The Best Potted Perennials

Aquatic Plants

• Aquatic plants grow in either water or bog gardens. Creating a container water or bog garden is often easier than digging into the ground to create a larger one. Aquatic plants do not need a lot of room to grow. Good choices for container water gardens include water lilies, lotus and water lettuce. Ideal perennial plants for container bog gardens include carnivorous plants such as pitcher plants (Sarracenia), sundews (Drosera) and perennials such as iris, cardinal flower (Lobelia) and turtlehead (Chelone).

Flowering Perennials

• Containers filled with flowering perennials are easy to move or position in areas such as a patio, entryway or deck, where an in-ground garden is not practical. Container gardens are also great for people who do not have the ability or desire to grow an in-ground garden. When choosing the best potted perennial plants, think about where that container will be placed. Good choices for full sun include dianthus, phlox, yarrow, day lilies, coreopsis, blanket flower, blazing star, mums, salvia, aster and black-eyed Susans. For the shade garden, choose a variety of hellebores, bergenia or bleeding heart.

Foliage Perennials

• Containers filled with plants grown mainly for their foliage, such as Hostas, should contain a mixture of plants to create interest. Choose plants with different foliage textures and colors, because that is what will draw the eye to the container. Some foliage plants do flower. If you do not want this, simply cut off the flower spike before it ever has a chance to open. Plants mainly grown for their foliage that will do well in containers in full sun include Artemisia, Lirope and lamb's ears. Fill container gardens grown in shade with Hosta, Ajuga, coral bells and lungwort.

Ornamental Grass

• Ornamental grasses are ideal for adding height to the center of a container garden. Be sure to choose one whose mature height is not so tall that it will cause the container to tip over every time a strong wind rustles the grass. It is also a good idea to remove the grass in the early spring and divide it so the roots do not bust the container. Good ornamental grass choices for container culture include Carex, which comes in many colors, including oranges and browns; tussock grass (Deschampsia); oat grass; ornamental fescue; and Japanese hakone grass (Hakonechloa).