7 Creative Ideas for Landscaping With Potted Plants

Plants probably fill your home: a fiddle leaf fig next to the couch, a ZZ plant in the guest bedroom, a string of pearls in the bathroom. Although often reserved for interiors, potted plants can make a statement outside, too. Plus, they work in just about any landscape style and climate. When it’s time to upgrade your yard, consider these innovative ways of landscaping with potted plants. Just follow these tips for planting flowers in pots and add some color to your space.

1. Incorporate Unique Pots

In this project by Greenways Landscape and Design, a formerly barren yard with a charming brick wall backdrop received a major landscape refresh. A new pavilion sets up a cozy space to drink coffee in the morning or relax and talk about the day after work. Rather than setting up garden beds, two groupings of potted plants bring life back to the yard. A few wicker baskets used for pots adds natural texture and creates contrast among the potted plants.

2. Keep Climate in Mind

Whether you live in a drought-prone location or a sunny, seaside town, factors like salty air, excess sunshine, and too much or too little rain can all make it difficult to maintain a lush landscape. But as evidenced by this project by Beachside Gardens, LLC, potted plants make it possible to incorporate flora in your yard, even in difficult growing conditions. Potted plants stand out among the stones and are the focal point of this property.

3. Play With Color

This landscape from Sage Greenscaping quickly catches the eye. In addition to the abundance of greenery, an impressive feat considering the drought-prone location, you can’t help but admire the bright blue fountain. To complement the unique color of this water feature, which also attracts wildlife, the designer incorporated potted plants in the same hue. The bright blue pops against the surrounding landscape.

4. Climb the Wall

Even if you don’t have much yard to work with, you can still create a visually appealing landscape with potted plants. The trick is to think vertically, making use of exterior walls or fences. In this example by landscape consultant Noelle Johnson of AZ Plant Lady, patterned pots in a similar but slightly darker color of the walls draw all attention to the life of the garden party, the succulents.

5. Create Clusters of Pots

Another project by Johnson, this time on her own property, this backyard oasis features a grouping of pots that play off the colors of the plants in the landscape. A bright yellow pot recalls a dainty, yellow flowering plant found around the yard. An indigo pot nearby is the perfect contrast to yellow, but it also references the surrounding purple flowers. The result is a colorful, low-maintenance garden that both stands out in the landscape and ties everything else in the yard together.

6. Don’t Forget the Hardscaping

If you’re looking for an easy landscaping idea, consider adding potted plants and hardscaping for minimal upkeep. Hardscaping can help break up a larger yard or create a more functional space if you live in an area with drought. In this example from Contained Creations LLC, the hardscaping carves out an idyllic space for a cushy lounger, flanked by two Oleander standards in pots. These tall, pink flowering plants really project against the green chair, green pots, and green landscape.

7. Level Up

Many times, potted plants work as a way to add life to a landscape full of gravel or pavement, but they can also add interest to a vibrant, green landscape full of plants that are rooted in the yard. To make sure the potted plants receive attention, too, try raising them up on a plant stand, a unique chair, or a small table. Mix in plants and pots of different sizes, like shown in a garden by Kathy Brown’s Gardens, to further draw the eye in.