Plants for year-round containers

These survivors can stay in pots for years, giving stability to your designs

When the air turns cooler in the fall, gardeners often find a home for their outdoor potted plants in the ground and propagate them. It's a pity, because a lot of this is a waste of effort and plants. Many perennials and shrubs can live for years in a container. By taking advantage of this characteristic, you can reduce the time and money you spend on your pots. Your containers, depending on the plants you choose, can provide you with interest throughout the year, and you can give consistency to your designs.

For a plant, life in a container is very different than in the ground. Containers can provide better drainage, but plants depend on you for water and nutrients. Shrubs and larger perennials are often smaller in a pot, although this depends on the plant, climate and container. Also, containers do not insulate plant roots from winter temperatures.

A general rule of thumb for container-plant survival in winter is to keep it two zones colder than your USDA hardiness zone. But in my Maryland garden, where it doesn't qualify as zone 7, I've successfully outgrown plants that shouldn't have made it, and I've failed at some. Through trial and error, I've found a wide variety of plants that can survive year round in a container. I've picked 10 of the best that are not only tough enough to survive, but also look good while doing it.

1. 'Golden Sword' Yucca combines with almost anything

One pot, four seasons. Yucca and bergenia are the main plants in this container, which will shine in summer and fall. In winter, when the bergenia dies back, stems from yellow and red dogwoods add to the yucca's colorful display. In spring, pansies and lamium steal the show before the yucca and bergenia return to form.

I highly recommend 'Golden Sword' yucca (Yuca filamentosa 'Golden Sword', Zones 4–11) because it pairs easily with many plants. Its 2-inch-wide, sword-like leaves are thin and dark green, with golden yellow centers and curly fibers on the edges. It has a spiky, arched form that spreads evenly to 2 to 3 feet tall.

This yucca tolerates some shade, but thrives in sunny, dry conditions. In summer, creamy white, fragrant flowers emerge from the center of the plant on stems 3 to 6 feet tall. In late winter, the foliage may be a little flat, but it will perk up again in the spring. Pull off old leaves to maintain a neat appearance.

2. 'Green Mountain' boxwood keeps its color year-round

It's hardy, but living in a container makes it smaller than its normal 5-foot height and 3-foot width. Place 'Green Hill' out of strong winds in a semi-shaded location. If possible, rotate the pot periodically to balance the plant's exposure to light and avoid developing bare sides. 'Green Mountain' boxwood (Buxus 'Green Mountain', Zones 4-9) is a slow-growing shrub that, unlike many boxwoods, retains its dark green color throughout winter. I especially like this cultivar because it grows into a beautiful pyramid rather than becoming a meatball-shaped bush.

3. A golden creeping jenny is perfect for the rim of the pot

Golden Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nambularia 'Area', Zones 4-8) is truly a reliable performer in a container. This 4-inch tall plant drapes gracefully over the edge of a pot. Its golden, coin-shaped leaves look great on just about anything. It likes partial shade but likes water, so it will grow in a water garden. It can take full sun, but you need to keep the soil moist.

4. Japanese pears have colorful new growth

This deer-resistant shrub (Pieris japonica and cvs., zones 6-8) is an excellent candidate for containers. Although its lush foliage provides interest in all seasons, spring growth is particularly striking in Japanese pears, varying in color from bright red to salmon pink to creamy white, depending on the cultivar.

In winter, the flower buds are glossy—usually dark red, opening to some shades of pink. The delicate 3- to 6-inch-long white, calyx-shaped flowers appear in early spring and bear a mild fragrance.

5. 'Emerald' arborvitae works where you need height

The shape and texture of the leaves of this Arboridae makes it easy to blend in with other plants. A container 15 feet tall and 4 feet wide will hold it well under its natural size. Plant it in full sun or light shade. 'Emerald' arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Emerald', syn. 'Smaragd', zones 2-7) provides excellent year-round interest because it maintains its rich green color through winter. The upright, short habit of this variety of our native arborvitae fits the vertical accent that many containers require.

6. Bergenia containers have thick leaves that shine

With its green, shiny, oval leaves, bergenia (Berginia cordifolia et al. cvs., zones 3-8) is one of my favorite plants because it is a strong grower that provides a bold element in a container design. The leaves are 10 to 20 inches long and 6 to 8 inches wide, and they turn a beautiful burgundy in fall. Bergenia flowers in early spring on stems 12 to 15 inches long; Pink flowers resemble hyacinths. This plant actually does better in my containers than in my beds, probably due to better drainage. Grow it in full sun or light shade.

7. Variegated Hibiscus dogwood is large and beautiful

The shrub's colorful leaves are a beautiful foil to the ground hydrangeas on either side of it, and near the base of the container, several colorful Solomon's seals cover most of the year. Dogwood's deep color appears on young stems, so remove old branches in early spring. Keep this shrub in full sun to part shade and watch for Japanese beetle infestations in the summer. Another shrub that does well in a container is the colorful red dogwood (Cornus alba 'elegantissima', zones 2-8). Its leaves have white edges and gray green centers and bright red stems that shine in winter, especially given the green background. A single 'elegantissima' growing in a 24-inch-wide blue ceramic pot worked for three years as the focal point of one of our borders.