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Any suggestions for nice plants for pots for patio?And suggestion for shrubs for a flower bed?

Wilson73Wilson73 Posts: 136
edited June 2020 in Plants
Hello folks,I'm very new to gardening and I have a couple of things I would like to achieve,I have one side of my garden that needs a flower bed cleaning ready for new plants and I'm thinking of easy to manage shrubs,ones that aren't going to grow to a huge size?Also On my patio I'm going to get a few pots,and would like to know any suggestions of suitable plants for those? And when displaying plants in pots what matter do I need to grow the plants in to sustain them,compost?Top soil?Do I need to add any grit or anything to the bottom of the pot?
Colours that I haven't got in the garden that I like are orange yellow and purple
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  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Potentillas come as shrubs or perennials. As shrubs, they are very easy going and don't get huge. They come in orange, yellow or white flowers. Another smaller easy plant are hebes which can come with purple flowers. Do you know what kind of soil you have?
    As for plants in containers, you could look at small patio roses with orange or yellow blooms (sunshine needed) or fuchsias (part shade) for summer and spring bulbs for earlier in the year.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • SuesynSuesyn Posts: 664
    If you're going to have shrubs in containers you need to get John Innes no3 and add some grit or perlite if the plant requires well drained soil. 
    Perhaps decide which plants you like and then ask for more advice for the best growing medium for them.
    Container plants will always need more care than plants in the garden but it does mean you can grow things which may not like your soil. I've got camellia in pots as they don't like my soil and that has the added advantage in that I can bring them to the front when they are flowering in spring and then tuck them away out of sight when they're just boring green things. 
    I always put a layer of grit in the bottom of my containers to help them drain too. 
  • Wilson73Wilson73 Posts: 136
    Suesyn said:
    If you're going to have shrubs in containers you need to get John Innes no3 and add some grit or perlite if the plant requires well drained soil. 
    Perhaps decide which plants you like and then ask for more advice for the best growing medium for them.
    Container plants will always need more care than plants in the garden but it does mean you can grow things which may not like your soil. I've got camellia in pots as they don't like my soil and that has the added advantage in that I can bring them to the front when they are flowering in spring and then tuck them away out of sight when they're just boring green things. 
    I always put a layer of grit in the bottom of my containers to help them drain too. 

    Thanks,I'm glad I asked,there seems a lot more to it than I thought.
  • Wilson73Wilson73 Posts: 136
    Lizzie27 said:
    Potentillas come as shrubs or perennials. As shrubs, they are very easy going and don't get huge. They come in orange, yellow or white flowers. Another smaller easy plant are hebes which can come with purple flowers. Do you know what kind of soil you have?
    As for plants in containers, you could look at small patio roses with orange or yellow blooms (sunshine needed) or fuchsias (part shade) for summer and spring bulbs for earlier in the year.

    Hi thanks the Potentillas look nice.With regards to soil is there a way to test it,is that something that I should do,I'm hoping my plants will be ok that I have bought so far,I'm sure the Hydrangeas will be as I have them in the front garden
  • FlyDragonFlyDragon Posts: 834
    What colour are the flowers on your hydrangeas?  If they're blue, you have acid soil, if they're bright pink, you have alkaline soil. 
  • Wilson73Wilson73 Posts: 136
    FlyDragon said:
    What colour are the flowers on your hydrangeas?  If they're blue, you have acid soil, if they're bright pink, you have alkaline soil. 

    I've got 2 varieties in the front,one which must be a mophead is white and the other hydrangea  has pink leaves(At least I think it's a hydrangea),do you know what variety it is?I have added a photo the colours don't come out so well in the photo but they are a light pink
  • FlyDragonFlyDragon Posts: 834
    How long have the hydrangeas been in the ground?  Should have asked that!  Look like a while though!
  • Wilson73Wilson73 Posts: 136
    I would imagine at least 30 years
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    If you pick up a handful of soil and squeeze it, does it stick together in a ball (clay soil) or is it sandy and runs through your fingers (free draining sandy soil) ? There are inexpensive soil testing kits you can buy from garden centres which involve mixing some soil with water and checking what colour is. Have a look in your neighbours' gardens to see what they are growing.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • FlyDragonFlyDragon Posts: 834
    edited June 2020
    warwickbear1973+8 said:
    I would imagine at least 30 years
    Looks like neutral to alkaline then. 

    This might be useful too:

    http://www.landis.org.uk/data/natmap.cfm
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