Container Garden Designs

Colorful Plant Combinations

I love creating beautiful container garden designs. Sometimes I even find myself at the nursery -- wanting to rearrange the annuals in nicer color combinations.

With that in mind, I've searched through an on-line nursery to show off some ideas. If you find yourself looking for annual gardens that are outstanding, you might like these.

Nature Hills Nursery is helpful with it's beautiful (and plentiful) pictures. They offer lots of relevant information, too. Notes about plant care and conditions help to keep your garden beautiful.

If you've ever had the frustration of going to a nursery and finding they're sold out of that perfect plant -- you might find shopping on-line as a good alternative.

This first combination I like because the colors vary from deep purple to pale pastels. Also, the Coleus provide instant and constant color. It's a great backdrop for blooms.

You could overwinter the Dahlia if they're not hardy in your zone. The Coleus might even be brought in later as a houseplant.

Dahlia 'Delina Grande Colima'

Coleus 'Kingswood Torch'

Calibrochoa 'Cherry Blossom'

This lilac color is also outstanding, but the varying shapes and textures highlight the beauty of each plant. Osteospermum tends to sell out quickly at the nurseries.

Angelonia 'Angelface Dark Violet'

Osteospermum Daisy 'Soprano Lilac Spoon'

Verbena pedula Superbena 'Dark Blue'

The often-loved purple fountain grass makes a spectacular center piece for a large container garden. Surround it with daisies and let sweet potato vine tumble over the side.

Osteospermum Daisy - Lemon Symphony

Pennisetum rubrum Purple Fountain Grass

Ipomoea batatas Sweet Potato Vine Margarita

Lobelia or Lantana -- each make an outstanding plant for baskets. This color combination shows off the beauty of both. Colors so intense, they'll brighten your day. Plant them together!

I've added Osteospermum Daisy in white. The purple eye will stand out because of the purple Lobelia. White is a great balance to intense colors.

Lobelia Laguna Compact Blue with Eye

Lantana Bandana Orange Sunrise

Osteospermum Soprano White Improved

Who says you need flowers? The bright foliage of Coleus against the deep Sweet Potato Vine leaves bring constant color all year.

If you like flowers with container garden designs, try Dipladenia. This variety is shorter, but still has lovely blooms.

Coleus Coleus Merlin's Magic

Ipomoea batatas Sweet Potato Vine Blackie

Dipladenia Mandevilla Rio Pink

Beautiful pastels in pinks and blues cheer up any entry. Million Bells (Calibrachoa) surrounds pink spikes of Angelonia. Add a trailing vine like Variegated Vinca for simple sparkle.

Angelonia Angelface Pink

Calibrachoa Callie Light Blue

Vinca Variegated

Pastel pink Ageratum -- its fuzzy blooms intrigue me. Let Sweet Potato Vine ramble over the side. If your container is larger, add Geranium in the center. Beautiful!

Ageratum Artist Rose

Ipomoea batatas Sweet Potato Vine Tricolor

Geranium Mosaic Purple

Pale blues and yellows would sparkle against a darker house color. If your flower baskets get lost against your home, choose color shades that contrast. I love the cheerful yellows in this combination.

Salvia Blue Frost

Felicia Daisy Cape Town Blue

Calibrachoa Yellow Chiffon

An unusual combination -- surround Persian Shield with Euphorbia. This plant combination works best in part-sun.

Strobilanthes Persian Shield

Euphorbia Diamond Frost

Nemesia Blue Bird

Your part to full shade container garden designs don't need to be bland -- check out these brilliantly-colored plants.

Begonia Dragon Wing Red

Coleus Kingswood Torch

Begonia Double Hanging Basket White

Deep magenta against lime green with just a little white to give it sparkle. Contrasting shades bring out their best.

Bacopa Calypso Jumbo White

Ageratum Artist Purple

Coleus Life Lime

An interesting color display, I love the intense violet against the red-orange. Got a shady spot that needs that something special? This might be it.

If you've got the room, this is another combination that would do well with Coleus Life Lime. Stunning!

Impatiens Super Sonic Flame

Torenia Catalina Midnight Blue

Vinca Major Wojo's Gem

Deep, deep burgundy always gets me. Combine it with intense blue-purple and Lantana which resonates with magenta and gold, and I'm mesmerized.

Lobelia Laguna Compact Blue

Lantana Bandana Cherry

Sweet Potato Vine Blackie

Hakonechloa grass -- the gold to chartreuse foliage is outstanding. In some parts of the country, you can overwinter this grass and use it again next year.

The deep purple spikes of the Angelonia will rise up through this grass while Bacopa gently falls over the side.

Hakonechloa All Gold

Angelonia Angelface Blue

Bacopa Calypso Jumbo Lavender

Pump up your Supertunias with this combination. Velvety purple blooms cascade over the side -- emerging out of the grassy fountain grass.

From the center emerges the unusual blooms of the Vanilla Spoon Daisy. Wow!

Petunia Supertunia 'Royal Velvet'

Pennisetum Little Bunny Grass

Osteospermum Daisy 'Vanilla Spoon'

In your container garden designs, it can be difficult to source plants. The specific varieties may be scarce in your area. I hope you now have lots of plant combination ideas -- now you also have a source for each one.

Return FROM Container Garden Designs TO Container Garden Design