Are you new to container gardens and don’t know how to arrange your planters? Are you looking for some ideas to refresh your garden setting? Or you just need to level up your yard to have some party?
No worries. You’ve come to the right place! This article will show you 18 beautiful outdoor planter arrangement ideas. We will show you how to compose your plants in a pot, then how to arrange planters in the garden. Your outdoor areas will look amazing in no time at all!
Before starting to arrange your outdoor planters, there are a few general rules you should know to make the arrangement easier.
1. Thriller + Fillers + Spillers
The best way to arrange your plants in the pots is to put multiple plants together. The magic trick is combining thrillers, fillers, and spillers in one pot. The filler is usually the most vibrant, or the most appealing plant. This is the focal point of your pots. Fillers are used to fill in space, to create a full arrangement in the pot. Then you can grow spillers over the edges to create more dimensions and interests.
2. Choose a color palette for your container
Following a color palette is usually a must in design to enhance harmony and balance. Having a color palette in your mind can ease the pain when you shop for new planters. You can decide this based on your preference, or based on the color of the plants you have in your home gardens.
3. Go bold
Plants come in different shades and colors. Some are more striking than others. If you haven’t decided what to grow, it’s better to go bold. Choose plants with bright, vibrant flowers. Because flower pots, planters, and containers are usually bland, colorful flowers like orange, red, pink can create a great contrast and complement both your planters and building.
Now we learn enough. Let’s move on to some ideas for outdoor planter arrangements.
4. For your front walkway
A front walkway leading to your house is a great opportunity to showcase your plants. The easiest way is to arrange your containers on the side of the walkway. Instead of planters, ornamental grass also works well to lure eyesight.
Another suggestion is to surround your walkway with bedding plants and planters. You can also put a collection of planters at the end of the walkway to create a sense of destination.
5. Decorate your porch with flower urn
One of the most popular ways to decorate your front porch is with an eye-catching flower urn. The flowers should be big and have vibrant colors, for example, New Guinea Impatiens, to create a focal point. You can apply the thriller + fillers + spillers trick to make the best flower urn. Planting a trailing plant in an urn-shaped container is also a good idea because it complements the pot.
Besides, instead of an urn, you can use a botanical jar for your porch. Any large planters with some extraordinary shape work perfectly to compliment your flowers.
6. Stack your pot
Let’s be honest! A tall planter is not very affordable. So why don’t you try to stack your flower pots? This will create a unique look in your container garden, on your porch, or patio.
What you have to do is simple! Choose pots that are similar in forms and shapes, but of course, vary in size. It is easier for you to stack the pot that way. You can stack the pots straight up, or make them tipsy.
Stacked planters are suitable for soft-stem or herbaceous plants, or succulents. Try growing some cactus, strawberries, or pansies. Some even grow their herbs and vegetables like lettuce in these pots.
7. Potscape for your porch
If you are not a big fan of a gigantic pot, potscaping is definitely for you. This is the art of arranging pots in an attractive way to create a landscape. This practice does not require so much space on your front porch or patio.
The basic way for potscaping is to group pots made from the same materials together. For example, you can group your terra cotta pots together. You can also group pots or flowers based on their palette.
One of the beautiful container garden ideas is to create a triangle with your pots. This form is a safe choice because it always works. Choose a tall container as a central piece. Smaller containers should be placed around. You can follow the same rule with your plants. The height contrast creates an interesting focal point.
Potscaping may require some practice and patience, but the result is very satisfying.
8. Window box
Do you know what makes Paris romantic? Window box! It’s time to add some window boxes to your house.
Window box is very affordable because they do not cost much. Indeed, you can make it from wood strips or corbels. Plant some geraniums on your box and they will spill over everywhere. Pink petunias is also a good option for your window box because it lasts from spring to fall.
There is always room for your window box. You can put it below or above your window. If you install it above your window, make sure that you have suitable watering equipment to keep your plants hydrated.
9. Hanging baskets
If you have limited space for decoration, hanging baskets are your solution. You can decorate your porch or pergola with these baskets. A tip for this decoration is to line your front porch with repetitive colors and baskets. Don’t be afraid of repetition because it can make a statement.
A single hanging basket can work too! You can hang one single basket on your porch, or in front of your door. Growing two or three different flowers with contrasting colors in your basket is great for display!
Some flowers that go well with hanging baskets are orchids, lobelia, pelargonium. You can plant one or combine different kinds of flowers in your baskets. Some people even use baskets to plant strawberries or tomatoes.
If you are afraid of thieves, you can attach your baskets to chains or hangers.
10. Entryway
You can frame your entryway with planters. The easiest way is symmetrical decoration in which you put two similar planters on both sides of the entrance. Top them up with bold, vibrant flowers to have the best result!
11. Showcase your container garden on your patio
You can surround your comfy chair with your container garden. Bringing the whole container garden to your patio makes it easier for you to water. You can also use some potscaping tips to arrange planters.
Seasonal bedding plants are recommended for patio planters because they can give you all year-round colors. A more practical option is to grow vegetables and fruit. They give you both beauty and nutrition.
12. Tropical plants
Nothing can bring more summer vibe to your garden than tropical plants. Known for their dramatic experience, tropical plants can easily impress anyone. Banana, palm, dragon trees can make the best thrillers in your containers. Adding blooming annuals or perennials for foundation and your beautiful planters are ready to get some compliments.
However, keep in mind that your plants need the Sun. Therefore, you should make sure that your plants are exposed to enough sunlight.
13. Be creative with your planters
Sometimes you don’t need a fancy planter to impress, all you need is a unique planter.
There are many ways to do so. You can upcycle your jar to be hanging pots. Or you can use old metal colanders or containers and turn them into a pot. And how about growing succulents in a birdcage? You can literally turn everything into plant containers.
You can have new colorful pots just by painting the old ones. A hollow wood also makes an extraordinary planter.
14. Fence garden
A fence garden is the best thing to brighten up your yard. Drill some holes on your fence and you can arrange some vertical planters there. A few pretty hooks also help to hold your flower baskets.
If you don’t want any holes on your fence, place a ladder anywhere along your fence. Then you can try arranging some small pots on the ladder.
Climbing and trailing plants such as vines, roses, or hedgerow shrubs are also a good choice to decorate your fence. You can also grow some colorful foliage or flowers in filler or horizontal pots to add a zestful, summer vibe.
15. Bamboo fence
One of the beautiful container garden ideas is planting fast-growing trees like bamboo to fence your land. Just simply plant them in a rectangle planter or a row of similar planters against your wall or fence. This does not only protect your garden privacy but also offers you a green area without taking up so much place.
16. Color Combination
When planning your container garden, you should also try mixing and matching different colors. The key is to keep the palette simple: around two or three complementary colors are enough. A mishmash of color is the last thing you want to do.
Vibrant, bright flowers go well with dark foliage. It will provide a perfect background for the flowers to shine. Some of the plants with beautiful dark, silver-gray foliage are dusty miller, snake plants, Actaea, castor oil plants.
17. Plant some perennials
Some people are hesitant to grow perennials because it is quite costly. However, perennials will make your container garden attractive all year round, and year after year.
Flowering perennials are even a better choice. Planting some flowering and easy-to-care perennials will save your garden and your pocket. We recommend you bugleweed, giant allium, English lavender, creeping theme. Those offer stunning flowers and can grow everywhere.
18. Mixed Succulents
If you happen to have a sunny and dry garden, and warm weather, you should definitely try mixed succulents. Succulents require low maintenance. Make sure to group the succulents which share similar lighting and watering conditions. Then the only thing you need to care about is not watering them too much.
You can grow your mixed succulents in a planter of your choice. It can be a terra cotta planter, a bowl, a chair. Just make sure there is a drainage hole on your planter.
All tips are here. Now you know how to create your own garden. You can simply mix and match the color of your garden, arrange some planters, and voilà, you can live in a container garden of your dream. The next step is to choose the planters that suit your ideas. You can find the best planters for you at CDM.
For more information, you can check out the best material for outdoor plants including composite – the superior planter materials.
Our company is proud of producing the finest handmade fiberglass planters for the best-known brand in the world. We can tailor container design to your need. Curious about what makes our reputation? Take a look at how our flower pots are made and why we choose to manufacture in Vietnam.