Clippings No.11 The Summer Container Garden: Bright Blooms and Big Pots
How to grow glorious blooms in full sun, without watering every five minutes or melting your roots.
After three episodes in the shade, it’s a very warm welcome to the sunny side of gardening. Around my gardens, I have two main container displays that catch the lion’s share of summer rays: the Courtyard Garden (a white-walled suntrap facing south and west), and the full-sun Terrace Garden, which positively bakes in the afternoon heat.
The pots are substantial. Bucket-sized, at the very least. Anything smaller just dries out far too fast. My container gardening philosophy? Big pots, deep watering, and one glorious weekly session with a Hugo Spritz in hand. Far better than faffing about daily with parched little pots.
Note: My garden is in Southern England, roughly USDA Zone 8b with a maritime climate.
The Pots
Most of mine are galvanised metal, and yes, I get a lot of questions about heat. “Don’t they get too hot?” or “Won’t the roots suffer?” Fair enough. Let’s just remember, many sun-loving plants evolved in far hotter places, growing in rocky, shallow, well-drained soils where “cool roots” simply weren’t on offer.
Yes, galvanised pots do heat up. But so does Tuscany, and nobody’s asking the lavender to move house. For Mediterranean-style planting, warmth is part of the deal.
If not galvanised, I’ll go for ceramic, glazed, or thick terracotta. And the compost? Always moisture-retentive yet well-drained. I rely on SylvaGrow Multi-Purpose with added John Innes, or their Tub & Basket mix (specially developed for containers). I adjust drainage with grit as needed.
Tip: If a plant’s label says “well-drained”, mix in grit. Lots of grit. “Moist but well-drained” still means decent drainage is essential. Always ensure your pots have drainage holes. For metal pots you can always drill more.
Keep It Simple
Here’s another part of my container philosophy: simple is better. Most of my pots host a single plant. Why? Because mixed container displays, while beautiful, can be fiddly. They need a designer’s eye, careful planning for bloom times, and a willingness to accept the inevitable gap when something fades too soon. It’s like speed dating at the wrong table… someone’s bound to clash.
Planting one showstopper per pot lets each diva have their solo. No chorus line (or chat-up line) needed.
Single-plant pots let you:
Rearrange displays with the seasons (or your whims).
Swap out anything that’s gone over without disturbing the rest.
Show off each plant at its peak, no competition, no visual clutter.
I often plant into recycled plastic pots and then “drop” them into vintage galvanised planters or ceramics. When a plant is past its best, I just lift it out and replace it with something else. Hot-swapping pots is my version of a garden wardrobe change. One day it’s agapanthus, the next it’s all about the dahlias.
The Sun-Lovers I Grow in Pots
There are so many plants I could suggest, but these are the standout stalwarts in my garden. Those that have been turning up, year after year, with minimal faff.
Agapanthus africanus
Glamorous and statuesque, with tall stems and flowers in white, blue, or inky purple. They’re not cheap, but the moment they flower, all is forgiven. Even the eye-watering price tag. Feed regularly during summer to promote flowering for the following season, deadhead entire stems, and overwinter under cover if you’re unsure of your frost levels.
Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower)
Not glamorous, but this one turns up every day, gets the job done, and never asks for thanks. A floral workhorse. It blooms for months (June through to November) and the bees and butterflies go mad for it. Deadhead regularly and it just keeps going. Likes full sun, copes with a little shade, and thrives in a well-drained mix.
Lavender (English & French)
Sun-loving and fragrant. I grow it by the front door and steps so everyone who walks past gets an aromatic “Hello!” Needs gritty compost and hates soggy feet. Trim after flowering to keep it neat. French lavender is frost-tender, so many grow it as an annual.
Erigeron karvinskianus
My underplanting hero. Spills beautifully from under roses, bay trees, or olive pots. Has a timeless, cottagy charm. Tumbles and spills like it owns the place and frankly, I let it. I give it a short back and sides in spring, and again mid-summer to keep the flowers coming and tidy-up any straggly foliage. Neither hungry, nor thirsty, just quietly brilliant.
Achillea millefolium (Yarrow)
Feathery foliage with flat (umble), pollinator-magnet blooms in white, yellow, pink, orange and more. Easy, hardy, sun-loving. Cut back stems once they start browning to encourage repeat flowering. Best in leaner, well-drained composts, otherwise they get too tall and floppy.
Salvia
The gift that keeps on giving. Salvias bloom for months and come in every colour imaginable. I grow Salvia nemorosa, the Wish Collection, and my favourite Salvia ‘Amistad’ with its sultry purple flowers. Deadhead by cutting back to where new growth emerges. Needs gritty compost and benefits from a little extra feed throughout the season.
Veronicastrum
Tall, elegant spires in soft pinks and whites. Adds height, sway, and a touch of architectural drama. Thrives in full sun with a moist, well-drained mix. Even the fading flowerheads look beautiful through autumn and into winter.
Heuchera
A newer love of mine. Great foliage contrast with deep plum, near-black, crimson tones. Wonderful for breaking up a sea of green. Fine wiry stems hold up sprays of tiny flowers. Tolerates some shade, but the darker-leaved varieties love full sun if kept watered.
Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’
Orange sherbet in plant form. Fizzy, fabulous, and hard not to smile at. Along with Geranium ‘Rozanne’, this is one of my longest blooming perennials. Needs full sun and regular water. Cut the flower stems down to the base for continuous blooms.
Dahlia
A whole world of shapes and sizes, but in pots I now favour the smaller pom-poms, collarettes, and bee-friendly singles. With regular feeding and watering, they’ll flower right through summer and into autumn.
Dianthus (Pinks)
Softly scented, tough as boots. Your nan would approve. Pinks have a tidy habit, and brilliant at coping with drought. A perfect front-of-pot filler in whites and pinks.
And Don’t Forget the Shrubs
Hydrangea paniculata
A shrub that genuinely surprised me. If you can maintain moisture, these big, blousy bloomers are remarkably unfussy. Let them dry out and they’ll show it with drooping leaves, shrinking flowerheads, and a general air of disappointment. Regular watering is essential. Beyond that, a light feed and a spring prune is all they really ask for.
Shrub Roses
Big pots only, please. I use vintage dolly tubs, which are nice and deep, perfect for those woody roots. My favourites include Lady Emma Hamilton, Boscobel, Desdemona, Olivia Rose Austin, and Eustacia Vye. They flower for months.
Just steer clear of the lax, sprawly types like Young Lycidas and Mill-on-the-Floss. They’re far too floppy for pots and much better suited to the border.
A spring feed and another in June will keep these divas blooming all summer. Alternatively, a fortnightly seaweed root drench or foliar feed will keep them happy and healthy.
Peony
A short-season star for early summer, but what a stunner. Peonies grow surprisingly well in large containers, just make sure you size up as they grow. I often plant two together in a large container, then split and re-pot them once they mature. Feed in June/July to promote flowering these following season.
Clippings No.3 The Slow Art of Watering
Good watering isn’t about frantic sprinkling — it’s about paying attention. Listening to the plants, noticing the soil, checking your pace, and observing.
Top Tips for Growing Sun-Lovers in Pots
Water regularly
It’s far easier to maintain moisture than to rescue dried-out compost. Once it dries out, it behaves more like dust than soil, and water just runs straight off the top, as if it’s forgotten what it’s for. Reviving dry compost is a bit like trying to butter cold toast. Possible, but not pretty, and no one enjoys the process.
Tip: If you lead a busy life, or have limited mobility, it’s well worth considering a drip irrigation system. These can be connected to water butts and automated with a submersible pump for slow, steady watering without the daily faff.
Feed fortnightly
A fortnightly seaweed feed is like handing out sugar-rich smoothies to marathon runners. Regular feeding will keep most plants flowering their socks off. Remember, even the best composts only have enough nutrients for 4-8 weeks.
Group pots
Plants, like people, cope better in heat when they’ve got friends nearby for moral support. Crowding containers helps create humidity, reduces evaporation, and gives your plants shady neighbours.
Deadhead often
Snip snip… It’s the garden equivalent of a haircut and pep talk. Keeps things tidy and encourages more blooms. (I’ll cover this in more detail in an upcoming post.)
Play with height
Keep the materials consistent and let the plants do the talking. Personally, I love a run of galvanised metal, if you hadn’t noticed. But do vary the pot sizes and use bricks or stands to add height. It draws the eye up and stops everything feeling flat.
Think big
Don’t be shy with scale. Use tall grasses, statuesque perennials, or even small trees in pots. It lifts the whole scene and makes the space feel grander.
So there you have it. My summer sun-worshippers strutting their stuff in pots. Easygoing, glorious, and just thirsty enough to keep you outside with the watering can (or the Hugo Spritz).
Got a favourite sun-lover for pots? Or a plant that surprised you with its heat tolerance? Let me know in the comments. I’m always looking for new pot stars. 🌿
🌿 Coming up…
Paid subscribers can enjoy an immersive high-summer tour around my gardens - a real peek behind the petals. I’ll be sharing the highs and lows, the wins and wobbles, the triumphs and inevitable “what was I thinking?” moments. I won’t shy away from the ugly bits, but you’ll have to forgive me in advance for revelling (just a little) in the glory of the summer garden.
If you’re not yet a paid subscriber, now’s a lovely time to upgrade and join me for the full tour. Bring your sunhat… it’s going to be a good one.
Hi, I just tried several times to upgrade to paid subscription via monthly payment. It doesn’t seem to be going through. Can you please check to see if my subscription went through. Hopefully it didn’t go through the 6 times I clicked it. Please LMK.
EG Moree Edelson
Thank you Elliott!