When the bulbs first start breaking through the ground in spring, it’s easy to focus all our energy on our garden beds. After all, there are edges to sharpen, holes to fill, and general cleanup to undertake. But now is also a good time to refresh those sad-looking containers. At this point the evergreen boughs have likely turned brown and the festive berry branches have been picked clean by the birds. The following recipes from Chanticleer Garden in Wayne, Pennsylvania, offer a bit of inspiration for those dreary pots and utilize a unique assortment of plants.

Take stock of the surroundings

Think about where you will place your planter before digging into the design. Take stock of the area and the way plants will complement or conflict with colors and textures in view. This arrangement and the placement of the planter marry well with the cherry and magnolia in the distance.

—Designed by Doug Croft

1. Willowleaf cotoneaster (Cotoneaster salicifolius, Zones 6–8)
2. Bellissima™ Red English daisy (Bellis perennis ‘Bellissima Red’, Zones 4–8)
3. ‘Winter Joy’ wallflower (Erysimum ‘Winter Joy’, annual)
4. Flying Colors^® Trailing Antique Rose diascia (Diascia ‘Diastu’, annual)

Simple can be beautiful

This combination uses only two tones: gold and pink. The cut stems of smoke tree balance out the height of the planters, while the soft yellow tulips and shocking pink wallflower pick up the simple corresponding colors in the garden.

—Designed by Jonathan Wright

1. Smoke tree stems (Cotinus coggygria cv., Zones 5–9)
2. Yellow Cubed™ mix tulips (Tulipa cvs., Zones 4–8)
3. ‘Winter Joy’ wallflower

Good enough to eat

This container is not only ornamental but also entirely edible. Wispy bronze fennel weaves its way through pak choi and monkey flower, the leaves and blooms of which were once common in salads. The arrangement is perfect for a tabletop—whether it is to be consumed or not.

—Designed by Jonathan Wright

1. Bronze fennel (Foeniculum vulgare* ‘Purpureum’, Zones 4–9)
2. ‘White Blotch’ monkey flower (Mimulus ‘White Blotch’, annual)
3. ‘Violetta’ pak choi (Brassica rapa var. chinensis ‘Violetta’, annual)

Tip: Herbs and leafy vegetables need to be harvested even when they are planted in a pot. Don’t worry about the design, though. The plants will respond by sending out fresh—and tasty—new leaves and edible flowers throughout the season.

Soften the edges

From the bluestone vessel to the peastone dressing, this container is a contradiction that works. Soft, jewel-toned flowers and airy Mexican feather grass juxtapose nicely with the sharp thorns of a barrel cactus and the hard edges of stone in an unorthodox yet effective combination.

—Designed by Lisa Roper

1. Persian lily (Fritillaria persica, Zones 6–8)
2. ‘Mirabelle Improved’ wallflower (Erysimum ‘Mirabelle Improved’, annual)
3. ‘W. P. Milner’ daffodil (Narcissus ‘W. P. Milner’, Zones 3–9)
4. Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima, Zones 7–11)
5. Barrel cactus (Ferocactus sp., Zone 11)

*Invasive Alert:

Sweet fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

This plant is considered invasive in CA, OR, WA, and WV.

Please visit invasiveplantatlas.org for more information.

Illustrations: Elara Tanguy

Find more spring container inspiration:

Spring Containers for Every Style

Welcome Spring with These Container Designs

Great Container Plants for Spring

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Bee Watering Station with Vivid Flower Design

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Thoughtful Combo: You will receive a bee feeder and 30 glass marbles. This thoughtful combo can provide clean water for the bees, you just need to put the marbles into the bee watering station, add water (note: the water level should not exceed the height of the marbles) and hang them in the right place. The round, colored marbles can provide a place for the bees to stand and prevent them from falling into the water, effectively keeping the bees safe. Fine Material: This exquisite bee bath is made of high quality iron material, smooth surface, rust and weather resistant, not easy to fade, sturdy and reliable. Bee cups for garden can well meet the drinking water needs of lovely bees, and it can also provide food for bees, such as sugar water, nectar, etc., attracting more bees to your outdoor area and making your garden full of vitality. Perfect Size: The butterfly watering station has an overall height of 13.4 inches, a bowl diameter of 9.4 inches, and a weight of 0.44 pounds. The bee cup serves the needs of the bees well without plunging them into dangerously deep water or taking up unnecessary space in your garden, and this compact and efficient design makes it a practical addition to any outdoor space. Elegant Design: Our bee watering cups are designed in unique flower shapes with vibrant and realistic colours to attract lovely bees to your garden and patio, bee feeders for outside are not only functional but can also be used as a landscaping element, their vibrant floral patterns enhance the beauty of your garden. Multicolored Decoration: Colorful bee water stations look like flowers in a garden, flower bed or pot and attract bees and butterflies. They can drink or bathe in bee feeders, which are highly decorative and practical.

Buy at Amazon

Gardener's Log Book from NYBG

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

This weatherproof five-year log book includes the following features: · Sturdy waterproof cover to protect pages from rain and muddy soil · Lined pages and gridded paper for plotting beds · Five years of 12-month bloom and harvest grids for recording what you planted and when · Authoritative appendices on composting, pruning, pest and disease control, and container gardening · Useful reminders by season on fertilizing, mulching, and transplanting · Space for listing your favorite sources and suppliers.

Buy at Amazon

Niteangel Natural Wooden Insect Hotel, Garden Insect House for Ladybugs, lacewings, Butterfly, Bee, Bug

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

The insect nest box provide a safe environment where garden creatures can shelter, hibernate and lay their eggs, the insect house can also keep insects from entering your warm room. The insect hotel makes it easy to find and observe fascinating creatures. the butterfly, bees and ladybugs can use this product as habitat. Dry wood and Bamboo can be home to many insects such as ladybirds and lacewings which eat aphids and help keep your plants pest-free. the insect hotel improve the growth of plants in your yard by attracting beneficial insects. The iron design on the top can keep the insect house from rainwater. Let the insect house have a longer useful life and make the insects more comfortable. If you only have a balcony or yard, the hanging garden shelter is ideal as it provides a choice of suitable habitats in a small area.

Buy at Amazon