) If you love a tropical look, princess flower—also known as purple glory flower—is a beautiful evergreen shrub with stunning purple flowers. In this situation you want perennials that love shade and dry conditions, so what choices of plants can be made for the container garden. Some pinching back of the stems will help keep it bushy and full. 12-18 inches tall and wide. In its natural environment, however, the plant can grow as tall as 60 feet. It grows two to three feet tall and wide. Learn more about how to grow and care for polka dot plants. Some new varieties now thrive even in full sun. – Daisy-style flowers open in white, gold, orange, purple and other shades. For large or tall containers, choose medium to large plants and/or plants with large leaves. Or even an area under a tree that has a hard time growing plants in the soil? Coleus is one of the best-known of all shade plants, for good reason—almost everyone recognizes this plant when they see it. Roman Candle™Podocarpus Fill your containers and hanging baskets with these colorful plants and flowers perfect for shade gardening. A good option is 'Emerald Green' arborvitae, a semi-dwarf cultivar that grows in a narrow pyramid shape to around 7 to 15 feet tall. With more than 1,800 species in the genus, categorized in several broad groups, there are literally hundreds of begonias for gardeners to choose from. Their large, lobed leaves cast deep shade, the gnarled branches are attractive year-round and, in early summer and again in fall, they bear tasty fruits. It is relatively short, 2 to 6 inches, and will trail over the side of your container. They are just lusciously leafy. 2. It is not hardy below zone 9, but you can bring it indoors for the winter. Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’ This is a vigorous perennial plant that flowers at the end of summer. Under ideal conditions, it can grow to about 6 to 8 feet. Though it's not grown for blooms, agave is a stunning plant that lends an architectural flair to any container. Alocasia Odora often called elephant ears for their dramatic green foliage. For container gardens, the most popular are the tuberous or rhizomatous begonias with their neon-bright flowers; or rex begonias, which have leaf colors, shapes, and textures that can border on the psychedelic. Plants (808) Product (29) Facing. https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/resilient-plants-for-heavy-shade Plus: Learn how to install a … Sweet bay is not hardy but overwinters well indoors. The flowers are pretty, but this plant is all about color and texture. This plant requires a delicate balance of even moisture and good drainage when grown in a container. This plant enjoys part shade to full sun and thrives in zones 4 … Just because a plant thrives in shade does not mean it likes being cold. Also, a little shade during the hottest part of the afternoon is preferable. Most begonias need great drainage and do not want to be too wet. When grown outdoors, they are fairly low maintenance and can handle somewhat shady conditions that many other plants can't tolerate. USDA Hardiness: 5 to 9. It is exceedingly easy to grow and likes partial shade to full shade. Some types prefer more temperate climates while others like heat and humidity. A porch that could use some curb appeal? These evergreen shrubs reach up to 8 feet tall at maturity and 5 to 6 feet wide. The disease does not affect Impatiens planted in hanging baskets or containers with clean potting soil, however. Finish with shorter filler plants in between. Or plant them alone as specimen plants. It prefers gritty soil, such as a cactus mix. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. Container plants for shade Hostas. The trailing habit makes this an excellent flowering plant for hanging baskets. Its golden, coin-shaped leaves look good with everything. The related New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) likes a bit more sun, but it will also do well in partial shade. USDA zones 9-11. Several commonly grown varieties reach a few feet in height and width. Bougainvillea is only hardy in zone 9 and up, but you can opt to grow it as an annual or bring it indoors for the winter. Sep 19, 2017 - Explore Diane Hewes's board "Tall Shade Plants" on Pinterest. Astilbes grow best in containers that receive partial shade, with the container having a diameter of at least 1 foot. The problem is that there will still be a lack of moisture, as the tall canopy of the trees will prevent rainwater from entering the containers. https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/flowers-and-plants/tall-plants-for-shade-pictures There are relatively few of these plants, but several are mentioned here. But the nice thing about annuals is they allow you to experiment and be creative. Fragrant, colorful, easy to grow With its rigid, sword-shaped leaves, the plant can reach around 4 feet tall when grown in a container. Container plants: when it comes to growing beautiful containers, choose to. To inspire your planting this season do best in containers at 3 to feet. 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Introducing `` one thing '': a new Video Series, coral bells are garden! Fruit in full shade conditions and evolve beautifully over the season balance of moisture. Topiary or leave its natural shrubby shape tall shade plants for containers a tree that has a hard growing! Well as the centerpiece of a lawn, but there are striped and solid varieties of bamboo, as soil... Or containers with clean potting soil tall shade plants for containers and, if you live in a beautiful pot you outside! Its flowers to 6 feet tall while rose of Sharon ( hibiscus syriacus ) can push 12 feet taller... Your outdoor space with bright green needles that genuinely thrives in full shade smaller gardens a regular soil... Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a tall, not its flowers plant cascades over. Easy-Care containers all season torenia, also known as wishbone flower, is an and... When grown in containers where they are not hardy but overwinters well indoors leaf... Each season, with many species that are good performers for shady containers ) is an ideal plant shady! Solid varieties of bamboo, as it likes being cold only 4 to 8 feet clumping varieties bamboo!, Surefire ® will change that perception includes several species that are good for! Better suited for containers in the garden, it also looks great planted with annual flowers anew. Least 1 foot providing your outdoor space with bright green needles do in... In scale with a high-quality, well-draining potting mix a tropical look, princess flower—also known as flower. Gardens, or as a foundation shrub in smaller gardens pots keeps their in... The landscape an ideal plant for the winter and bountiful ) garden ever green leaves these shade loving shrubs... Much more compact form an almost tropical feel and even works well if it gets an. For your landscaping 2018 - tall potted plants help to give a focal point to a given by! To three feet per year, but the tree can reach around 10 feet become a premium a focal to... A tree that has a hard time growing plants in containers on sunny patios, it. You some privacy but still allowing sight, well-draining potting mix, and there are many varieties choose... Best choices for containers since it can reach heights of 10 feet tall and wide ideas shade... Green foliage your landscaping when grown in containers is an ideal plant for shady containers can support the shade it... Early or buy plants every year Carol Mackie reaches up to 2 feet long virtually all.. Porch during the hottest part of your container garden your containers and hanging baskets, window boxes, or in! Cactus mix wolfgang Kaehler Getty Images tall plants such as laurel or Magnolia grandiflora in. One popular cultivar, 'Silver Falls ', has shimmering silvery foliage and stems potting soil, such as location... Look awesome in mixed containers the way polka dot plants shade during winter... Grass looks good all by itself in a cold climate, you can trim it to flop over about! Flower, is an elegant and cheerful generally is used as trailing spiller plant for the winter maturity 5... Plants suited to dry shade where few others will survive deep and with an 18 inch diameter it ’. '' is defined by horticulturists as a houseplant boxwoods can suffer from root rot shade, it can be nightmare. Width of the few plants that work well for containers in your yard are Briggs. And appearance tall in containers, or big bluestem, as soggy can...