The 12 Best Shrubs for Containers and Garden Beds
We found that selecting the right shrubs for your containers and garden beds can really upgrade your outdoor spaces but choosing the right plants isn't always easy.
In this article, we feature the top 12 shrubs that are perfectly suited for growing in your raised garden beds based on our experience and one of multiple other specialists.
Here are the 5 key takeaway plants that are our top picks from this article:
Round Leaf Mint Bush
Cigar Flower Bush
Boxwood
Hydrangea
Rhododendron
Impatiens
Height: 15-30 cm (6-12 in)
Color Varieties: Pink, red, white, purple, orange
Growing Conditions: Partial to full shade, moist, well-drained soil
Although Impatens typically are hanging basket flowers for shade, certain varieties also grow well in full sun, especially when they are well-watered. After growing them we experienced that the shade shrubs are an excellent choice for adding color to your hanging planters in sunnier and shadier spots.
Cigar Flower Bush
Height: 50-60 cm (20-24 in)
Color Varieties: Orange-red
Growing Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil
The Cigar Bush is notable for its unique, tubular orange-red flowers that resemble lit cigars. The container plant thrives in full sun and is perfect for garden beds where its quirky blooms can be appreciated up close. This plant is a hummingbird magnet, adding a lively element to your garden spaces.
Height: 1-1.5 m (3-5 ft)
Color Varieties: Purple
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil
Prostanthera rotundifolia, commonly known as the Round-leaf Mint Bush, has amazing pink-purple flowers that appear in spring. After inspecting it we concluded that this shrub is perfect for adding color and an Asian touch to garden beds and containers while also being low maintenance bushes.
Round-leaf Mint Bush
Petunia
Height: 15-30 cm (6-12 in)
Color Varieties: Available in pink, purple, red, white, and bi-colors
Growing Conditions: Thrives in full sun with well-drained soil
Petunias are great hanging basket flowers due to their wide range of colors and ability to bloom prolifically throughout the summer. We grew them multiple times ourselves and found that these resilient flowers are perfect for sunny spots where they can soak up the sun all day.
Cleome
Height: 90-150 cm (3-5 ft)
Color Varieties: Pink, white, purple
Growing Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil
Cleome is a thriller plant for containers that is commonly known as spider flower. We found that its height makes it an excellent background thriller plant for baskets and larger pods in mixed floral arrangements but it is also a great deer-resistant bush to grow in your containers.
Rhododendron
Height: 1-2 m (3-6 ft)
Color Varieties: Pink, red, white, purple
Growing Conditions: Partial shade; acidic, well-drained soil
Rhododendrons (Azaleas) are evergreen shade plants that bloom in spring. After growing them we found their unique flowers and preference for shady conditions make them perfect for garden beds under tree canopies.
Hydrangea
Height: 1-2 m (3-6 ft)
Color Varieties: White, pink, blue, purple
Growing Conditions: Partial sun; moist, well-drained soil
Hydrangeas have large, showy blooms which can change color based on the soil pH. We saw that they are one of the best-performing shrubs containers while making a stunning focal point in garden beds.
Munstead Wood Rose
Height: 90 cm (3 ft)
Color Varieties: Deep velvety crimson
Growing Conditions: Full sun; well-drained, fertile soil
We saw that the Munstead Wood Rose has deeply cupped blooms that emit a strong, old rose look. It's a compact variety ideal for container gardening or as a standout addition to garden beds with its rich, dark red flowers and excellent disease resistance.
Kumquat Bush
Height: 2-4 m (6-13 ft) can be pruned to maintain a smaller size in containers
Color Varieties: Bright orange fruit
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil
Kumquat Bushes are decorative garden bed shrubs for full sun that produce small edible citrus fruits that are sweet. These bushes can be pruned to desired sizes, we found that they are nice for balcony gardens or in larger garden beds similar to most small citrus trees.
Height: 1-3 m (3-10 ft)
Color Varieties: Yellow
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil
After growing multiple Forsythia ornamental bushes in our garden we saw that they are among the first to bloom in spring, with vibrant yellow flowers that cover the branches before the leaves emerge. But when you grow Forsythias in containers make sure that these fast-growing shrubs do not grow too large.
Forsythia
Boxwood
Height: 30-60 cm (1-2 ft)
Color Varieties: Green
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil
Boxwoods are classic hedging evergreen shrubs used in formal garden designs. We saw that they thrive in various light conditions and can be easily shaped to suit any garden style.
Cordyline
Height: 1-3 m (3-10 ft)
Color Varieties: Green, red, purple, variegated
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil
Cordyline, often referred to as ti plants, adds a bold tropical touch to garden compositions with its colorful, sword-like foliage. The tropical plant is versatile in its use in both containers and as a focal point in garden beds, tolerating a range of light conditions from full sun to partial shade.
Sources
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Round-leaf Mint Plant: Prostanthera rotundifolia - Wikipedia
Munstead Wood Rose: Rosa 'Munstead Wood' | BBC Gardeners World Magazine
Boxwood: Boxwood Shrubs: Planting, Growing, and Caring for Boxwoods (almanac.com), How to Grow and Care for Boxwood (Box) Shrubs (thespruce.com)
Petunias: Growing petunias | UMN Extension
Ti Pant (Cordyline): How to Grow and Care for Ti Plant (Good Luck Plant) (thespruce.com)
Hydrangea: Hydrangea Care & Planting - How to Grow Hydrangea Flowers | Garden Design, Hydrangea: Identify and Manage Problems | University of Maryland Extension (umd.edu)
Kumquat Bush: Kumquat - Gardening Solutions - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (ufl.edu), Find Trees & Learn | University of Arizona Campus Arboretum
Forsythia: Forsythia, Forsythia spp. – Wisconsin Horticulture, Forsythia Fact Sheet - Signs of the Seasons: A New England Phenology Program - University of Maine Cooperative Extension (umaine.edu)
Cigar Flower (Bush): Cigar Flower - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (ufl.edu)
Impatiens: Impatiens | UMN Extension
Petunia: Growing petunias | UMN Extension, Petunia | Home & Garden Information Center (clemson.edu)
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