Blossoming Flowers for Your Patio: A Simple Guide
Flowering Plants for Small Patios: A Guide
For those with limited outdoor space, creating a vibrant and beautiful patio garden can still be achievable. Here are some flowering plants that thrive in small spaces, offering a variety of colours, sizes, and fragrances to suit your taste.
Tropical Hibiscus
This patio favourite is known for its big, bold, and beautiful flowers. Thriving best in sunny spots, the Tropical Hibiscus can grow up to 8 feet in height, but requires regular trimming to maintain its size. Sensitive to cold temperatures, it is best suited for warmer climates [1].
Million Bells
Introduced in the 90s, Million Bells is a new plant variety renowned for its cascading growth and rapid flower production. Ideal for containers, Million Bells can be planted in a basket or pot and look wonderful when set in a corner or along walkways [2].
Heliotrope
Heliotrope is a hardy, annual plant with clusters of tiny, brightly colored flowers that thrive in partially shady to sunny growing environments. Its sweet vanilla-like scent is a delightful addition to any patio [3].
Begonias
Easy to maintain, Begonias are annual plants that prefer partly shady growing environments and produce colorful flowers. They are perfect for containers and provide long-lasting colour on shaded patios [2].
Shade-Tolerant and Low-Maintenance Options
For those with purely shaded patios, there are several plants that stand out for their combination of shade tolerance, manageable size, flowering interest, and ease of maintenance.
Hostas
Shade-loving perennials with attractive foliage in various hues, Hostas require well-drained, consistently moist soil and partial to full shade. They are easy to grow and visually appealing for small patios [1][5].
Heartleaf Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla ‘Queen of Hearts’)
Thriving in full shade with moist soil, Heartleaf Brunnera features large variegated leaves and delicate light blue flowers. It grows quickly with minimal upkeep and looks great as ground cover in small spaces [1].
Begonias (Begonia spp.)
Excellent for containers in shade, Begonias produce profuse, sometimes large, showy blooms. Some varieties are perennial, but many are grown as annuals; they provide long-lasting colour on shaded patios [2].
Hydrangeas
Suitable for pots in shaded patios, Hydrangeas can thrive with the right care. They add lushness and blooms and do well particularly in afternoon shade [5].
Additional Options
For small spaces that receive some sunlight, dwarf flowering shrubs like Spilled Wine® Weigela, Dwarf Korean Lilac, or Lo & Behold® Butterfly Bush, offer compact size and showy blooms suitable for patios but generally prefer partial sun [4].
Geraniums
Versatile and easy to care for, Geraniums, particularly the zonal or regal variety, are a gardener's favourite. They prefer mild weather and well-draining soils, and can be grown to accentuate beds, borders, and walkways or grown in pots to highlight outdoor spaces [6].
New Guinea Impatiens
Thriving in pots, New Guinea Impatiens requires moist soil and should be kept away from direct sunlight, even in the afternoons [7].
By choosing the right plants and providing them with the appropriate care, you can create a beautiful and thriving patio garden, no matter the size of your outdoor space.
[1] RHS [2] Garden Myths [3] Gardening Know How [4] Monrovia [5] Garden Design [6] BBC Gardeners World [7] Burpee
- To complement a vibrant patio garden, one may consider incorporating fashionable and stylish outdoor furniture or decor items, such as modern patio chairs or colorful planters, from the 'fashion-and-beauty' category to match the aesthetic of flowering plants.
- For those seeking to designs a cohesive and captivating small patio garden, pairing flowering plants with alluring home decor items, such as lanterns or textured rugs, from the 'home-and-garden' category can help create a harmonious and inviting ambiance.
