
Ideas For Spring Containers
In my last post, Plants for Spring Colour I briefly touched on Ideas for Spring Containers. Today I shall go into more detail and hopefully inspire you with some Ideas for Spring Containers for your gardens, patios, decked areas and/or windows.
It isn’t difficult to add some instant interest and colour to areas that sometimes are neglected or devoid of plants and flowers.
Who doesn’t love to see a container full of spring bulbs and/or spring flowering plants? For me it is a sight to gladden the heart and put a smile on my face.

So let’s have a look at what we can plant… well… to be honest… pretty much anything.
Ideas For Spring Containers
Pick a Container, Any Container
There are endless possibilities to suit all tastes and budget. Any container that takes your fancy, just make sure it has some drainage holes in the bottom and that it is clean.
- Terracotta – these are my favourite, the warm tones and textures of these pots, especially old ones seem to fit right in with any colour scheme. If you decide to invest in terracotta pots then choose frost proof ones.
Terracotta Containers - Stoneware – these are very heavy and best placed somewhere that they can remain without having to keep moving them, once filled with plants they can become a wonderful focal point of interest.
- Novelty Planters – any number of containers can be turned into planters, I’ve used old boots, watering cans, olive oil cans, the list is endless, basically anything that will hold a plant is adequate.
- Wooden Half Barrels or Troughs – these make lovely planters in any garden, they come in numerous sizes, large ones are ideal for any plant that needs plenty of space and like the stone containers they make beautiful permanent features.
Wooden Half Barrel - Plastic or resin – there are literally 1000’s of options.
- Baskets… plastic, wire, natural products such as wicker, willow… new or antique, hanging or freestanding baskets look wonderful filled with any variety of plants… especially as the plants start to grow and trail through them.
Hanging Baskets
Â
Best Plants For Your Spring ContainersÂ
So now you have chosen your container – what are you going to plant in it? Well, again the choice is yours.
At this time of year the spring bulbs are everywhere. Every time I go out I see daffodils, crocus, snowdrops, primroses flowering in the parks, gardens, road side verges. Why not bring a little of that cheer to your own gardens.

If you didn’t plant any bulbs back in the autumn don’t despair, garden centres, home stores, supermarkets and plant nurseries have 100’s of them to buy now. They are already planted for you and just coming into flower so now is the time to go and buy some. Transfer them to your container with compost and ‘Hey Presto’ you have a spring container that you can place anywhere that you can see it and enjoy it.
There are so many plants that are completely happy in a container given the right compost, and growing conditions. The beauty of containers is that you can provide your plants exactly what they need, be it full sun, shade, part shade, dry, damp, etc. For example, if you wanted to plant a camellia as mentioned in my last post… then you would use ericaceous compost, with some added grit to aid with drainage, you would place the container in a sunny spot and water where possible with rain water.
Pansies, Anemone blanda, Violas
A planter filled with your favourite flowers, foliage, and colour interest is a joy to the eyes and will cheer up areas that don’t have any garden planting.

Shrubs are also great Ideas for Spring Containers, choose any that are flowering now, most of them are happy in large containers. You just simply put the container in the right place. I will stress here that if you are planting a large container then put it in place first as they can be very heavy once filled with compost, plants and water.
Herbs are fabulous to have in a container by the kitchen or on the kitchen window cill, they give the added bonus of fragrance and they’re edible too!

Colour Scheme Ideas For Spring ContainersÂ
Once again the colours are purely your taste and choice, bold, bright reds, yellows and oranges really brighten up a dull area. A pastel palette like white, pinks, pale blues, lilacs, soft yellows and peach offer a more subtle colour scheme.

Or try something completely different, purple, blues or even a dramatic black and white combination.
Three contrasting colours look really dynamic or several shades of one colour look softer, both ideas offer instant colourful impact. Flower Garden Colour Combinations
How To Plant Your Container And It’s Aftercare




Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Just do it… Instant Impact!
Happy Gardening
email info@plantsbulbsseeds.com

Hi and thank you for the inspirations and useful tips you share in your post! I love the picture of the window box at the end of your article. We have a large window sill here in the first floor of our apartment that is well-visible from the main road but it looked a bit empty last year as we only had some small containers with herbs out there. We will definitely follow your advice and will arrange it in a lovely way by planting some beautiful flowers in a nice window box as well! 🙂
Hello Marcus,
Thank you for your comments, I’m sure your window will look very pretty with a colourful window box.
Louise
I like the vibrance your website exudes right from the start! 🙂 As good as breath of fresh spring air! :-)Hadn’t thought of the frost aspect when choosing a terracota pot, thanks for the tip. Will keep it mind when shopping again for a garden pot.For those not so fussed about what container they use, a 2 litre Soda Bottle with the top half cut off or 2/3rds cut off could also suffice as a garden pot and could look quite stylish with the black holder on the bottom of, which makes it ideal to cut holes in the bottom of the bottom for good drainage.I like the colourful pansies that one can use to brighten up the room, quite the spring theme!You are so right! We just need to knuckle down and do it! We will feel much better and feel a sense of achievement.Thank you for sharing your flowery spring ideas with us!
Hi,
Thank you for taking time to read my post, you’re absolutely right about using plastic bottles as plant containers, great idea! We must try to recycle plastic as much as we can. Lots of uses in the garden.
Put some wire round them and you can use as hanging containers, also as feeders and small bottles can be used as reservoirs to water pots too, ideal if you’re away for some time.
Thankyou for your comments.
That sounds like a great idea, using wire around the plastic bottles as hanging feeders! Novel and wonderful idea. Thanks for the tip! 🙂
You’re most welcome.?
Awesome!What an incredible blog post; Thanks for this wonderful enlightment.This is an expensive information that is very hard to comeby on any blog and i must say its an eye opener for me. The ideas you have listed here for spring containers on our gardens are just too perfect. I haven’t thought about these ideas before now, I hope to implement anytime soon.
Thanks
Hello,
Thank you for your comments, I really do hope that you implement some of my ideas for your garden, there isn’t a right or wrong choice, play around with colours and find some combinations that you love. Enjoy your garden.
Louise
Hello,
Having read this article on Spring Containers I was inspired to go and buy some plants, I bought some lovely herbs and have potted them up in a nice herb container.
Thank you for giving me the ideas.
Hi,
Glad you found some inspiration, enjoy your herbs they are perfect for planting in pots near to the kitchen.
Louise