This article came about thanks to a reader’s request (our fave kind of articles to write). She wanted to know the best way to use potted colour or flowering pot plants throughout the home.
Potted colour plants are a cheap and cheerful way to bring a burst of colour into your home. At some garden centres, you’ll often find some varieties for around $2 a pot!
So here are our best tips on the best flowering pot plants and where to use them in your home.
Related article: Top 20 plants for your courtyard: Plants that love living in pots
Related article: Top 20 hard to kill indoor plants
Which are the best flowering pot plants
To choose the best flowering pot plants or potted colour, it really depends on what you like. The colour choices are endless and you can keep it all matchy-matchy, or mix it up and go totally wild.
Potted plants can look great on their own, or as a cluster. If you choose to cluster your pots, try going for different heights and style them in odd numbers — 1, 3, 5… — as it’s more balancing on the eye.
And wherever you place your bright beauties, be sure to remember to water them and place them in a spot that gives them enough indirect sunlight. Indirect sunlight is generally best as it offers natural light without the harshness of direct sunlight right on the plant.
Annuals vs perennials
Something to keep in mind before heading to the gardening centre is what types of plants you want to choose. Annuals or perennials. But… what’s the difference?!
Annuals
Annuals come in a stunning array of colours, shapes and sizes, perfect for giving your home that bright pop of colour. But only for a season. These plants need to be replaced seasonally, or annually. However the trade off is that they’re relatively cheap to buy and mean you can mix up your look and style depending on your mood (or the season!).
Some of our favourite flowering annuals are:
Alyssum
Begonia
Cosmos
Gazania
Impatiens
Lobelia
Marigold
Pansy
Petunia
Polyanthus
Primula Obconica
Snapdragon
Verbena
Viola
Zinnia
Perennials
Perennials are flowering plants that you can enjoy year after year. They are generally cold-hardy plants that die down or are cut back in winter before flowering again in the spring.
A great tip is to choose a variety of perennials that flower at different seasons so you will have colour for most of year.
Some of our favourite flowering perennials are:
Anemone
Campanula Bellflower
Clematis
Coreopsis
Crocus
Dianthus
Echinacea
Forget Me Not
Geranium
Hardy fuchsia
Masterwort
Salvia Nemorosa Caradonna
Seaside daisy
Thrillers, fillers and spillers
We know this sounds a bit like a Michael Jackson song, but we found this clever planting idea during our research for the best flowering pot plants to display around the home.
Horticulturist Melissa King suggests designing your potted colour based on thrillers, fillers and spillers. Thrillers are plants that demand attention. Like a tall, blooming geranium or spiky, fragrant lemongrass.
Spillers come next and are plants that will typically spill over the sides of the pot and make the planter look full, lush and gorgeous.
Fillers are those smaller plants that take up space in between the thrillers and spillers. Think of them as like the cherry on top — making the planter feel beautiful and finished.
Where to use flowering pot plants in your home
On a windowsill or balcony
The windowsill or in a hanging pot over your balcony is perfect if you have little or no garden space. They look beautiful and are a great space saving way to add colour to your home.
At your front door or entrance to your home
To create a welcoming entrance, why not add some potted colour or flowering pot plants at the entry of your home? A matching pair either side of your front door looks gorgeous, or you can pop some in a pot by your front gate. Blooming beautiful!
On a coffee table
A beautiful floral arrangement look stunning on a coffee table, but if you want something that will last longer than cut flowers, consider a flowering pot plant instead.
Add a cluster of colour
As we mentioned earlier, a cluster of pots always looks great. Add a breath of colourful life by popping a few potted colours together with your favourite pot plants for a visual delight.
On the dining table
Another ideal space for colourful pot plants is on the dining room table. Add one as a real statement, or cluster a few at different heights to add interest and draw the eye to your colourful centrepiece.
On the kitchen bench
Make washing up and other menial kitchen chores a joy by adding some colourful blooms to your kitchen bench. We adore these rustic looking pots that are a wonderful contrast to the delicate perennial hyacinths they house.
On the bathroom vanity
Your bathroom often misses out in the styling stakes so we thought it would be the perfect place to add some colourful flowering plants. Choose a plant that can handle the humidity and changing conditions of a bathroom such as this moth orchid.
We also have this fab article to help you choose another bathroom friendly plant.
In the laundry
Another often overlooked area of the home is the laundry. We love styling up our laundry. And for a room that gets used almost daily, it seems like the ideal place to pop a pot or 2 of flowering plants wouldn’t you agree?!
In the hallway
Hallways get a lot of foot traffic. If your hall is crying out for some colour and interest, a console table or simple stool can act as the perfect pedestal for some potted colour.
We love the simplicity of the 2 styled hallways below. Rustic yet put together.
On an outdoor table
With our beautiful climate (most of the time!) adding coloured blooms to your outdoor dining table seems like a clever choice. Go for a few different pots or try adding herbs into your pot for something that’s edible and beautiful.
On steps or a staircase
It’s a simple idea, but we love to add a splash of colour to outdoor (or indoor!) steps or staircases. It’s a visual feast for the eyes and encourages the eye to draw upwards towards the colour.
In your study or office
Whether you have a dedicated work from home space or work in an office, why not consider adding a flowering pot plant to your desk?
Flowers are known for their cheery quality, and let’s be honest, every workplace could do with a bit more of that!
On the outdoor patio
Going back outside, and no matter how much space you have, potted colour is a great addition to your garden. Whether you have a small courtyard, patio or balcony, flowering pot plants are a great alternative to add brightness and lush greenery to your place.
We share our top 20 plants that love living in pots here.
Along the fence
Hanging baskets filled to the brim with colourful blooms are perfect for along the fence line. This is a great choice if you’re short on space or have pets in your front garden that make growing flowering plants a challenge.
Down a pathway
Outdoor pathways can sometime be a bit grey and boring. But not if you add pops of colour! Just look at how vibrant this garden path now looks with the stunning bursts of colour at every turn. Love it!
In the bedroom
Back inside, and what better way to start (and end) your day than by glancing over and seeing some delightful coloured flowers on your bedside table.
With a bit of love and TLC, they will last a lot longer than your regular vase of flowers so what’s not to love?!
Do you love plants as much as us?! We hope this article has given you a burst of inspiration to add some potted colour or flowering pot plants at your place. Maybe you’ve already found the perfect spot for one that you think will look blooming lovely!? Drop us a comment below so we can chat!
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