Plants for Long Porches

Trailing Plants

• Purple passion plants, English ivy and wandering Jew thrive in shaded areas with little maintenance. They grow long trails of foliage and look lovely running the length of the porch up near the ceiling or along a long porch railing. Vivid purple foliage or crisp green ivy accented in white add lush texture to an otherwise overlooked corner. The velvet plant or purple passion thrives when clipped short, resulting in lush trimmed foliage. Achieve this result by pinching (removing) the new leaf buds instead of allowing the vines to grow in length.

Hanging Baskets

• Simple green foliage plants create lush baskets for hanging in shaded corners and end spaces on a longer porch, creating a higher focal point. Heart leaf philodendron thrives in shaded conditions. It prefers a moist soil, and clipped pieces root easily in water. Keep philodendron trimmed to the preferred length. Wax begonia makes an ideal hanging plant for a shaded or partially sunny corner of a long porch. It's delicate little flowers make a striking contrast to the waxy deep green leaves. Other choices for long porches include the tomato and berry hanging green house plants that allow gardeners to grow fruits and veggies on porches and balconies.

Water Feature Plants

• Water features make an attractive addition to a porch or balcony. Longer porches suit fountains at one end dotted with lush foliage. Ferns like the maidenhair fern grow well around fountains and water features. They prefer partial shade, making them a good choice for porch plants. A few varieties of hosta make hardy choices for areas with higher moisture. Bleeding hearts thrive in the type of moisture around fountain. This heat-sensitive perennial prefers shade and blooms abundantly when watered often.

Railing Plants

• Railings afford the gardener a number of choices, both in container and type of plants. Window boxes work well with railings. The line of foliage and flowers running the length of the porch proves a beautiful accent for railings. Choose geraniums for their rich array of colors or begonias for their compact and rapid growth. Plant herbs like basil, thyme, chives and oregano not only provide flavor for cooking but also attractive foliage and flowers. Arrange colorful flowering plants along the porch floor next to the railing for a lower focal point.