Even in the middle of a snowstorm, gardeners can’t help but start dreaming about summer containers. Planning ahead makes the planting season easier, more creative, and a lot more fun.
In this post, we’re sharing our annual container garden plans for this season, including our color palette, favorite plants, and some container design ideas using the classic thriller, filler, spiller method.
We garden in Zone 6A in Upstate New York, and our containers sit on an elevated terrace with a mix of sun, part sun, and shade.
One of the easiest ways to design beautiful containers is to choose a color theme before heading to the garden center.
Last year our containers featured purple and yellow, but this year we’re shifting to a softer palette of pink and purple. This combination allows us to mix:
Soft blush pinks
Bright pink accents
Deep purples
Lavender tones
Choosing a color theme helps reduce overwhelm when shopping for annuals and ensures that everything works together visually.
We’re also simplifying our container layout this year by reducing the total number of pots and upgrading to larger cast stone planters.
Larger containers offer several advantages:
More soil volume means plants stay hydrated longer
Roots have more space to grow
Containers create a stronger visual impact
The new containers will also be placed on pot feet with drip irrigation, making watering much easier during the heat of summer.
The first group of plants focuses on soft pastel colors and romantic textures. These flowers bring a dreamy, cottage-garden feel to containers.
Some of our favorites include:
Rockapoco Apple Blossom Impatiens – double rose-like blooms perfect for part shade
Bright Lights Pink Osteospermum (African Daisy) – tidy plants with continuous flowers
Augusta Lavender Heliotrope – fragrant blooms and soft lavender tones
Stratosphere Pink Gaura – airy movement and delicate flowers
Aromance Pink Nemesia – sweet fragrance and soft pastel color
Pink Chablis Lamium – trailing foliage that works beautifully as a spiller
These plants work well together to create soft, flowing containers with gentle color transitions.
Every container benefits from a little contrast. Deep colors and dramatic foliage help lighter flowers stand out.
Our bold selections include:
Rockin’ Playin’ the Blues Salvia – tall spiky blooms for height
Rockin’ Blue Suede Shoes Salvia – softer lavender-blue flowers
AngelFace Cascade Blue Angelonia – trailing blooms with strong structure
Bluebird Nemesia – fragrant filler with rich color
ColorBlaze ‘Newly Noir’ Coleus – dark foliage that makes everything pop
Plum Dandy Alternanthera – glossy burgundy leaves that spill over container edges
These plants provide the depth and contrast that make containers visually interesting.
Some plants add movement and lightness to containers. These airy textures soften heavier plant combinations.
Great options include:
Meteor Shower Verbena – tall, delicate flower clusters loved by pollinators
Stratosphere Pink Gaura – wispy stems that sway in the breeze
Summer Wave Violet Torenia – trailing flowers ideal for part shade containers
Superbena Pink Cashmere Verbena – long-blooming and heat tolerant
These plants help create containers that feel natural, relaxed, and full of movement.
To create fullness and cascading color, we rely on plants that trail and spread.
Some of our favorites this year include:
Superbells (Calibrachoa) varieties in pinks, purples, and blues
Supertunia Mini Vista Indigo – a favorite that blooms nonstop all season
AngelFace Cascade Pink Angelonia – soft cascading growth
Purple Fountain Grass – a dramatic thriller that adds height and movement
These plants help containers look full, lush, and overflowing with color.
Here are a few container combinations we’re planning this year.
Thriller
Augusta Lavender Heliotrope
Fillers
Bright Lights Pink Osteospermum
Rockapoco Apple Blossom Impatiens
Spillers
Pink Chablis Lamium
Superbells Double Smitten Pink
This combination creates a romantic pastel container with soft textures and fragrance.
Thriller
Rockin’ Playin’ the Blues Salvia
Fillers
AngelFace Cascade Blue Angelonia
Plum Dandy Alternanthera
Spillers
Superbells Double Twilight
This design focuses on dramatic contrast and rich colors.
Thriller
Meteor Shower Verbena
Fillers
Stratosphere Pink Gaura
Aromance Pink Nemesia
Spillers
Superbells Double Blue
Summer Wave Violet Torenia
This combination creates a light, whimsical container with lots of movement.
Large containers hold more soil and moisture, which makes watering easier during summer heat.
Aim for containers at least 12–16 inches wide, and always ensure they have drainage holes.
Good potting soil improves drainage, aeration, and nutrition. A quality mix will help annuals thrive all season.
This classic container design formula works beautifully:
Thriller – tall focal plant
Filler – medium plants that add bulk
Spiller – trailing plants that cascade over the edge
Annual containers often need daily watering in summer. Setting up drip irrigation can make this much easier.
Annuals are heavy feeders. For best results:
Add slow-release fertilizer at planting
Supplement with weekly liquid fertilizer
This keeps foliage green and encourages continuous blooms.
Planning container gardens during winter is one of the best ways to stay inspired until planting season arrives. With the right plants, color combinations, and container design, you can create lush summer displays full of color and texture.
If you’re planning your own containers this year, try experimenting with pink and purple combinations, bold foliage, and airy flowering plants to create beautiful seasonal displays.
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