You’ve got to love a good container garden. Even if you’re working with a small backyard… or no backyard at all. A tiny balcony or patio is all you need for a lovely container garden. They cut down on maintenance chores, and they bring plants right up to the places you spend time so you can enjoy them! Some of the best plants to grow in containers also happen to be those you’d least expect.

That’s right, did you know you can go beyond the traditional annuals in a container? Almost anything can be grown in a container when the right requirements are met – don’t be afraid to think out of the box! You’d be amazed at the beautiful flower garden, landscape designs, or even kitchen garden you can create in containers. To get you inspired, we’ve gathered some of our favorites, focusing on those you’d least expect! From climbers and vines that thrive in a pot to tall trees you’d never expect to see in a container, we’ve got a wide-ranging list.

But First, Let’s Cover the Basics

For container gardening success, it’s important to keep some basic rules in mind. This will give your plants the best chances of thriving and save yourself any headaches down the road.

Container Size

Always match the size of the container to the size of the plants, especially large plants. Nothing makes a container garden fail faster than outgrowing it’s space too quickly!

That having been said, plants in containers should be placed closer together than they would be in the ground. Everything is concentrated into a smaller space, including water and fertilizer, so they can tolerate, and look better, planted snugly. This especially applies to annuals that have shallow root systems and only last one season.

Best Soil for Container Gardening

Always choose a potting mix designed for container gardening – never use garden soil. Garden soil placed into containers is not light enough and will compact. This will inhibit root growth and drainage, leading to poor plant growth and potential root rot.

How to Water Your Container Plants

Containers need lots of water. In the heat of summer, especially smaller containers may need watering every day. You can set up a drip system if you group your containers together.

Also, watch for pots that dry out extremely fast… Dark colored pots, metal pots or porous pots like terra cotta can be zapped of water in a few hours in the hot summer sun.

Fertilize Plants More Often

Fertilizer also leaches out of the container faster. Use a diluted liquid fertilizer every two weeks for most container grown plants. Consider using a potting mix with fertilizer pre-mixed in, like Miracle Gro.

Consider Whether You’ll Need to Move Your Container Plants

One of the benefits of using containers is that they are mobile. Remember to outfit larger containers with wheeled platforms to make moving them easier, or use a hand truck. This is especially important for tender plants you may want to move indoors for the winter, like lemon trees (spoiler alert – yes you can grow citrus in pots!)

Best Plants to Grow in Containers (and Most Unexpected!)

Ok, now that you’re set up for success, let’s get into our list! Get ready, by the end of this list you’ll be wanting to head to the garden center to buy lots of pretty new pots to fill! Or, hey, maybe use one of the tutorials from our list of DIY planter ideas!

Trees, Shrubs, and Evergreens to Grow in Pots

Lets start with the biggest, most impactful plants to grow in pots. These may also be the most unexpected, simply due to their size. Many of these plants are most often used in landscaping, but growing them in containers simply expands the horizons of your landscape or garden design!

Grow Silver Birch Trees in Pots

Don’t think you can plant trees in containers? Think again. These birch trees are placed  in large containers, and because the root ball is kept from growing outward, the whole tree remains smaller and more manageable. Oh, yes, did we mention you can move them? Photo by ‘My Landscapes‘.

Boxwoods Make Great Container Plants

Here is an example from HGTV of using containers to create a typical hedge. Instead of planting these boxwoods straight in the ground, they are higher up to block views, and can be moved if necessary. This is a great way to create a beautiful privacy hedge for your patio or backyard!

Can you Grow Conifers in Pots? You bet!

If you’re looking to incorporate some containers in your landscape design, conifers are great plants to add an impactful year-round presence. Coming in many shapes and sizes, conifers of dwarf varieties will likely do best in containers. However, be sure to look through the options online and talk to garden center staff to get an idea of the wide range of options available that’ll grow well in pots! Then check out Fine Gardening‘s guide for some helpful tips!

Grow Spruce in Containers

Here’s one more gorgeous evergreen for your dream landscape design – the spruce! Smaller varieties like this one, the Dwarf Alberta Spuce can be grown in containers to really dress up your patio. Even though they’re dwarf varieties, they still provide plenty of height to make a statement. These would look beautiful at a front door, and can be dressed up for Christmas!

Kitchen Garden Plants You Won’t Believe Thrive in Containers

Think you don’t have enough space to start a kitchen garden? Think again! Many fruit trees, vines, and all kinds of veggies actually do quite well grown in containers. Bonus points if you seek out varieties specifically bred for container gardening!

Artichokes as a Container Design Centerpiece

Our first pick is from ‘HGTV Gardens‘. The focal plant (the taller spiky one) in these mobile containers are artichokes! Filled in with perennials and annuals, these containers are designed to be both decorative and productive.

The Cutest Apple Tree Planters You Ever Did See

Want trees that give a little bit more? ‘A Cultivated Nest’ shows us how to grow apple trees in containers. She uses them as screens, and the apples are a bonus! There are lots of other type of fruit trees that come in dwarf or columnar varieties as well. Check out her tip on self pollinating varieties.

Citrus Trees

Citrus trees can be tough to grow in some parts of the country, which makes containers actually necessary in some instances! Did you know that if you grow citrus trees in pots, you can bring them into a sunroom or sunny window for the winter? As an added bonus, they’ll make your home smell amazing! Photo by ‘HGTV‘.

Container… Watermelons?!

You already know there are many veggies you can grow in pots… Watermelon? You think I’m kidding, don’t ya’? Well jump on over to ‘Gardening Know How‘ and find out how to grow what’s traditionally a space hog, in pots!

Container Berry Bushes

From ‘BHG’, learn how to grow berries in containers. When you select the right varieties, raspberries and blueberry plants make fantastic container plants. What’s better than a sweet treat waiting for you right on your patio?!

Flowering Plants to Grow in Pots

We’re always looking for more places to grow flowers. So when the cut flower garden is all filled up, it’s time to turn to containers! Deck out your porch or patio with beautiful blooms using these flowering plants!

Irises

I love how growing these irises together in a group of pots really allows them to shine against the backdrop of the rest of the gorgeous landscaping in this example. Photo by ‘HGTV‘.

Can you Grow Peonies in Pots? Yep!

This one may have been the most unexpected for us. Yes, it does take a bit of extra work, but with the right conditions and a dedication to providing the plants with the conditions they’ll need to thrive you can keep your peonies growing happily in containers! It’s a great way to bring their beauty and scent up closer to your home or to grow more in a small space! Check out Gardening Know How for tips.

Grow Roses in Pots

We love the idea of a patio garden scented with the lovely perfume of roses, and that dream could be a reality – many rose varieties can thrive grown in pots! Martha Stewart has a wonderful guide full of tips on how to grow roses in containers successfully. Where to find them? Fast Growing Trees has a wide selection of patio-friendly rose varieties, such as this gorgeous rose tree!

Climbing Plants and Vines to Grow in Pots

There are many climbing plants that thrive in containers. Make sure they have somewhere to climb by either setting them near a wall or trellis, or keep them limited to their container by adding a freestanding trellis in the pot.

Clematis is a great option that looks gorgeous climbing up fences, walls, trellises, or kept nice and tidy like this one! Photo by Taylors Clematis.

Star Jasmine

Jasmine is one plant that may grow in a pot, but can take up a whole lot of real estate if you let it! I’ve seen people grow jasmine in containers to trellis over their front door, garage, or a beautiful arbor. Or, you can always keep it neat and contained like this one! This photo is from Gardenia, where they share several jasmine varieties ideal for container gardening.

Get Creative with Your Container Gardening!

You see – don’t let the idea of using pots and containers limit you to marigolds and petunias! Use them to your full advantage and try these unexpected plants you can grow in containers! We think you will also love our posts, Privacy with Plants and Unique Garden Containers You Never Thought Of! You might also want to pop on over to our sister site, OhMeOhMy, and check out our post on Stunning Planter Box Ideas & Projects!