Hardy shrubs for pots

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Skyline

Emmet Brickowski
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Dave
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I’m no gardener, at all. I plant things and hope for the best.

I bought a Japanese maple the other week and have messed it up already (leaving it in direct sunlight and the elements hitting it from every angle. I’ve moved it to shade and some shelter.

So, what hardy shrub can I put in a 70cm round pot. Will thrive in compost and feed once a year or so? It will be in a sheltered corner with direct sunlight for half a day.
A shrub for gardening dummies :)
 
I want it in this corner. prevailing wind comes from the left looking at the image


 
Hibiscus syriacus would do quite well there, as would a rose.
 
Given plenty of water some Acers can handle sun. Trees are thirsty and pots don't hold water for long :)

Another vote for woody herb, lavender being my pick, great for Bees.
 
I am in Kent as well. We have had a Pieris in a pot for 31 years. Make sure there is good drainage (I added pea shingle to the compost) use the right compost and note whether the plant likes shade, partial or full sun.
 
Go to a good garden centre and ask someone to show you what they have suitable for containers
Can list around 50 plants but you may not like half of them. Anything in a container will need watering well and more so in warm and windy weather even if it rains as often not enough gets in the pot.
I have an Acer in full sun in a south facing garden, its planted in the ground and well established and as long as its not 25C plus it doesnt go too crispy so

If you are in North Kent a few garden centres worth visiting are Paddock Wood, Ruxley Manor, Hawley, Canterbury Chartham, Dobbies at Gillingham


Evergreen Plants - some you need the smaller varieties
Buxus - Box but this is at high risk of Box Caterpillar in the south so Ilex is a better option
Euonymous
Skimmia
Nandina
Rhododendron
Camelia
Azalea
Viburnum tinus
Any number of dwarf conifer
Choisia
Fargesia - short bamboo
Phormium
Olive
Rosemary
Bay
Lavander
Escalonia
Fatsia
Mahonia - the feathery non-spiky leaf varieties in particular

Deciduous
Roses especially the patio varieties
Hydrangea
Physocarpus
Any number of grasses
Buddliea
Cistus
Berberis
Daphne
Cotoneaster
Hibiscus
Hamamelis
Lavatera
Caryopteris
Weigelia
 
Geraniums aren't that showy but I'm guessing you mean Pelargoniums which can be but can also be a bit tender.

Dave, if the pot's big enough, you might be able to squeeze a few Summer bedding plants (Lobelia, Alyssum etc.) around the "residents" for a bit of extra interest.
 
Nod said:
Geraniums aren't that showy but I'm guessing you mean Pelargoniums which can be but can also be a bit tender.

Dave, if the pot's big enough, you might be able to squeeze a few Summer bedding plants (Lobelia, Alyssum etc.) around the "residents" for a bit of extra interest.
Click to expand...
(y)

I’ll do that. I get Lobelia most years. Cheap and easy
 
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AgentOrange76 said:
Go to a good garden centre and ask someone to show you what they have suitable for containers
Can list around 50 plants but you may not like half of them. Anything in a container will need watering well and more so in warm and windy weather even if it rains as often not enough gets in the pot.
I have an Acer in full sun in a south facing garden, its planted in the ground and well established and as long as its not 25C plus it doesnt go too crispy so

If you are in North Kent a few garden centres worth visiting are Paddock Wood, Ruxley Manor, Hawley, Canterbury Chartham, Dobbies at Gillingham


Evergreen Plants - some you need the smaller varieties
Buxus - Box but this is at high risk of Box Caterpillar in the south so Ilex is a better option
Euonymous
Skimmia
Nandina
Rhododendron
Camelia
Azalea
Viburnum tinus
Any number of dwarf conifer
Choisia
Fargesia - short bamboo
Phormium
Olive
Rosemary
Bay
Lavander
Escalonia
Fatsia
Mahonia - the feathery non-spiky leaf varieties in particular

Deciduous
Roses especially the patio varieties
Hydrangea
Physocarpus
Any number of grasses
Buddliea
Cistus
Berberis
Daphne
Cotoneaster
Hibiscus
Hamamelis
Lavatera
Caryopteris
Weigelia
Click to expand...

wow, fantastic list. I’m going to print this off.
Thanks for the post :cool:
 
AgentOrange76 said:
If you are in North Kent a few garden centres worth visiting are Paddock Wood, Ruxley Manor, Hawley, Canterbury Chartham, Dobbies at Gillingham
Click to expand...

Im a few miles from Gravesend. I got the Lavender for a pound from Millbrook garden centre, and the Hibiscus from Spinghead nurseries for a tenner.
 
Skyline said:
Im a few miles from Gravesend. I got the Lavender for a pound from Millbrook garden centre, and the Hibiscus from Spinghead nurseries for a tenner.
Click to expand...

Springhead Nurseries are the best IMHO. We have fuschia in raised beds which started out as hanging basket plants ten years ago.
 
andya700 said:
Springhead Nurseries are the best IMHO. We have fuschia in raised beds which started out as hanging basket plants ten years ago.
Click to expand...
A heck of a lot cheaper than over the the road (Millbrook garden centre) too.
 
This time of year they should be in the shade by 2pm.

I will move the lave into a bigger pot once established


 
You might consider Fatsia Japonica.
This one was bought from a pound type shop a couple of years ago.
edit; it's in a 30 litre pot
DSC_0399.JPG
 
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Skyline said:
This time of year they should be in the shade by 2pm.

I will move the lave into a bigger pot once established


Click to expand...


Would you believe me if I said that our Hibiscus was in that exact tub? Thought not, so I went and took a snap of it!

DSCF6692.JPG
 
Cordy said:
You might consider Fatsia Japonica.
This one was bought from a pound type shop a couple of years ago.
edit; it's in a 30 litre pot
View attachment 399012
Click to expand...

An excellent plant - architectural and the late autumn/early winter flowers are great for small insects. Ours in in the ground and is about 2m high and 1.5m wide.

Dave
 
Not sure how long we've had it (or even where it came from!) but Mrs Nod's best guess is 10 - 15 years.

It seems to tolerate a certain amount of neglect and also seem fairly hardy - we don't fleece it up over winter and it's definitely had a couple of years of snow covering (for a week or 2). When we go away for a week or 3, we just give it a good soaking and leave it to its own devices, feeding it with Tomorite once or twice a year. You can't really see in that shot but the soil (John Innes #3 compost) is piled up against the sides of the pot with a 3-4 inch well to help stop the water dribbling down the sides. Could do with a prune but that'll wait until it's stopped flowering!
 
Nod said:
Not sure how long we've had it (or even where it came from!) but Mrs Nod's best guess is 10 - 15 years.

It seems to tolerate a certain amount of neglect and also seem fairly hardy - we don't fleece it up over winter and it's definitely had a couple of years of snow covering (for a week or 2). When we go away for a week or 3, we just give it a good soaking and leave it to its own devices, feeding it with Tomorite once or twice a year. You can't really see in that shot but the soil (John Innes #3 compost) is piled up against the sides of the pot with a 3-4 inch well to help stop the water dribbling down the sides. Could do with a prune but that'll wait until it's stopped flowering!
Click to expand...

I’m liking the feet idea on the bottom of the pot.
 
Most of our pots are held off the ground on feet like those, some terracotta, some glazed ceramic and some plastic. I used to be happy with 3" lengths of 2x1 but that wasn't pretty enough, apparently! They stop the pots getting waterlogged.
 
Just bought some plastic ones…. To go with the genuine plastic pot :D
 
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I’ve had good luck with Hebes and Skimmia in pots — both seem to handle the cold pretty well. I usually grab smaller sizes to let them grow into the space. For indoors, I’ve used indoor plant delivery a few times to bring in some greenery during winter when not much is happening outside. Helps keep things looking a bit more cheerful through the darker months.
 
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