Plants for containers
Check the details when you buy and pick appropriate plants for your situation
Key: Common name
Species & 'Variety'
Approx. height
Flowering season
Full sun
Crocus
Lots to pick from, 0.15m, Mar-Apr
Thyme
e.g. Thymus pulegioides 'Aureus' or Thymus vulgaris, 0.2-0.3m, May-Jul
Hebe
Lots to pick from, big and small (0.3m to 2m) e.g. Hebe 'Autumn Glory', 0.6m, Jul-Oct
Pot marjoram (Oregano)
Origanum vulgare, 0.45m, Jul-Sept
Hardy geranium / cranesbill
Lots to pick from e.g Geranium ‘Rozanne’, 0.6m, Jun-Oct
Yarrow
Achillea millefolium 'Red Velvet', 0.6m, May-Aug; ‘Moonshine’, 0.6m, Jun-Sept; Achillea filipendulina 'Cloth of Gold', 1.2m, Jun-Sept
Verbena
e.g. Verbena bonariensis 'Lollipop', 0.6m, Jun-Sept
Lavender
e.g. Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’, 0.6m, Jul-Sept
Hyssop
Hyssopus officinalis, 0.6m, Jul-Sept
Dyer's chamomile
e.g. Anthemis tinctoria 'E.C. Buxton', 0.7m, Jun-Aug
Greater knapweed
Centaurea scabiosa, 0.75m, Jul-Sept
Garden mint
Mentha spicate, 1m, Jul-Aug
Part sun/part shade
Snowdrops
Galanthus nivalis, 0.1m, Jan-Feb
Primrose
Primula vulgaris, 0.2m, Mar-May
Hebe
Lots to pick from, big and small (0.3m to 2m) e.g. Hebe 'Autumn Glory', 0.6m, Jul-Oct
Barberry
e.g. Berberis thunbergii 'Lutin Rouge', 0.45m, Apr-Jun
Ferns
Lots to pick from e.g. Five-fingered maidenhair fern (Adiantum aleuticum), 0.45m; Hart’s tongue (Asplenium scolopendrium), 0.6m; Soft shield fern (Polystichum setiferum), 1.2m
Hardy geranium / cranesbill
Lots to pick from e.g Geranium ‘Rozanne’, 0.6m, Jun-Oct
Japanese anemone
e.g. Anemone x hybrida ‘Pretty Lady Susan’, 0.6m, Jul-Sept
Foxglove
Digitalis purpurea, 0.6-2m, Jun-Jul
Garden mint
Mentha spicate, 1m, Jul-Aug
Shade
Snowdrops
Galanthus nivalis, 0.1m, Jan-Feb
Primrose
Primula vulgaris, 0.2m, Mar-May
Barberry
e.g. Berberis thunbergii 'Lutin Rouge', 0.45m, Apr-Jun
Ferns
Lots to pick from e.g. Five-fingered maidenhair fern (Adiantum aleuticum), 0.45m; Hart’s tongue (Asplenium scolopendrium), 0.6m; Soft shield fern (Polystichum setiferum), 1.2m
Japanese anemone
e.g. Anemone x hybrida ‘Pretty Lady Susan’, 0.6m, Jul-Sept