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Making fragrant jars of homemade lavender bath salts couldn’t be easier. In vintage mason jars, bath salts look beautiful on display and make wonderful gifts. Here is a recipe to make your own in just a few simple steps.
There are so many different botanicals you can add to bath salts, and somehow I keep coming back to lavender again and again. The scent is soothing and relaxing, and I find the benefits of the plant to be numerous.
You’ll find me in the tub frequently. My body requires a good soak pretty well every day to manage the aches and pains. While I use my hot tub all the time now, I still appreciate the therapeutic benefits of an Epsom salt bath.
Epsom salt is primarily made of magnesium, and your body can absorb it externally. Combine it with the aromatherapy of lavender, and you’ve got quite a therapeutic combo.
Here’s what you need to know about lavender bath salts!
After a long day in my garden, I often look forward to a long soak in the tub afterward. For this reason, I make sure to keep my supply of bath salts well-stocked! Bath salts are made with Epsom salt, and some of the benefits include:
Lavender has plenty of healing and cleansing properties, making it the perfect addition to a jar of bath salts. Some benefits of using lavender, whether dried or in essential oil form, include:
I harvest lavender for crafts and DIYs quite often at my home. I wrote an entire post detailing my process, but here are the highlights of how to harvest lavender for bath salts or any other project:
Lavender buds look beautiful in a clear jar of bath salts, especially if I want to present it to someone as a gift. Sometimes, when lavender dries, it turns gray or brown, but there are a few things you can do to help the buds keep their pretty purple colour.
Any lavender can be harvested and dried for use, but Purple Bouquet, Royal Purple, and Folgate lavenders hold their colour especially well as they dry out.
Cut your lavender from the plant just before the blooms open for the best colour. I like to leave at least some blooms to open in the garden for the bees, though.
I like to keep my lavender (and my lavender bath salts) in a clear glass jar, but exposing the dried buds to light will make them lose their colour, so keep the jar of lavender hidden away in a dark cupboard or drawer.
Okay, let’s talk about how to make the bath salts! It only takes a few minutes to make (well, after you dry the lavender, that is) so you’ll be soaking in the tub in no time.
As you can see, making this DIY is simple. You’ll be so glad you gave this one a try!
If you have a lot of build-up and use lots of lavender buds, then yes. I find that the buds mostly stick to the sides of my tub. I just wipe them up with a face cloth and shake them into the compost. If you’re looking for a quick cleanup, you can put the bath salts in tea bags, like I do in this post.
If you’re making these as gifts, they do keep quite well. To maintain the purple colour of the lavender buds, store them in an airtight jar away from sunlight and heat. Feel free to top up with more lavender essential oil when it’s time to use or gift the bath salts.
You want to keep the moisture out of them as much as possible. Keeping them in an airtight container is your best bet. You can also add in a hint of some jojoba oil or other oil to prevent clumping. You can also try adding in a brown sugar saver, as they absorb moisture.
It depends on the size of your tub. I like to use one cup of bath salts for my large soaker tub, but if you’re looking for more therapeutic benefits, add in two.
Love lavender? Me too! Check out all of the crafts and projects that can be done with just a few backyard lavender plants:
It doesn’t get much more relaxing than a long soak in a tub filled with lavender bath salts! Here’s how to mix up a batch at home.
Fill each Mason jar about halfway full of the Epsom salts.
Add just 10-15 drops of essential oil, replace lid, and shake.
Remove the lid again, add 1 tablespoon of dried lavender flowers, replace lid and shake (again).
Add more Epsom salts to fill the jar, replace the lid and shake well once more.
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Are you looking to create wow factor in your hanging basket or container garden displays? This list of the best trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots has twenty fantastic varieties to help you do just that.
In this post I’ve listed lots of outdoor trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots that will give your containers oomph and help to increase their overall impact. You’ll also find tips on planting and caring for your container garden, so you can keep it looking fantastic for months.
There are lots of good reasons why you should definitely consider trailing container plants for pots or a hanging basket arrangement.
First of all, trailing plants look great! There’s a wide range of different varieties to choose from, and you can use them to provide colour, texture, contrast, foliage and scent in your container displays – just like you would with a plant that doesn’t trail.
Another good reason to grow trailing container plants is all about volume. Because they spill over the sides, they allow you to ‘green up’ a larger area than the surface of the soil alone. This means you can create a bigger impact in a smaller space, which is great for small space gardening or compact pots and baskets.
Cascading plants are also brilliant when it comes to disguising a less-than-lovely basket or pot. You can use them to cover up a multitude of sins!
Many trailing plants for containers are ideal for helping you garden for wildlife too. You can use them to boost the amount of food and shelter available to local wildlife without taking up lots of room.
Before we get onto the best trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots, I want to share a super-simple but seriously clever trick for wow factor containers.
The “Thriller, Filler, Spiller” approach is loved by gardening professionals, and for good reason. Trailing container plants play a key role in this easy plant hack that creates show-stopping hanging baskets and containers.
Here’s how you can copy the pros and design amazing hanging displays.
1. Start with a Thriller plant. This is the main attraction in your container, so it tends to be bigger or taller than the other plants. Positioning your Thriller plant in the centre of your hanging basket or pot works well.
2. Next, you need some Filler plants to – you’ve guessed it – fill up your container. The aim with these is to deliver a splash of colour and interest closer to the soil. We’re not trying to compete with the Thriller plant here; instead think of your fillers as providing an interesting backdrop with colour, texture and shape.
3. Your Spiller plants are your trailing plants. These should be planted close to the edge of the container, so they can cascade over the sides easily. As well as increasing the size of your plant display, spillers are excellent for balancing out the height of other plants in your container.
If you’re hanging trailing plants outdoors, the ideal quantity you need depends on the size of your container.
It’s tempting to really pack the plants in for a big impact, but don’t forget that those plants will get bigger. Remember also that each plant relies on a limited amount of compost for nutrients, so the more plants you squeeze in, the quicker that compost will become exhausted and stop supporting the plants as well.
A sensible approach is to allow a little bit of room around each plant when you plant up your container. It’s also a very good idea to feed your plants regularly – more on that later.
Ready to dive into the world of cascading plants for hanging baskets and pots? Here are my favourite trailing plants for container gardens. I’ve included flowering hanging plants, foliage plants and edible plants, so it’s a one-stop shop for trailing plant inspiration.
When it comes to flowering trailing plants for window boxes, baskets and pots, you’ve got lots of fantastic options. Here’s my selection of the best trailing flowers for hanging baskets and container displays.
A favourite with many gardeners, fuchsia plants have beautiful bell-shaped, showy flowers that nod from the stems and last all summer. A trailing variety of this flowering plant will add froth and lots of colour to a hanging basket or pot. The flowers will dance in the breeze too, so you’ll also be able to enjoy a bit of movement.
I love using trailing lobelia in containers; I think it’s one of the best hanging basket plants you can choose. The tiny flowers are perfect for softening edges, and the plant will bloom for months. You don’t need to deadhead it either. It works well as a contrast to plants with larger flowers, or mixed in with trailing foliage plants.
Make sure you buy the trailing variety of lobelia, as it’s also available as an upright plant.
If you want an easy to grow plant that produces lots of flowers, go for trailing petunias (also known as Calibrachoa or million bells). You can get months of interest from these easy-going annuals, and there are some fabulous patterned and double varieties available if you like the idea of mixing things up a bit.
Another candidate for small flowers, Bacopa is covered in dainty blooms and will put on a show from late spring right through to autumn.
Geraniums (or pelargoniums) are a much-loved plant for pots and baskets, but did you know you can buy trailing varieties?
These are often referred to as ivy-leafed trailing geraniums, and are available in shades of pink, red, white and purple flowers. Use them to add a pop of colour to a mixed display, or combine them with standard geraniums for a more contemporary look.
Begonias are another firm favourite for pots, and the trailing varieties are extra-useful for turning up the volume on your displays. There are loads of colours to choose from too.
Black eyed Susan vine, or Thunbergia alata, is a less well-known trailing plant for hanging baskets and pots, but well worth considering. It’s a climber, but will be happy spilling over the edge of containers too. The flowers are quite big, so it works well in larger containers. Black-eyed Susans are native to east Africa so will enjoy warm conditions and a sheltered spot in the garden, or you can grow it in a conservatory.
These popular bedding plants are reliable and unfussy, producing an abundance of flowers on dense foliage. Trailing Verbena is great for bulking out your pots and will happily fill in any gaps.
Pansies are a go-to plant for winter and spring containers, and by including a trailing pansy variety you can get all the benefits of these hardy, colourful plants with the added cascade factor. ‘Cool Wave’ is a popular mix of trailing pansies which includes yellows, purples and white tones.
It’s a good idea to include foliage plants in any container display. They’re fantastic for adding texture and colour contrast, and work hard to showcase their flower neighbours.
If you’re wondering what to put in hanging baskets besides flowers, here are some great trailing hanging basket plants for foliage.
Creeping jenny is also known as Lysimachia. It’s an evergreen trailing plant, so it’s good for container displays at any time of year. Grow it for the lovely lime green foliage, but it also produces small yellow flowers. A great backdrop plant to showcase your flowers.
I don’t know whether this is strictly a trailing plant, but I often use Calocephalus as a spiller in my containers. It has lovely delicate silver stems that tumble over edges as the plant grows bigger. Combine this one with shades of purple and pink flowers for a cool, modern look.
Ivies are cheap, readily available evergreen trailing plants for hanging baskets. English ivy is also a fabulous source of shelter and food for garden wildlife. And trailing ivy is an extremely tough plant, so if you tend to neglect your containers it’s definitely one to consider.
You could go for a variegated variety to add interest, or an all-green variety for a subtle backdrop to your other plants.
If you grow trailing Vinca (also called trailing periwinkle) in the ground, it will scramble all over the place, and it’s this urge to spread that makes it a good trailing plant for hanging baskets and pots. You can avoid it taking over the garden too!
Another great evergreen plant for pots, Helichrysum petiolare (or liquorice plant) has pale stems and grey-green leaves. The leaves have a felt-like texture, so this is also a great plant for a tactile display.
The leaves on Tradescantia (which is also known as inch plant) are a thing of beauty. They’re striped on top and purple underneath, so you get an abundance of colour and interest. This foliage plant is often grown indoors, but you can get away with a warm, sheltered spot outside.
If you think of ferns as being solely upright plants, think again. Some types have a trailing habit and are well-suited to hanging baskets and pots. Popular varieties include Boston fern, maidenhair fern and lady fern.
If you’d like some silver-grey in the mix, Dichondra argentea, or silver nickel vine, is a brilliant tender perennial trailing foliage plant (take a look at my guide to annual vs. perennial plants if you’re not sure what perennials are). The unusually shaped leaves will complement shades of pink and purple, and work beautifully in white plant arrangements too.
Love your succulents? Go for a trailing variety of sedum such as ‘Redhead’, “Bluebubbles” or “Moss sedum’ in your containers. These hanging succulent plants provide foliage at soil level, and will happily creep over the edges of a pot too.
Your trailing pot plants can taste good as well as look good! Here are three great edible trailing plants for containers.
Strawberry plants work really well in hanging baskets and pots. By raising them off the ground you can protect the fruit from slugs and snails, plus it’s easier to pick the fruit. They look great too! Grow your plants in direct sunlight for best results – they love a sunny spot.
You don’t need a grow bag to grow tomatoes; they will be perfectly content in a pot or hanging basket. You need to go for a bush variety rather than a cordon variety; *Tumbling Tom and Balconi Red are both an excellent choice for cherry tomatoes.
This trailing plant could also sit very well in the flowering category. The bright orange flowers are great for making a statement, but they’re also edible, so you can pick them for salads and garnishes. Trailing nasturtiums are tough plants that grow quickly, and they will tolerate poor soil and a bit of neglect. Definitely a great contender for a low maintenance container garden.
Gardening in pots and hanging baskets is very straightforward, and you won’t need lots of fancy equipment and tools. Having said that, having a few basic pieces of kit will definitely make things easier.
Top of my list is a good *hand trowel. You’ll use this all the time to fill your containers with compost, and top up gaps around your plants. Go for a size that’s well-suited to your hanging basket or pot; you might find that child-sized tools work best if your containers are on the small side.
Next up is a decent pair of *gardening gloves to protect your hands. This is very much an area where personal preference is important, but don’t be too distracted by pretty designs! You need a pair that fit well and allow you to move your hands easily when you’re wearing them.
I also think a pair of *secateurs or *snips are a must-have to help you maintain your plants. In my experience snips are particularly good for small spaces and hanging baskets.
Finally, make sure you’ve got a *watering can. I use a *mini watering can for my hanging baskets; you can lift these up high more easily, plus they don’t provide a deluge of water that floods your basket too quickly.
You’re spoilt for choice with the range of hanging baskets and pots available for outdoor plant displays. Whatever style you’re after, you can probably find it. Just make sure you think about these key areas before you buy:
You can also upcycle household objects to make unique plant containers. Here are a few ideas for things that work well:
Whatever you go for, don’t forget those all-important drainage holes.
The compost you use is a really important part of gardening in hanging baskets and pots.
Plants grown in containers only have access to a limited amount of nutrients, because the compost itself is limited. This means at some point the plants will use up all the nutrients, and when this happens they start to struggle. We all tend to pack lots of plants into pots and hanging baskets, so your plants can reach this point quite quickly.
The best way to keep your plants happy is to choose a good quality *peat-free compost. A general-purpose compost will be fine for most container plants, but do check your plant labels as some are a bit fussier and need a particular type of compost. We’ve got a guide to the best compost for pots to help you choose the right product.
If you’re a bit nervous about looking after your plants, or want to be more hands-off with the maintenance, you could go for a compost which is specifically designed for hanging baskets and pots. This will usually contain some slow-release fertiliser plus water-retaining crystals to take care of your plants with minimum effort. You can of course make your own version of this by adding *slow-release fertiliser and *water-retaining granules to standard compost.
Here’s a quick guide to planting up a hanging basket.
We all want our hanging baskets and container displays to look lush and amazing straight away, don’t we? But this is one of those times when you need a little bit of patience!
Don’t be tempted to overfill your container for instant impact. Doing this gives the plants no room to grow, and is only a short-term gain.
Instead, give your plants a bit of space and wait for them to grow and fill out. If you take good care of them this won’t take long. You can help to speed things up by feeding and watering regularly.
If you’re using a wire hanging basket, you can also add plants around the sides to create fuller basket displays. To do this simply poke a hole in the liner, then carefully push your plant into the compost. Keep the hole small to minimise compost leakage.
So you’ve planted up your hanging basket or pot, and now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the results of your hard work, right? Sort of.
Container displays don’t need lots of maintenance, but there are a few things you can do to keep them looking good and get the maximum impact from your plants.
The most important of these is to position your container in the ideal spot for the plants inside it. This is known as ‘right plant, right place’ in the gardening world, and it’s a great way to make hanging flowers look good.
Every plant has a specific set of conditions that it prefers. That could be full sun, a sheltered spot, part shade, good drainage, or a specific type of compost. If you provide your plant with these conditions, it will do well. If you don’t, it will struggle.
As well as helping your plants grow strong, positioning them in the right place can also cut down on maintenance and make them less vulnerable to plant pests.
You can usually find the ideal conditions for a plant on the care label it comes with when you buy it. If this is missing or there’s not much information, you can look the plant up online, or use a plant identification app.
Once you’re armed with the best conditions for your plants, you can work out the ideal location for your hanging basket or pot. This works the other way around too; you can start with where you want to put your container, then buy plants that do well in the conditions provided there. This second approach is particularly useful if you’ve already installed your hanging basket bracket!
As I’ve already mentioned, plants grown in containers have limited access to nutrients. To stop them going hungry, you need to feed them regularly.
A general-purpose plant food is fine for most container grown plants, and you can buy this in a variety of formats.
A *concentrated liquid feed must be diluted before use, while *ready-to-pour liquid feed can be added to your container straight from the bottle. Plant food is also available as *granules, which need to be mixed with the compost before you start planting. The easiest option is ready-to-pour feed, but bear in mind it won’t be the cheapest; it also involves more packaging, so if you want to garden sustainably it’s not ideal.
It’s possible to overfeed any plant. Overfeeding can kill plants, so stick to the recommended intervals between feeds – check the packaging for this info.
Watering is really important when you’re growing foliage and flowering plants in pots and hanging baskets.
Plants grown in containers usually dry out much quicker than plants grown in the ground. This is because the compost can only retain a finite amount of water, but also because the sides of a container are exposed to warmer temperatures which speeds up evaporation.
To avoid a parched hanging planter full of crispy plants, you need to check them on a regular basis. If the top of the compost feels dry to the touch, your plants need a drink.
The answer to this question depends on the weather. In very warm conditions you may need to water every day, or even twice a day. Be guided by the weather where you live, and how dry the soil feels.
Watering hanging baskets can be a bit tricky, as they tend to overflow before the compost and roots can absorb the water. Try to water them as gradually as possible; you can even water them lightly, then come back in ten minutes and repeat the process.
Another good trick is to place a small plant saucer in the bottom of the basket before you plant it up. Doing this creates a little water reservoir and helps reduce leakage.
If you make sure the soil doesn’t really dry out between waterings this will help with water retention too. Water tends to simply pour over very dry soil, rather than soaking in.
Early morning is the best time of day to water any plants. Watering before the hottest time of the day minimises evaporation and gives plants a better chance of absorbing the water. The next best option is to water in the early evening, but don’t leave it too late; damp leaves overnight can lead to problems with mould and mildew.
As well as feeding and watering your hanging baskets and pots, there’s another quick and easy way to keep them looking good for as long as possible. Welcome to the world of deadheading!
Deadheading sounds like a serious business, but it’s actually super-simple. All you do is remove any drooping or dead flower heads, plus any seed heads that the plant has formed. When you do this, you stop the plant setting seed, which in turn stimulates it to make more lovely flowers.
You can use your fingers or a pair of *snips to deadhead your plants. Try to do it on a regular basis; as well as keeping the time required to a minimum, this will help to keep your containers looking neat and tidy.
I hope this guide to the most popular trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots helps you to create some amazing container displays. If you’ve got any top tips for container gardening please do share them in the comments 🙂
Here are some more container gardening blog resources that you might find useful.
If you’re interested in the best outdoor plants for pots in general, my post on low maintenance outdoor potted plants is packed with ideas for gardening in pots all year round. Make sure you take a look at my roundup of drought tolerant plants too, and my lists of great outdoor plants for shallow pots and climbing plants for pots.
I’ve also got a spring-focused list of spring flowers for pots and hanging baskets, a list of summer plants for pots, and a roundup of fall flowers for pots, plus a guide to creating wow factor hanging flower baskets.
If you’re planting pots and hanging baskets for winter interest, make sure you also check out my posts on the best winter plants for pots and the best plants for winter hanging baskets.
Containers are ideal for growing lots of edible plants too. My post on easy vegetables to grow in pots has ten brilliant crops to try.
Gardening in hanging baskets and pots is also perfect for kids because of the small scale. I’ve got posts on growing sunflowers in pots, growing salad, making mini gardens and growing micro greens. Another favourite of ours is making a bulb lasagne, this one’s a brilliant autumn gardening project.
And finally, my gardening jobs for each month series is brilliant for beginner gardening and generally getting you organised!
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Are you looking for advice on the best plants for outdoor pots?
Whether you’re a beginner gardener who’d like to start small with plants in containers, or a seasoned pro who’s keen on planting outdoor pots, there’s lots here to inspire you.
This post on the best plants for pots lists over 30 fantastic low maintenance plants for outdoor pots. I’ve also included simple tips for taking care of your plants so that they thrive and provide you with a gorgeous display, and a quick guide to the basic tools you need for planting containers.
Growing plants in pots has lots of advantages.
If you’re new to gardening, growing plants in pots is a great way to get started. You can keep things small-scale, moving onto larger displays as you learn and become more confident.
The other element of container gardening that suits new gardeners is the low maintenance aspect. It’s easier and quicker to take care of a plant in a pot than it is to keep on top of a whole garden border. In addition, containers are relatively portable, so if your plant is struggling you can easily move it to a different location before it’s too late.
That portability is a big plus for renters too, because you can take your plants with you when you move.
Containers are also perfect for gardening in small spaces. You don’t even need a garden; you can tuck a pot onto a balcony, outside a front door, or on a window ledge. This makes growing plants in pots a super-easy way to green up your outdoor space regardless of its size.
Gardening in pots, baskets and containers allows you to adjust the height of your garden too. This is particularly helpful if your movement is restricted, or you struggle to garden at ground level. Being able to play with height is also a fantastic way to create a bigger display of plants and flowers in a small space by using a range of pot sizes, trellis or even shelving.
Container gardening is also ideal for children. Kids love having their very own pot to take care of, and it’s easy for them to plant in a smaller space. You can introduce some fun crafting too, by decorating their pot or making plant markers.
Finally, if you don’t have lots of time for gardening, concentrating on growing plants in pots is a good compromise. The smaller scale translates into less time dealing with watering, weeding and pests – and you won’t have to do any digging!
It’s not hard to see why container gardening is so popular, is it?
Some plants are better suited to growing in the ground, and some will be more than happy growing in a pot. Choose plants that are well-suited to growing in container planters, and you stand a much better chance of creating a healthy and beautiful container garden. In the gardening world this if often referred to as ‘right plant, right place’.
You might have come across the saying ‘right plant, right place’ already; it’s a key element of good garden design, and is often mentioned in gardening programmes and magazines. It’s a simple but powerful approach to helping your plants thrive, and it’s well worth taking a little bit of time to understand the concept.
All plants – regardless of what you grow them in – have their own set of conditions that they will thrive in. Put your plant somewhere that provides these conditions, and you’re already well on the way to making it happy.
The flip side of this idea is that by forcing a plant to grow in conditions it doesn’t naturally enjoy, you will automatically limit how well it does.
The ‘right plant, right place’ concept goes a long way towards explaining why you might have lost plants in the past, and also gives you a simple framework for growing your plants going forward.
So how do you work out the conditions that your plants need? First of all, check the care label. If you don’t have one, look the plant up online, or use a plant identification app. Some plants need full sun, while others are happy growing in full shade. Your plant may need a high humidity level, or love to bake in dry heat. Once you’re armed with this information, you can choose the perfect spot for your container and make sure you’ve given your plants the best possible chance of doing well.
If you’re relatively new to gardening, here’s a quick guide to the difference between annual and perennial plants. This will come in handy when you’re choosing your plants and setting your budget.
Annual plants grow, flower and die in one growing season, or year. As a result, you will usually need to replace them with new plants every year.
Perennial plants will grow year after year. They might die back in winter and grow again in spring, or be evergreen. Either way, you shouldn’t need to replace them on a regular basis.
The majority of plants sold in garden centres and online for container planting are annual plants. They’re often labelled as ‘bedding plants’ and common varieties include begonia, pansies, petunia, lobelia and marigolds.
My annual vs. perennial plants post covers the pros and cons of each plant category in more detail.
Absolutely. If your perennial plant is suited to growing in a pot, there’s no reason not to. In fact, growing perennial plants in containers is a much more cost-effective way of gardening. It also opens up the range of plants available to you significantly. You can grow flowering plants, shrubs and even small trees perfectly well in pots, if you choose the right variety. Read on to find out what perennials do well in pots.
So you’re raring to go with container gardening, and now it’s time to choose your plants. Here are my top picks for low maintenance plants for outdoor pots that will help you create stunning container displays.
A standard shrub is a shrub that has been grown into a specific shape. This is often a lollipop-shape that resembles the structure of a small tree. Standard shrubs are ideal plants to grow in containers, and can be used to create a big impact. They also make ideal tall plants for pots.
Great low-maintenance standard shrubs for outdoor pots include bay, photinia, wisteria, holly and ornamental cherries. I have a miniature ornamental cherry called Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-mai’ which is an absolute stunner in springtime.
There are many varieties of roses which are well-suited to growing in pots. As the name suggests, a patio rose variety is a perfect choice. I love the white simplicity of ‘Bianco’, but there’s a wide range of colours to choose from.
You probably associate succulents with indoor plants, but many varieties are ideal for outdoor pots. You can plant several varieties together to create a desert garden effect, or stick to one type for a more contemporary look. Succulents look fantastic against a gravel background, this is a great way to stop soil splashing onto the leaves too.
Succulents are very low maintenance outdoor potted plants, but they don’t enjoy sitting in soggy soil. Make sure you give them plenty of drainage.
If you’d like to introduce an evergreen shrub to your container display, consider a camellia. Their deep green glossy leaves provide interest all year round, and they put on a stunning flower display in early spring. You do need to plant camellias in ericaceous compost and grow them in a sheltered position, but if you get both of these things right they don’t need much in the way of maintenance.
The restrictive nature of a pot works in your favour when it comes to agapanthus, because it makes the plant produce more flowers. Agapanthus will provide height and showy blooms during summer months, and shades range from white to deep blue. I think they work particularly well in a contemporary setting, and also against a dark backdrop which makes the colour sing out.
If you’d like a formal, sleek look for your container, a clipped box plant is the way to go. These plants are slow-growing, so they’re not cheap to buy, but you can go for a small plant to keep costs down. Having said that, if it’s large plants for pots you’re after, a large box in a lovely pot can make a fabulous focal point.
Because box is slow-growing, you’ll only need to give it a trim every year or so. The rest of the time all it needs is water. Do check whether you live in an area that has a problem with box blight or box tree caterpillar before you buy; if you’re concerned you could go for an alternative evergreen such as yew or bay.
Dwarf buddlejas are designed to be grown in pots, and offer the low maintenance floral impact of a traditional buddleja plant in a much more compact area. They’re also a fantastic plant for pollinating insects, and particularly loved by butterflies.
This is another traditionally large plant that has recently been introduced as a dwarf variety for container gardeners. Dwarf lavatera (or mallow) is a tough plant that will cope with a bit of neglect, and produces masses of pale pink blooms on tall stems. It’s another great plant for pollinating insects too.
Lavender is a traditional cottage garden plant, but it also looks amazing in a more contemporary setting. You can also plant lavender in pots. Choose a hardy English variety and you will keep the maintenance to a minimum. Lavender enjoys good drainage, so don’t overwater it. It’s a good idea to plant lavender companion plants alongside to boost wow factor.
*Bulbs are well-suited to growing in pots, and you can create a lovely display in spring before your other plants get going. A particularly clever way of doing this is to plant a bulb lasagne, which involves layering your bulbs up in a pot to extend the flowering period. My post on planting a bulb lasagne shows you how to do this.
Hardy geraniums are really low-maintenance, unfussy flowers for pots. They will happily grow in containers, where they will produce masses of flowers for very little effort. You can also divide them when they get bigger and make new plants for free!
You don’t have to have flowers to make a big impact in a container. With their large, textured leaves, hostas are perfect specimen plants for containers, providing an impressive foliage display. An added bonus of growing them in pots is that you can keep the slugs and snails off them much more easily.
Another great option for foliage, heucheras are available in many colours from deep purples through to golden bronzes. They work really nicely alongside flowering plants, but also look great on their own or as several different colours grouped together in their own pots.
We tend to think of hydrangeas as great big garden border plants, but they will also be happy to grow on a smaller scale in a container. Hydrangeas bloom for months, so you can create real wow factor over a long period of time from just one pot. Do check water levels regularly, as they are thirsty plants.
Ornamental grasses are fantastic plants for outdoor pots. Use them to add height, texture and movement to a display. I love using grasses as a foliage backdrop with annual flowering plants. Grasses are also brilliant for providing structure and interest over the winter months; some are evergreen, but even the ones that die back can look stunning if you leave the dead stems intact.
When it comes to annual plants for outdoor pots, there’s a wide range to choose from. Here are my favourite low-maintenance annuals for containers.
Also known as African Daisies, Osteospermum have lots of cheery daisy-like flowers and are available in a range of colours. I like using them alongside smaller-flowered plants such as lobelia.
Lobelia is a great plant for bulking out a container display. It’s covered in tiny little blue, white or purple flowers, and just keeps on going. You can buy standard or trailing lobelia varieties; I think the trailing ones are particularly useful in containers, as they allow you to soften edges and continue the display over a larger area. They’re one of the best plants for hanging flower baskets too.
Petunias are hugely popular container plants, and for good reason. They’re easy to grow, produce masses of flowers, and come in a wide range of colours. If you deadhead them regularly, they will flower for months too.
Annual verbena is another versatile bedding plant that you can combine with other plants to create a colourful display. I like to use white varieties of verbena in combination with stronger colours to provide contrast, but there are shades of pink and purple if you’d prefer more ‘oomph’.
Another great low-maintenance annual, pansies and violas will grow pretty much anywhere. They’re happy to flower in colder months too, making them perfect for adding winter interest to your garden.
Not all sunflowers are six foot giants! There are lots of smaller varieties that are well-suited to containers, including our favourite *Teddy Bear which as you might imagine is wonderfully fluffy.
As well as being real showstoppers, sunflowers will provide your local birds and pollinating insects with a source of food. Sunflowers are perfect plants to grow with kids too. My step-by-step guide to growing sunflowers in pots includes planting advice, care tips and good varieties to grow.
Nigella is a truly low-maintenance plant for outdoor pots. You literally scatter the *seeds on the soil, and leave them to grow. Nigella likes to seed itself around the garden, so you may well find more plants growing next year with zero effort from you.
*Nasturtiums are ideal plants for hanging baskets and pots, providing a bright shot of colour throughout summer. They will tolerate poor soil and cope with whatever space you give them, and as an added bonus the flowers are edible.
Don’t assume that you need a huge meadow to grow wildflowers. Even a small pot of *wildflowers can provide a rich habitat for local wildlife and a beautiful cottage-garden style display of blooms. Wildflowers are ridiculously low-maintenance too; scatter the seeds, rake them in lightly, water, and that’s it. If you’d like to grow them with the kids, check out my post on growing wildflowers.
For striking foliage, you can’t beat coleus. They look brilliant planted together, or used as accents in a mixed container. Some varieties prefer sun and some prefer shade, so check the label before you buy. You can have a go at turning coleus into a houseplant over winter, moving it back into the garden once all chance of frost has gone.
Another fantastic foliage plant for containers, cineraria has beautiful silvery leaves that work really well against pink and purple flowers. Pretty much every container in my garden has cineraria in it! If your garden is in a sheltered spot, the plants may well survive over winter.
Last on my list is good old ivy. It’s a trailing plant, so you can use it to extend a display over the edges of your pot, and you can choose from varieties with all-green or variegated leaves to suit your finished look. Growing ivy in containers also means you avoid the problem of it getting out of hand and taking over!
Getting the right low maintenance plants for outdoor pots is a big part of making a success of container gardens, but there are also a few other factors which will have an impact. Take a look at these simple tips for taking care of outdoor plants in pots, and you’ll be well on the way to becoming a container gardening pro.
When it comes to the actual pots you grow your plants in, there are only a couple of rules. The most important one is to make sure your pot has drainage holes in the bottom. Most plants hate to have their roots sitting in a puddle, and you can quickly kill a plant this way. If your pot doesn’t have holes, you need to either make some (a hammer and a nail do the job nicely on plastic and metal pots), or add an inner plant pot which does have drainage holes before planting.
The other key area to consider is the size of your container. Think about the number of plants you want to grow in it, and the eventual size they will reach. The plant’s label should tell you the size, or you can look it up online. Choose a size that will suit your plants for at least a year, to give them plenty of room to thrive and avoid the need to repot them regularly.
Other than that, it’s really up to you when it comes to the shape, colour, material and style of your pots. You can match the style to your existing outdoor space, or mix things up a bit. There’s also tonnes of potential to upcycle and recycle containers; old teapots, sinks, chimney pots, wellies and storage crates all work well. Just remember to add those drainage holes.
Compost matters more than ever when plants are grown in pots. If you grow plants in the ground, their roots have easy access to nutrients in the soil, and aren’t restricted by the limits of a pot. In contrast, plants that are grown in containers will quickly exhaust the nutrients available to them from the compost.
For this reason, it’s always a good idea to use a good quality, *peat-free compost for your container plants. A general-purpose compost will be fine for most plants, but some plants require specific compost to help them thrive. Check your plant label for this information.
You can also buy compost that’s designed specifically to support plants grown in containers and hanging baskets. This usually has water-retaining crystals and slow-release fertiliser added. It’s not essential to use this when planting your pots, but it can help reduce the amount of plant maintenance required. If you don’t have lots of time, or tend to neglect your plants, I think it’s a good option.
For more advice on compost and container plants, head over to my guide to the best compost for pots.
Generally, you should aim to repot your plants into your own containers as soon as you get them home. Ease the pot away from the plant, and you will probably find that the roots are quite compacted. This means the plant will benefit from a larger pot with more compost.
The exception to this rule is when you buy plants that are already potted into an ornamental pot, or a pre-planted container display such as a hanging basket. In both these situations, the plants should already have been provided with the right sized container.
As your container plants will use up the nutrients in the compost, you should feed them regularly to help them thrive. A general purpose plant food is a simple option, but if you’re growing fruit and veg in containers make sure you go for a plant food designed specifically for these.
Plant food is available in a few different formats. The most common is a *concentrated liquid, which you dilute according to the pack instructions and use to water your plants. You can also buy *granules which should be scattered on the surface of the soil and lightly raked in, and *ready-to-use liquid feed which you just pour into the pot. This last option is great if you’re a bit daunted by the idea of getting the feeding right, but it’s not the cheapest or most recycling-friendly choice.
If you like the idea of being self-sufficient, or are gardening on a budget, you can also make your own natural plant feed from comfrey or nettle leaves. This is a great option for organic gardening. Here’s how to do it:
I’ve already talked about drainage in terms of holes in the bottom of your container. It’s also a good idea to pop a few stones or broken pieces of terracotta pot into the bottom before you add your compost.
If you’re thinking ‘why do I need to put rocks in the bottom of a planter?’, here’s the answer. Adding a layer of stones will increase the container’s ability to drain away excess water, which in turn helps to provide a more balanced growing environment. This is particularly important in the colder months of the year.
When it comes to water, a container plant is more reliant on you than a plant that’s grown in the ground. A container will generally dry out much quicker than a garden bed, and not just because there’s a limit on the water in there. The sides of a pot are more exposed to warmer temperatures, which heats up the soil and in turn speeds up evaporation.
In warmer months, check the soil in your containers regularly. If it feels dry to touch, you need to water them. Another telltale sign is drooping plants, but ideally you should move in with the watering can before this stage.
Try to avoid watering your containers at the warmest part of the day, so you don’t lose as much water to evaporation. Watering in the early morning is ideal, and the next best option is early evening.
You could also add some *watering retaining crystals to your compost when potting up your containers. This will help to keep moisture levels more steady, and should mean you need to water your pots less frequently.
In colder months, you may not need to water your containers at all, but it’s still worth checking the soil regularly.
Having invested time and money in your plants for outdoor pots, it makes sense to try and get the best display out of them for as long as possible. Deadheading is a simple way to do just that.
Deadheading involves removing any flowers that are drooping, dead, or forming seed heads. Doing this stops the plant setting seed, and makes it produce more flowers instead.
To deadhead your plants, you simply pinch or snip off the old flower heads. You can use your fingers, but a pair of *snips will make the job a lot quicker.
Try to deadhead your plants regularly for the best results.
Container gardening doesn’t require much in the way of garden tools and equipment. Having said that, there are a few items that will make life easier.
As well as containers, it’s a good idea to buy a *hand trowel. You can use this for the majority of your planting and re-potting jobs, and it’s also handy for weeding.
I’d also recommend a decent pair of *gardening gloves to protect your hands. Look for a pair that you can move properly in while wearing them – it sounds obvious, but not every pair will be a good fit.
I think a *watering can is also an essential piece of kit. Choose one with a ‘rose’ head attachment, this will help to avoid washing away the top layer of compost in your pots with a big gush of water. I actually like to use my daughter’s *mini watering can for my smaller containers, because it makes it even easier to control the flow.
Finally, a pair of *secateurs will come in handy for pruning and deadheading.
This is really all the kit you need to grow plants in containers. You are of course more than welcome to get carried away with all manner of extra gadgets if you’d like to!
Here’s a quick checklist to help you grow beautiful outdoor plants in pots:
If you’d like to explore some other gardening projects and ideas, take a look at these posts.
Drought tolerant plants for hot, dry weather
Outdoor plants for shallow pots
12 easy flowers to grow from seed
How to deal with ants in plant pots
How to grow a windowsill herb garden
The best tools for growing seeds
Easy ways to get your garden ready for summer
You might also like to check out my Container Gardening Pinterest board, and my blog posts on the best winter plants for pots, spring flowers for pots and hanging baskets, great summer plants for pots, and fall flowers for pots. I’ve also got a useful list of trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots.
I hope this guide to the best low-maintenance plants for outdoor pots has given you lots of container gardening ideas and inspiration, and helps you to create a beautiful container display. What container plants are top of your wish list?
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*Kitchen Nostalgia is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
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A popular Dunedin cafe was paid almost $700,000 by the council to close its doors.
Side-on announced its Moray Pl business was coming to an “abrupt end” after more than a year of negotiations with the Dunedin City Council.
The council needed the business to close before starting critical repairs to water pipes amid fears of a sinkhole.
A council spokesman told the Otago Daily Times yesterday it had paid out $695,000 to the cafe’s owners to end its lease.
The council paid $1.775 million to buy the building last year, for the purposes of connecting pipes between Bath St and Moray Pl.
Side-on had a lease until 2034, and the council had purchased the remainder of that lease, the council spokesman said.
“We recognise Side-on is a much-loved cafe, and we worked with the owners on various options for an alternative venue during our negotiations.
“While the cafe will now close instead, we wish the owners well for any new venture in 2024.
“This agreement allows for work to proceed as quickly as possible on the replacement of old and failing pipes under Bath St,” the spokesman said.
The project had been particularly challenging from an engineering perspective, and time had been an important factor, he said.
It had investigated alternative pipe routes as part of its planning, but “almost all routes” had to pass under private property in Bath St at some stage.
The only other option was to run the new pipe along…
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Taste has a new address here in Chicago that comes straight from the world’s popular hamburger chain—McDonald’s. Brace yourselves, food enthusiasts, because the golden arches have unveiled their latest experiment, and it’s called CosMc’s. Picture this: a hyped-up, mysterious spinoff restaurant that promises a journey into the realm of beverage exploration and a nostalgic dive into a retro-inspired menu. Today marks the official opening of CosMc’s in the charming town of Bolingbrook, Illinois, and it’s not your average fast-food venture.
This limited test location is just the beginning, with whispers of additional outposts popping up in the coming months. If you’re wondering what makes CosMc’s stand out, let’s talk about its menu—where innovation meets familiarity. Picture yourself sipping on specialty lemonades and teas, diving into indulgent blended beverages, and chilling with some seriously cool cold coffee options. We’re talking Sour Cherry Energy Slush, Tropical Spiceade, and S’mores Cold Brew. But wait, there’s more—customize your drink with popping Boba, flavor syrups, energy or Vitamin C shots, and other surprises.
Now, onto the food front. CosMc’s brings the flavor with offerings like the Spicy Queso Sandwich, Savory Hash Brown Bites, and Pretzel Bites served with dipping sauces that will make your taste buds do a happy dance. If you have a sweet tooth, you’re in for a treat—Blueberry Lemon Cookie Sundae and Caramel Fudge Brownies are just a glimpse into the sweet side of things. And yes, you guessed it, a few McDonald’s classics have made their way onto the menu, adding a dash of familiarity to this cosmic culinary experience.
“Inspired by nostalgia and powered by a menu of bold, refreshing beverages and tasty treats, CosMc’s is landing earthside for us humans to enjoy,” declares the official release. The doors swung open at 6 a.m. on December 8, kicking off a weekend of celebrations where patrons can dive into this exciting fusion of old-school charm and cutting-edge flavors. While the festivities will continue through 8 p.m., the regular business hours are set from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. for those looking to make CosMc’s a regular stop on their gastronomic adventures.
So, if you’re ready to embark on a taste journey that transcends the ordinary, head over to CosMc’s in Bolingbrook. McDonald’s has just taken a bold step into the cosmos of culinary delights, and it’s an experience you won’t want to miss. CosMc’s—it’s not just a restaurant; it’s a cosmic flavor adventure!
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Pia
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“Hey party peeps! Guess what? Trash People of Logan Square is throwing an epic holiday bash on December 7th, and you’re totally invited! It’s all going down at The Joinery in Chicago from 6:30 to 9:30 pm.
Picture this: a holiday party that’s all about community, sparkles, and good times. So, dig out your shiniest outfit because it’s time to shine! Trash People is making it a night to remember with drinks, dancing, and disco balls.
And get this—your ticket comes with some awesome perks. We’re talking dinner from the famous Paulie Gees, sweet treats from local bakeries, and a token for a tasty Solemn Oath brewery beer or hard seltzer. Plus, free Wynk THC Seltzers all night—score!
DJ Wyser will be keeping the party vibes alive, and GlitterGuts has a cool photobooth ready for your close-ups. Oh, and did I mention the raffle with prizes from local businesses? It’s gonna be a blast!
But here’s the coolest part: your ticket isn’t just for the party; it’s also a donation to Trash People. Your support helps them create more community groups around the city. So, you’re partying for a good cause!
Whether you’re a seasoned Trash Person or just love the idea of building community, this is your jam. Tickets range from $50 to $200, and if you can’t swing it, no worries—email hello@trashpeople.org.
So, mark your calendar, grab your pals, and let’s make it a night to remember! Trash People Holiday Shindig—where community and good vibes collide. See you on December 7th!
And, if you are looking for more more events that you wish to enjoy in Chicago, check out Urban Matter for the latest events and things to do in the city! Do not forget to share your thoughts in the comments!
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Pia
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Step into the unknown, my adventurous friends, and let me paint a picture of an experience that will redefine your idea of dining. Imagine, if you will, a night out where blindfolds become the fashion statement, and surprise menus are the stars of the show. That’s Dining in the Dark for you—a culinary escapade that goes beyond the ordinary. Now, why should you be in on this secret? Well, let me give you the lowdown on the five irresistible reasons.
1. A Truly Unique Experience
Picture this: You’re out on a date, blindfolded, navigating a surprise menu. It’s not your typical dinner; it’s a culinary adventure that adds an unexpected twist to your night out. Your usual “dinner for two” just got an upgrade to a story-worthy experience—before, during, and long after.
2. Variety of Menus and Dishes
Taste is subjective, right? Dining in the Dark gets that. Whether you’re a meat enthusiast, a seafood aficionado, or a proud vegan, they’ve got a surprise waiting for you. From a meaty feast at Fulton Market Kitchen to a sushi extravaganza at Sushi by Bou Gold Coast—your taste buds are in for a treat.
3. Perfect Date Night
Enough with the cliché movie-and-dinner dates. Spice things up with Dining in the Dark—it’s not just a meal; it’s a literal blind date. Challenge your date by feeding each other blindfolded and let the laughter roll in. It’s a date night that’s not just memorable but downright hilarious.
4. Channel Your Inner Food Critic
Ever fancied yourself as a food critic, delicately analyzing flavors with each bite? Now’s your chance. In the dark, heightened senses will have you and your foodie partner deciphering the mysteries of spices, sauces, and more. Forget MasterChef; you’ve got a sensory adventure right here in Chi-town.
5. New and Exciting Conversations
When you’re dining in the dark, it’s just you, your date, and the phenomenal food. No distractions, just genuine conversations. The flavors might even trigger memories of past adventures, turning your dinner into a nostalgia-infused journey.
Ready to dive into the unknown? Don’t just take my word for it—other curious foodies have dubbed Dining in the Dark a “first-class, unique dining experience.” Secure your spot in the dark—be it the Sushi “Omakase” Edition or the Unique Blindfolded Dining Experience at Fulton Market Kitchen. Skip the restroom breaks, savor every moment, and join the limited crew for this unforgettable dining experience. Your taste buds will thank you, and your stories will become legendary. So, see you in the dark, where food takes the spotlight!
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