Best Plants for Large Outdoor Planters
Large planters are one of the quickest ways to add texture, depth and a sense of luxury to your outdoor space. Even the most every day of grasses can look stunning when paired with an oversized pot. We have collated our pick of great plants for outdoor planters - all of which are relatively easy to maintain - all certain to look super with your Outdoor Nook.
Bay tree
(Laurus nobilis)
The bay tree is a popular evergreen shrub suitable for containers or growing in the ground. Kept neatly clipped, the dark-green foliage can create stunning formal shapes that make an entrance or look perfect on a patio. Bay leaves can be used fresh or dried and are used in cooking to give a fragrant flavour to soups, stews and other dishes.
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
Native to prairies across North America, big bluestem is used extensively in landscaping, agriculture, and landscape conservation efforts. It is a hardy ornamental grass that can tolerate poor soil conditions and drought.
Big bluestem is not only revered for its functional properties, but it is also grown for its decorative features. This grass adds a pop of color to a landscape all year round—transitioning from bright green in the spring, to a blue-ish green in the summer, and a fiery copper-red in the fall months. When it flowers, it boasts small purple or yellow spikelets. Accent a native flower garden with a bunch of big bluestem.
Dracaena
(commonly known as a dragon tree)
Although known as an indoor plant, this slow-growing plant can be planted year-round and boasts tiny white flowers in the spring (though it rarely flowers indoors). This small tree will grow to about 20 feet in warm outdoor climates. The eye-catching spiky tree is known as a great entry plant for household gardeners—it's easy to care for, drought-tolerant, and nearly indestructible.
Elephant Ear
Colocasia
The elephant ear plant provides a bold tropical effect in nearly any landscape setting. In fact, these plants are commonly grown for their large, tropical-looking foliage, which is reminiscent of elephant ears. These plants come in a variety of colors and sizes. Elephant ear plants can be used as background plants, ground covers, or edging, especially around ponds, along walkways, or patio enclosures. Their most common use, however, is as an accent or focal point and are well adapted to growing in containers.
Bougainvillaea
Bougainvillea makes excellent container plants. In fact, many gardeners who live in cold climates, only grow them in pots and move them indoors in winter. Growing Bougainvillea in pots is easy to do. Select a location in full sun where it will promote the most bloom. Bougainvillea is one of the few flowering plants that can handle west-facing exposures. Water a newly planted bougainvillea frequently to keep the soil moist. Once the plant is established, it blooms best if the soil is a little on the dry side.