You may already grow some of the plants on this list in containers, but there are several that I had not expected. This list is not about the petunias and geraniums that we all grow, but a selection of different plants that can provide color throughout the season. The plants are described in an article by Arricca Sansone which I found on the Country Living website.

Container gardening is a super-easy way to dress up your front porch, add a splash of color to shady areas, or cope with poor soil in your yard. “Many plants thrive in containers. The most important thing is good drainage,” says Barbara Wise, author of Container Gardening for All Seasons. “Make sure there’s a hole in the bottom of your pot so plants don’t drown, and read the tag or talk to the nursery to learn which plants do well in your specific conditions, such as full sun or shade.” While petunias and marigolds are reliable old standbys in pots, consider these other colorful plants and newer varieties that offer long-lasting beauty in any container:.

1 Coral Bells

This perennial, also called heuchera, has frothy little flowers that arch over mounded foliage in early summer. Its leaves come?in a rainbow of shades from peach to deepest burgundy. “These are one of my favorites that I’ve used in hundreds of planters. They tend to do better in pots in some places, especially if you have a lot of hungry creatures such as voles in your yard,” says Wise.
Exposure: Part sun
Varieties to try: Harvest Burgundy or Dolce Cinnamon Curls

Courtesy of Proven Winner

2 Begonia

?Begonias are versatile, hardy, and showy with a variety of leaf shapes and flower colors ranging from white to brilliant orange. “Many varieties do very well in containers,” says Glenn Kopp, horticulture information manager at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. “Just don’t let them get too wet.” Plant them on their own in a hanging basket or in a mixed container.

Exposure: Part sun
Varieties to try: Dragon Wing or Santa Cruz

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