No need for your summer patio pots to be empty, you can plant them up now and you can still use them for the summer.
The most important thing about planting spring planters is that it is too cold for the plants to grow. You need to buy fully grown plants in flower, use plenty of plants to fill the planter.
Spring plants are hardy and only need protection from severe weather. Think beast from the east, that freezing cold wind can dry the plants out while the roots are frozen.
Choosing plants for your planter
To make a mixed planter using different types of plants can look complicated so to help you decide, I have split them into 3 groups using a clock to describe the habit
For a mixed planter choose a tall plant for height, some semi-trailing for filling and if the planter is high enough, use some trailing plants to hang down.
This is often described as Thrillers (tall) Fillers (semi-trailing) and Spillers (trailing) an American concept designed to help with choosing plants for containers.
Upright plants
10-2 o’clock
Taller plants for the middle of your planter often called the focal or main plant
Spring thrillers
A range of plants that are perfect for using in spring patio pots and hanging baskets spring bulbs can add height and colour A selection…
Semi- trailing
2-4 8-10
o’clock
Semi trailing spreading plants often called fillers
Spring fillers
A range of bushy flowering and foliage plants A wide range of colourful fillers for your spring planters. A rainbow of primrose colours a perfect…
Spring spillers
A range of trailing plants to provide colour and shape to your planters Ivy attractive foliage tough enough to survive the winter Lamiun colourful foliage…
