Full Sun Container Garden Ideas

Trees

• Choose trees that will naturally stay small, or dwarf or semi-dwarf varieties. Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) displays flowers in pinks, purples, reds or white in midsummer. Magnolia grandiflora Little Gem grows slowly to 30 feet tall. Both these trees are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) zones 7 through 9. Japanese maple displays intense fall foliage color, and is a pretty shape all year. Choose an evergreen juniper or boxwood for a topiary display. Dwarf fruiting trees such as peach or nectarine, plum or cherry succeed in containers. North Star cherry is a decorative small tree that produces tart cherries. A potted tree may be the focal point of a container garden.

Flowers

• Select flowering shrubs and perennials including butterfly bush, roses and flowering almond for containers. Miniflora and miniature roses will grow well in containers. Group several around a potted climbing or shrub rose. Flowering star jasmine, Oriental lilies, and tall garden phlox are all fragrant in bloom. Near outdoor living areas, place groupings of fragrant plants while they are blooming. A moonlight garden with all white-flowering plants is pretty in containers of various sizes. Petunias, calibrachoa (Million Bells), sweet alyssum, annual baby's breath and white Asiatic lilies may be chosen for a white garden. Fill a large half whiskey barrel filled to overflowing with colorful annuals in bloom on a sunny patio. In cold-winter climates, over-winter cold-sensitive container perennials in an unheated shed or garage.

Herbs and Berries

• Annual and perennial herbs can be grown in containers separately or in large pots as a mixed garden. A half whiskey barrel filled with perennial rosemary, oregano, chives, sage and varieties of thyme is a pretty and practical herb garden. Annual herbs including cilantro and basil are sun-lovers for pots. Locate herbs near the kitchen door for easy snipping. Fill strawberry pots with strawberries for a pretty garden-in-a-pot. Blueberries may be grown anywhere when they are container cultivated. Providing for their specific cultural requirements is simple in containers.

Vegetables

• Vegetable gardening is possible without a garden plot. Sun-loving tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash and eggplants produce their crops in container gardens. Broccoli and cabbage may be container grown. Provide large pots of at least 12 inches in diameter that have good drainage. Any good commercial potting soil may be used with vegetables. Group your potted vegetables in a sunny place such as a deck or patio. Combine vegetables and herbs in very large containers for an all-in-one kitchen garden near the kitchen door. Squash or cucumbers can trail over a big container with a tomato or pepper plant.