Container gardens can be stunning, but they're often created out of necessity rather than choice, whether that's because of limited space or a lack of flower beds. What many gardeners don't realise, however, is that some plants actually perform better in pots than they do in the ground.
It may sound surprising, but when you think about the logistics of a cultivated garden, where not every plant is suited to sharing space with its neighbours, it makes perfect sense.
Some species spread aggressively and are best kept contained, while other have growing requirements that differ from the plants already filling your borders. Certain varieties might even struggle with your garden's soil type, making a pot a much better environment.
Whether it's the potted plant that's happier or the rest of your garden benefits from giving it its own space, some popular shrubs, flowers and foliage plants are simply better off growing in containers. Here are four that should stay in pots.
Pelargoniums
As Richard Barker of LBS Horticulture explains, pelargoniums – with a name derived from the Greek pelargos, meaning stork – perform better in pots. "They flower better when they are slightly root-bound and pots can stop water from pooling around their roots," he says.
To keep them happy and flowering until autumn, only water moderately and deadhead regularly to encourage more blooms. You can also pinch out the tips of the shoots in spring or early summer to help the plant produce more branches.
According to Country Living's houses editor, Daisy Bendall, we're seeing a huge revival of pelargoniums in country homes. Once dismissed as old-fashioned, the plants are now enjoying a chic resurgence appearing in stylish homes (and gardens) in all sorts of colours, shapes and varieties.
Agapanthus
Sometimes called African lily or Lily of the Nile, this pretty perennial is a popular garden plant often seen adorning front gardens or towering at the back of borders. If you'd like them to do even better, Richard recommends planting them up in terracotta pots, to keep this subtropical flower nice and toasty in the summer.
"Having restricted roots can encourage the plant to produce more flowers in summer," he says. "Plants grown in pots will need to be watered regularly, and also benefit from being fed annually with liquid tomato feed. Deadheading faded flowers can promote more flowering, or you can leave the flower heads in place to collect seeds."
A pot also allows you to move your agapanthus indoors in the winter, which is recommended as this plant likes the heat but not the cold.
Blueberries
These berries require very acidic soil, which many other plants don't like. A pot allows you to keep the pH level high without stressing out other varieties. If you want to grow your own blueberries, Richard advises potting up established plants instead of starting from scratch.
"Although they can be grown from seeds, this can be a lengthy and sometimes unsuccessful process so it is better to buy young plants or propagate from cuttings," he says.
"Blueberries can be planted at any time of the year. Choose a pot that has a diameter of at least 30cm and water regularly; use rainwater wherever possible. During the growing season, feed pot-grown blueberries every week with a fertiliser for acid-loving plants. Each spring, if you are not repotting the plant into a larger pot, you should remove the top layer of compost and replace this with a fresh layer."
Mint
Another edible plant, mint is much more low-maintenance when separated from other plants. "Although mint is not necessarily happier in pots, it is much easier to grow it this way as it spreads aggressively when in the ground," Richard says. "It's a relatively easy plant to grow and maintain, and harvesting the young leaves often can keep the plant bushy and compact."
"When grown in a container, mint will need to be divided and repotted every few years, and it should be watered regularly during dry spells. When mint plants finish flowering, cut the plant down to around two inches from the base to encourage it to produce fresh shoots."
Pick of the pelargoniums
Variegated Fragrans
Wanda Sachs is the Multiplatform Writer for Country Living and House Beautiful, exploring the latest in gardening, wildlife and sustainable living alongside interiors and property. She is particularly interested in human-interest stories, the intersection of design and pop culture, and the evolving relationship between urban and rural life. Previously, she served as Associate Editor at The Berliner in Berlin, where she reported on culture and fashion. Wanda studied English and German at the Goethe University Frankfurt and Exeter University.
