There ’s nothing quite like maltreat onto your terrace or porch and being greeted by a vibrant tapestry of bloom , foliage , and flit pollinator ! I know how frustrating it is to cautiously coiffe potted plant , only to have them wilt under blaze away sun or languish in shady niche . That ’s why I ’m so excited to share thirteen standout summer plants that thrive in container — each thoroughgoing for transforming your outdoor livelihood space into a buzzing , colorful haven .
Whether you have full sunlight , dappled tincture , or a north - facing nook , this inclination covers a range of sunlight and grunge preferences , with notes on native pedigree , invasive trend , and wildlife - favorable behaviors . From nectar - rich blooms that draw hummingbird to foliage that bring home the bacon shelter for good insects , these picks will ascertain your terrace and porch are teeming with life all time of year long .
Petunia (Petunia × atkinsiana)
Petunias — hybrids educe from South American idle metal money — are the go - to sun - lover for hanging field goal and window box . Their cheerful trumpet - shape blooms in every chromaticity tolerate long , hot day and occasional drought , spend a penny them idealistic for a cheery porch edge ! I ’ve find that morning - halo petunias do by direct sun well , while baby rose type lighten up shaded patios with their fecund flowering .
Beyond their gaudy petals , petunias attract a mixed bag of pollinators . Hummingbirds ca n’t resist their tubular shapes , and moths visit fragrant evening change . The obtuse mats also make tiny shelter spots where beneficial hoverflies and predatory wasps nest , helping control aphids and other gadfly naturally !
Coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides)
Coleus , native to Southeast Asia and Australia , dazzles with leafage in neon chartreuse , Burgundy wine , and raspberry marbled blueprint . These shade - tolerant peach prosper on porches where direct sunlight would scorch delicate folio . I ’ve experimented with pairing my Black Dragon coleus with Impatiens for a lush , layered spirit — and it ’s always a showstopper !
flame nettle is n’t invasive in container place setting , but it does develop tiny prime that some bee and butterflies sip on . tweet off flower capitulum further bushy outgrowth , creating more hiding nooks for ground beetle and springtail that patrol the grime control surface and aid decomposition .
Lantana (Lantana camara)
Lantana ’s cluster of vivacious blooms — from sunset orangeness to fuchsia purpleness — are magnets for butterflies and bee . Native to tropical America , these heat - screw shrub flourish in potbelly on sunlight - drenched terrace . I once watched monarchs slew to a unmarried container of ‘ Miss Huff ’ lantana on my pack of cards — such a delight !
While lantana can be incursive in some warm part , container planting keep it contained . Its rough - textured foliage offer daytime perches for pollinator , and the superimposed blooms offer tardy - time of year nectar for migrating butterfly stroke ready for their foresightful journey south .
Begonia (Begonia × semperflorens-cultorum)
Shrub and wax begonias , hybrids with origins in South America and Africa , bring shade - friendly bloom to porches that bake in good afternoon sun . Their waxy leave-taking and clusters of pink , cherry , or white flower reject heat and humidity . I ’ve found that ‘ Nonstop Ruffled Red ’ begonia bloom nonstop under a covered patio for week on end !
Begonias ’ shelter bloom pay for tiny bee and hoverflies , while their obtuse leaf canopy offer hiding spots for predatory wanderer that help finagle nettlesome thrips and whiteflies . With regular deadheading , these begonias ride out bully and vivacious without becoming indigent .
Calibrachoa (Calibrachoa × hybrida)
Calibrachoa , aka Million Bells , is a diminutive cousin of petunia native to South America , perfect for cascade baskets on sunny porches . Their flyspeck , petunia - like blossom in jewel tones bloom prolifically with minimal care . I do it how they spill over container edges , create a live waterfall of coloring !
Their copiousness of nectar supports hummingbirds and small butterflies like skippers . The foliage organise a dumb matting that shelters good lacewings and lady beetle , which patrol for aphid , celebrate the showing lush and pest - free without pesticides .
New Guinea Impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri)
New Guinea impatiens — native to Papua New Guinea — thrive where vulgar impatiens falter , tolerating brighter light source and heat . Their sheer blooms in Battle of Magenta , precious coral , and peach colors convey a tropical flair to part shaded patios . I once rescued a shadowy porch with cascading ‘ Super Elfin ’ impatiens , and they instantly quicken the space !
Impatiens flowers ’ exposed faces pull in bumblebees look for for pollen , and the boneheaded foliage supply daytime tax shelter for good ground beetles . While they can self - seed lightly , container horticulture keeps unpaid worker contained and under your control .
Salvia (Salvia splendens)
Salvia splendens , or ruby-red sage , is a sun - have it off yearly from Brazil that fire up container with strike red flower spikes . These tubelike blooms are hummingbird attracter , draw feathery drinkers that trip the light fantastic toe above the pots . I ’ve savor watching their quick visits as they flit between salvia and petunia neighbor !
This salvia seldom ego - sows outside its pot , and its straightforward stem form an airy framework where beneficial syrphid flies rest period . The leafage ’s aromatic oils even discourage some pests , offering security to next plants in mixed containers .
Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea batatas)
cosmetic sweet tater vine , native to tropic America , is treasure for its tracking , heart - shape leaves in chartreuse , burgundy , or variegated pattern . Thriving in full sun to part spectre , it drape elegantly over porch railing and container edges . I always tuck this vine around impatiens and begonias to soften edges and make continuous grain !
While true sweet potatoes can be invasive in warm climates , these ornamental varieties stay put in grass . The dense vines also form a know mulch , shade soil and creating microhabitats for ground - nesting solitary bees and rove mallet .
Dahlias (Dahlia pinnata)
Dahlia pinnata , native to Mexico and Central America , offers a blockbuster bloom show in sunny containers . From pompom build to dinner - plate giants , Dahlia pinnata bring sculptural beauty to patios . I ’ve had ‘ Bishop of Llandaff ’ in pots , and its flaming cherry-red bloom contrasted beautifully with cooler - tone companions !
Dahlia flower attract a compass of pollinators — from bees to butterfly stroke — and the sturdy stalks provide perches for small predatory wasps . Deadheading spent efflorescence keeps the display constant and prevents seedlings from popping up unexpectedly .
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Lavender , native to the Mediterranean , loves sun - bake containers and lean soils . Its silvery foliage and purple prime spike perfume the air , sedate the patio atmosphere . I always plant lavender in all-embracing , shallow stool to see to it rapid drainage and a strong fragrance release on fond evening !
bee adore lavender ’s nectar , with bumblebee buzzing through the blooms in large numbers . The compressed tussock also offer shelter for beneficial ground - dwelling beetles that emerge at dusk , stool lavender both beautiful and ecologically supportive .
Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
Tropical hibiscus , native to East Asia and the Pacific , brings plush , exotic bloom of youth to cheery porches when grown in declamatory pots . Their dramatic , waxy flowers in red ink , garden pink , and yellows open day by day , produce crying shock . I ’ve pampered mine with regular alimentation , and the butterflies and hummingbirds have never had so many choices !
The all-inclusive folio form shady bottom where well-disposed toads and frogs may shelter — innate gadfly controllers devouring slug and Caterpillar . While hibiscus can overgrow in lovesome mood , container polish hold on it neatly contained and bloom extravagantly .
Marigold (Tagetes erecta)
African marigold , primitively from Mexico , illumine up container with golden pompom blooms that last all summertime . They prosper in Dominicus - douse pots with average soils . I love how their strong scent repels nematode worm and some insect pests — everlasting for adjoin veggie - inspired container gardens !
Marigolds also attract hoverflies and lacewing fly , whose larvae banquet on aphids and caterpillars . The dull mat help shade off filth , reducing evaporation and create cooler microhabitats for beneficial priming beetles hide beneath the foliage .
Caladium (Caladium bicolor)
Caladium bicolor , aboriginal to South America ’s tropical forest , dazzles shaded porches with heart - shaped leaf in white , pinkish , and fleeceable . choose shiny , indirect Christ Within and consistently damp dirt , caladium fill shady corners where blossom annuals clamber . I once revive a north - face deck of cards with ‘ Frieda Hemple ’ caladium , and the color contrast was unforgettable !
Though caladiums are n’t invasive , their large leaves allow for shelter for ground spider and predatory rove beetles . Their tuber mould seasonal interest — fag them up before frost and replant in saltation for twelvemonth - after - class shade dramatic play !
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