building a container garden

Building a container combination is like making a bouquet. You need a focus flower, filler flowers and filler foliage, but we all know that rules are made to be broken!

SUN FOCUS FLOWERS

• Geranium
• Penta
• Lantana
• Petunia

SHADE FOCUS FLOWERS

• Impatiens (New Guinea, double)
• Begonia
• Dragonwing begonia
• Lotto begonia

SUN FILLER FLOWERS

• Nasturtium
• Heliotrope
• Lobelia/alyssum
• Calibrachoa
• Petunia
• Cigar plant
• Verbena
• Scaevola
• Vinca/Impatiens
• Sanvitalia

SHADE FILLER FLOWERS

• Torenia (vining and upright)
• Bacopa
• Geraniums (ivy and upright)

SUN FILLER FOLIAGE

• Helichrysum
• Vinca vine, spike, asparagus fern
• Grasses (Ponytail grass, Fiber optic, etc)
• Scented geraniums
• Herbs (thyme, sage, rosemary, etc)

SHADE FILLER FOLIAGE

• Vinca vine, spike, asparagus fern
• Carex
• Rex begonia
• Caladiums
• Ferns
• Ivy

Some of our favorite combinations:

• Verbena + Petunia + Helichrysum
• Lantana + Penta + Nasturtium
• Japanese maple + Hakonechloa + variegated Aquilegia

Sometimes the best pots contain just one plant!