While my grandma was still alive, I remember her often mentioning that she loved growing flowers in planter boxes. Photographs of her garden from the early 1980s reflected her passion and love for planter boxes in the most beautiful way possible.
Today, I thought why not have a discussion on pots and planter boxes and help beginners with a list of long-blooming flowers that grow best in them?
Let’s jump straight into it, shall we?
Why Choose Long-Blooming Flowers For Containers?
I’m sure you might be wondering, “Why long-blooming flowers and not short-blooming ones?”
Well, for anybody who’s new here, long-blooming flowers are much easier to maintain and can add vibrancy to your garden without needing extra care or attention. The seasonal beauty will also help save space and allow you to boost your garden’s overall productivity.
Growing in containers will give you more control over variables like soil, temperature, water, and light, allowing you to optimize every single detail for the best growth possible.
If you’re into long bloomers, you might also like this article I put together on the longest-flowering spring bulbs, it’s a nice one to bookmark for later.
Long-Blooming Flowers For Pots and Planter Boxes
1: Petunias
Petunias can absolutely thrive in pots and planter boxes. They bloom from spring to frost with regular feeding. I’d suggest going with Wave or Supertunia varieties for nonstop color.
One thing I always do to keep mine looking full and blooming like crazy is deadhead them regularly, and if you’re not sure how, I recommend you take a look at my full guide on deadheading petunias. It really makes a difference!
2: Pelargoniums
Pelargoniums, usually known as zonal Geraniums, typically bloom in spring through fall with deadheading. Their upright growth and mounding habit make them more suitable for large pots. Though Pelargoniums might have a very soft and delicate appearance, they’re actually quite drought-tolerant and hardy once established.
3: Calibrachoa (Million Bells)
To me, calibrachoas are just mini petunia lookalikes with constant blooms. They are self-cleaning, low-maintenance, and thrive in containers as long as they’re provided with good drainage.
4: Lantana
Lantanas are heat-loving and bloom from summer all the way to fall. They’re perfect for keeping in sunny, dry spots in containers and deterring harmful pests and insects from the garden.
In my experience, lantanas also attract tons of butterflies, which is good because they add liveliness to the garden landscape.
5: Verbenas
Verbenas are constant bloomers when well-fed and maintained with care. They love full sun and can handle medium to long dry spells with ease.
6: Zinnias (Compact Varieties)
Zinnias are long-blooming annuals with a bold and striking color palette. They’re great for drawing in pollinators from afar, but make sure you choose dwarf varieties for pots as the regular-sized ones can be a little too big for small pots.
You do not want flowers falling and drooping from pots, as they might attract fungal diseases or pests from the ground.
I’ve shared exactly how I keep mine blooming strong all summer. So, take a look at my zinnia care tips for June, including how I water, feed, and deadhead them for nonstop color.
7: Begonias (Wax Or Tuberous)
Begonias are bright, large flowers with majestic, contrasting foliage. They’re shade-tolerant and floriferous, making them great for porches and covered balconies.
8: Salvia (Annual Types Like ‘Splendens’)
Certain Salvia varieties, like Splendens, bloom constantly in hot conditions. They’re loved by pollinators like bees and hummingbirds and pair well with trailing plants in large pots or planter boxes.
9: Impatiens (New Guinea Or SunPatiens)
Impatiens can bloom nonstop in shade or filtered light. They require consistent watering and a little extra care, but it’s all worth it when their delicate, velvety flowers bloom.
10: Osteospermum (African Daisy)
African daisies are long bloomers in cool weather. Although their flowers might close when the heat becomes unbearable, they do eventually bounce back. Make sure to deadhead them regularly for full performance.
11: Alyssum
Alyssums grow very close to the ground and offer a sweet, lingering fragrance in the garden that can captivate from afar. The flowering plant self-sows gently and can bloom for months on end.
12: Torenia (Wishbone Flower)
Torenias are shade-tolerant, trailing annuals that perform extremely well under the shade of taller plants. They bloom heavily in containers with constantly moist soil.
13: Coreopsis (Dwarf Varieties)
Dwarf coreopsis varieties are perfect for long flowering in mild climates. The perennial thrives in full sun and well-drained pots, blooming vibrant flowers with multi-colored petals.
14: Scaevola (Fan Flower)
The scaevola is a sprawling, heat-tolerant bloomer. It offers unique, fan-shaped petals (thus the name) all season round and is a great filler for large planter boxes that lack color and fullness.
Let’s Conclude
Growing plants in pots and planter boxes used to be my grandma’s favorite activity in the later years of her life. And, now, it has become a hobby of mine too. Trust me, you’ll be shocked to find out just how many planter boxes I ordered for my balcony garden the other day. (Hint: 15+)
As I grow older and progress in my gardening journey, I notice that it isn’t about growing plants and getting over with it anymore. Now, something in me wants to experiment with different planting mediums, soils, pairings, and care techniques that make the whole experience 3x more fun and meaningful.
But, before you leave, check out this guide on the best outdoor plants for full sun pots, it’s packed with ideas I’ve been playing around with lately.
