What to put in my pot?

hogweed · May 2018

I have a large glazed dark red pot sitting on a brick plinth in one of my borders. East facing so fairly shady, backed by leylandii hedge. The planting around the plinth is fairly lowish.
I originally had a Dicksonian in it but surprise surprise it failed to make it through one winter! Last couple of years I have put 'bedding' in it.
I was thinking of putting something perennial in it. I would like something to stand out against the golden leylandii. Thinking something tall and arching. Thinking grasses. Perhaps Imperata rubra?
Open to suggestions (I know nothing about grasses)!

Obelixx · May 2018

Imperata rubra is neither tall nor arching in my experience and likes moisture in its soil. Difficult in a pot then. I'm not surprised a tree fern failed as they too need humus rich, moist but well drained soils and don't do frosts.

If the pot is sheltered from wind you could try one of the hardier Japanese maples with either red bark or burgundy foliage and under plant with something like hakonechloa macra "aureola" which would give you golden colour with deep pinky purple tints in autumn as it fades. You'd have to get the compost and watering right tho and not let them freeze to death in winter.