6 Container Garden Ideas

So you’re late to the party this summer with gardening. That’s OK. A container garden can be an anytime garden. Here are 6 container garden ideas to try:

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Effortless Herbs

Herbs are relatively easy to grow in containers – whether you want to go small with a window box or you want a big display with a wood pallet herb garden. Herbs are great for small containers because their roots aren’t extensive – which also makes them great for creating big, full containers. They do require a lot of watering. The soil should always be moist, but not wet – drainage holes in the container help with this. If you love having fresh herbs in the kitchen and lovely plants on the patio, a cute herb container garden will satisfy both of those needs.

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Tomato Temptation

Tomatoes are excellent for container gardens. They’re beautiful in a hanging planter or they can dress up an old bucket. Large containers are best for tomatoes – they need lots of food from nutrient-rich soil (fertilized soil is best), so if you can fit a lot of soil in a container, your tomatoes will grow to be plump and juicy. Tomatoes need about eight hours of sunlight per day for a great harvest – so making a mobile tomato container garden allows you to move your plant to where the sun is shining.

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Sucker for Succulents

Succulents are great for people who love plants but aren’t good gardeners – they don’t require watering more than about once a week. They’re usually found in arid climates and do well in the desert because they retain a lot of water (think: cactus). They come in all shapes, sizes and colors, so finding a container a cute succulent will work well in shouldn’t be a problem – even a wine bottle cork would do.

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Flowing Flowers

A well curated garden can make any container look beautiful – even an old suitcase. Marigolds, violas and pansies are all colorful and work well in container gardens. Petunia and its miniature cousin, Calibrachoa, are also great for creating container gardens with character. The calibrachoa tend to sprawl with its tiny flowers and make overgrowth elegant.

Hanging Happiness

Like paintings on an interior wall, hanging container gardens raise your outdoor décor to eye level. A hanging plant adds color, texture and personality to any porch, deck or window. The cascading geranium is a classic choice for hanging plants. The delicate blossoms of lobelia and the droopy but dainty fuchsia add color while draping from high up. However, hanging container gardens require a bit more maintenance – they lose more water to air and gravity than a container on solid ground so hanging containers need vigilant watering.

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Terrarium for the Timid

If you’re not ready to commit to a full container garden, a terrarium in a jar is a great introduction to the world of

gardening. They can be big or small, indoor or outdoor, winter or summer. They’re easy to build – it’s just a matter of layering charcoal and potting soil – and upkeep is minimal. Regular watering and trimming maintain their contained charm.

Getting a container garden together doesn’t require too much thought or work; if motivation is keeping you from gathering the supplies, think of the delight a new garden will bring you and you’ll be building your gardening this afternoon.

Happy gardening!