25 Beautiful Flower Combinations That Grow Well Together in Pots

Planning and planting your container garden can be one of the most enjoyable parts of gardening. It lets you play with flower colors, foliage tones, structure, height, and texture while creating the perfect container garden ideas.

I also like to think about a theme. What vibe is the container giving? Cottage, modern, desert, whimsical, or something completely different?

For beautiful container combinations, aim to include three components: a thriller, a filler, and a spiller. Many plants can take on these roles, and each one adds color, texture, and definition.

There are countless possibilities when it comes to planting the perfect container. I have put together a list of my favorite flower combinations for pots, along with a few substitutions if the suggested plants do not grow well in your climate. I hope these ideas inspire you to try some beautiful container gardens this season.

Hydrangea, Cedar, and Ivy

This is a classic flower combination for pots. Plant the tall cedar toward the back, then place a compact hydrangea variety in front to provide a bright pop of color. Add the ivy along the edge so it can spill over the sides.

All three plants prefer part sun and evenly moist soil. The hydrangea will let you know when it needs water by drooping slightly. Overall, this container combination is elegant and low maintenance.

Switch it up: Try using lemon cypress instead of cedar, or choose an upright juniper such as Wichita.

Red Scarlet Canna, Royal Velvet Supertunia®, Brocade Fire Geranium, and Potato Vine

If you want an explosion of flowers in a hot, sunny location, this flower combination is perfect for pots. Start with a stunning ‘Bronze Scarlet’ canna lily. Plant it in the middle or toward the back. If your pot will be viewed from all angles, plant it in the center. If it sits against a wall or pillar and is viewed only from the front, place it in the back center of the container.

Next, plant three, five, or seven ‘Brocade Fire’ geraniums, depending on the size of your container. I always use odd numbers because they are more appealing to the eye. The lime green foliage on these geraniums, paired with their red centers, complements the Bronze Scarlet canna beautifully.

Finish the arrangement with ‘Royal Velvet’ Supertunias® interspersed with bright green potato vine to spill over the edges. The deep velvety purple Supertunias® help break up the red tones from the canna and geraniums, and the bright green potato vine ties the entire design together.

Switch it up: If you cannot find ‘Brocade Fire’ geraniums, try a regular red variety such as ‘Galaxy’. Golden lysimachia works well in place of potato vine. A red banana is another great substitute if you cannot find a canna lily.

Palms, Tuberous Begonias, and Lysimachia

Shade pots are my favorite. Maybe it is because I live in a cold, dry climate, and shady containers have a lush feel that makes me think of the tropics. I use this flower combination in pots over and over because it is easy to put together and delivers a big impact.

Majesty palms or cat palms are inexpensive and easy to find. Most garden centers will have at least one. Then choose an odd number of begonias that fit your pot. This is where you can get creative.

Pick begonia colors that match your door, outdoor cushions, or patio decor. They come in orange, red, white, yellow, and pink. The tuberous varieties feature large, bold, rose-like blossoms. I like buying them in the larger six-inch pot size so they fill out the container quickly.

Add golden lysimachia between the begonias near the edge of the pot so it can spill over. The bright foliage lights up shady spots without competing with the solid begonia blooms.

Switch it up: Use an alocasia instead of a palm for a more exotic look. You can also use senecio ivy instead of golden lysimachia. It thrives in shade and becomes large and lush.

Coleus, Lemon Cypress, Spider Plants, and Lobelia

This is a stunning part shade to full shade combination that’s more about the foliage than the flowers. Place a small lemon cypress at the back of the container, slightly off to one side. Then position a ‘Red Rooster’ carex a bit forward and off to the opposite side. You do not want them side by side. Stagger them so the coppery grass sits wispy and airy in front of the chartreuse lemon cypress.

There should be a gap behind the ‘Red Rooster’ grass. Plant a tall coleus variety there. I like mixing Colorblaze® ‘Wicked Witch’ and ‘Golden Dreams’. Make sure you choose a variety with enough height to stand out.

Next, add a small spider plant in the front. I usually tuck it to one side. Under the lemon cypress tends to work best, but follow your judgment. I often step back and look at the arrangement as I go.

Fill any open spaces with a six-pack cell of lobelia. I also like adding a trailing plant. Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ is a great choice, or you can use variegated creeping Charlie.

Switch it up: Use a cedar if you cannot find lemon cypress. If you do, change the spiller plants to chartreuse sweet potato vine or golden lysimachia to bring in the brightness you would have gotten from the lemon cypress.

Castor Bean and Sunpatiens®

Castor bean plants look almost otherworldly. They are exotic and unusual, so in this flower combination for pots, I wanted the castor bean to stand out without making the design feel too busy. Castor beans have large palm-shaped leaves that are dark with a red tint, followed by fuzzy red seed pods.

The dark foliage really pops when paired with variegated SunPatiens® and their unique foliage. The leaves have dark green margins and bright yellow centers, and the flowers come in many colors. I think red or white looks best, but that is entirely personal preference. You could even plant a mix.

Switch it up: The key feature of this planter is the castor bean, so feel free to swap the underplanting. Anything sharp and bright will create great contrast. Golden lysimachia, sweet potato vine, or coleus ‘Electric Lime’ would all work beautifully.

Palms and Coleus

I love a pot that looks great even without flowers. This container arrangement is simple but full of impact and interest. Place a majesty palm or cat palm in the center of the container. I use these palms often because they add height, an airy texture, and they are fairly inexpensive.

Layer plenty of coleus underneath. This is where I like to use a shorter variety. Fairway or Wizard® mixes work perfectly and often come in mixed six-pack cells. Grab a few packs and plant them tightly. These lower-growing varieties create a beautiful tapestry of color beneath the palm.

Switch it up: Use a single coleus color. Wizard® ‘Jade’ offers a soft green and yellow look, while Wizard® ‘Rose’ brings in a bold pink tone. You could also swap the palm for a large green dracaena. It has the same light, airy feel, which lets the coleus foliage shine.

Rose Topiary Diamond Frost® and Bacopa

This flower combination for pots feels like a fairytale, light, airy, and floral. Pick up a rose topiary from your local nursery. I love a classic red rose, but pink, yellow, or white will work just as well.

Plant it in the center of the container. Then plant ‘Diamond Frost’ euphorbia all around the base, followed by fluffy white bacopa to trail over the sides. The deep red rose surrounded by pure white blooms creates a romantic and whimsical look.

Or try the reverse. Use a white rose and plant red geraniums and Amore™ ‘Queen of Hearts’ petunias underneath.

I love ‘Diamond Frost’® because of its light, airy texture, but if you cannot find it, alyssum is a great substitute. White calibrachoa or Supertunias® also work beautifully in place of bacopa.

Switch it up: Any flowering topiary can work here, including hibiscus, gardenia, or azalea.

Willow Branches, Pansies, Daffodils, and Ornamental Kale

I like creating seasonal pots, and this design is perfect for spring. You can purchase willow branches from most florists, or clip your own. Place the branches in the center of your pot and arrange them so they fan outward in a gentle vase shape.

Next, add already blooming or about to bloom daffodils to the center of the pot. You can often find forced daffodil plants at florists. The willow branches help support the blooms, and when the flowers fade, the grassy foliage looks lovely threaded between the branches. Then add ornamental kale toward the front.

Fill the remaining gaps with pansies in your favorite colors. For an even more springlike look, add moss over any visible soil. You can find it at craft stores, garden centers, or florists.

Switch it up: This design easily transforms into a fall planter. Use curly willow branches, ornamental kale, heather, and mums for a warm autumn look.

Prince Tut Grass, Begonias, and Jade Frost Lamium

Tut grasses are a really fun thriller plant to use in containers. This design works beautifully as a seasonal arrangement. If you live somewhere without frost, it may not be the best long-term choice because the plants have different watering needs, but they work in harmony over a summer.

Tut grasses come in several sizes, from baby to king, but I really like ‘Prince Tut’. It has presence without being as tall or floppy as ‘King Tut’. ‘Prince Tut’ grows between 2 and 3 feet tall with sturdy stalks topped by large plumes of airy foliage.

At the base of this design, surround the grass with begonias. Reiger or tuberous begonias work best, and you can choose whatever color you like. Then plant ‘Jade Frost’ lamium to spill over the front. This planter comes together quickly. You can also add a touch of lobelia for extra color and texture.

Switch it up: This flower combination for pots is simple and versatile, so you can substitute almost any flowering begonia. Impatiens work well, too. Any shade-loving trailing vine, including senecio ivy, English ivy, or even pothos, will make a great spiller.

Purple Fountain Grass, Calibrachoa, Osteospermum, and Dichondra

This container arrangement gives warm fall vibes. It thrives in full sun and offers the perfect mix of flowers, foliage, textures, and colors. Place the purple fountain grass in the back center of the pot. Then plant the osteospermum slightly off to one side.

On the opposite side, plant the calibrachoa so it can spill downward. At the front edge of the container, add Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ to cascade over the sides. The calibrachoa will spill into the dichondra, creating a beautiful blend of blooms and trailing foliage.

I did not specify colors for the osteospermum or calibrachoa, and this is where you can play. Try Osteospermum ‘Zion Purple Sun’, which has a magenta purple center that fades into orange petals, paired with Calibrachoa ‘Trailing Magenta’. The solid magenta calibrachoa will echo the center of the osteospermum for a sharp, cohesive look.

Switch it up: This is what I would call a formula planting. You only need a tall grass, an upright flowering annual, a low-growing flowering annual, and a trailing plant. Fill in the blanks with any combination you like. Try Pennisetum ‘First Knight’ with Snapdragon ‘Snapshot Coral Bicolor’, Calylophus ‘Ladybird Lemonade’, and lotus vine.

Dusty Miller, Geraniums, and Sedge Grass

The large, soft, fuzzy white foliage of dusty miller is beautiful. They have been appearing more often in garden centers in my area, and I have completely fallen in love with them. They pair wonderfully with geraniums, especially bold red ones.

This combination works well in smaller planters, such as urn-shaped containers. Place the dusty miller in the back, then layer three geraniums in front, slightly off to one side. Next, add a sedge grass (I like rosy sedge) and tilt it slightly downward so it can spill out along the side.

Switch it up: This container arrangement balances texture and color beautifully. The main change I would suggest is swapping the geraniums for another upright flower that stays smaller than the dusty miller. Petunias or marigolds both work well. I prefer using one bold solid color rather than multicolored blooms, which keeps the velvety silver leaves of dusty miller as the striking focal point.

Mandevilla and Petunias

This is a simple but effective flower combination for pots. Place a trellis or obelisk in the center of your container, then plant a mandevilla at the base. It will grow upward and twine around the support.

Next, plant a mix of petunias underneath. I would pair a regular petunia like ‘Daddy Blue’ with a trailing variety such as Easy Wave® ‘Red Velour’.

This combination loves full sun and plenty of water. The petunias will need regular deadheading to keep them blooming through the season. Feel free to play with the color combinations of the mandevilla and petunias based on what you like and what is available.

Switch it up: You can easily swap the mandevilla for firecracker vine, black eyed Susan vine, or cup and saucer vine. The petunias can be replaced with calibrachoa, verbena, or any other flowering full sun annual you enjoy.

Dracaena, Lobelia, Geraniums, Potato Vine, and Lotus Flower Vine

I love combinations that play with flowers, foliage, and textures, and this one has it all. Start with a spiky dracaena in the center toward the back. Next, layer in geraniums such as ‘Galaxy Red’ close to the dracaena.

In the front center, underneath the geraniums, add sweet potato vine. In this pot, the sweet potato vine acts more as a filler than a spiller. Then add a border of blue or purple lobelia. Finish the design with the feathery, silvery texture of lotus vine as the trailer.

This is a full sun combination that needs frequent, even watering. It looks great as a window box design but also works beautifully in a round or square pot.

Switch it up: Try using purple sweet potato vine with alyssum instead of lobelia for a reversed color palette. Finish the look with a pink geranium such as ‘Galaxy Watermelon’.

Lavender, Geraniums, and Licorice Vine

If you want a low-maintenance, water-wise flower combination for pots, this trio is a great choice. Lavender has silvery, grassy foliage, purple flowers, and that unmistakable scent when you touch it. These plants look beautiful in a container and work just as well together in a flower bed.

Pair lavender with bold pink or red geraniums, then add a silver licorice vine to trail over the edges. It is a perfect mix of foliage and flowers.

One thing I love about this combo is how easy it is to care for. All three plants are drought-tolerant and heat-resistant. Plant them in full sun and water only when the soil has dried out.

Switch it up: If you want more height and drama, try adding a lavender topiary. They are easy to find in summer wherever bedding plants are sold. Plant the geraniums and licorice vine underneath for a striking layered look.

Pansies and Coral Bells

This combination is a sweet and simple woodland arrangement. Layer a variety of coral bells with some pansies. There are countless coral bell cultivars to choose from and just as many pansy varieties to match. This pairing prefers part shade and evenly moist soil.

The easiest way to find great combinations is to visit your local garden center, pick out a few coral bells, and then mix and match pansies until a color pairing catches your eye.

Try Heuchera ‘Peppermint Spice’ with Matrix® ‘Raspberry Sundae’ mix pansies. Or go bold with Heuchera Primo® ‘Black Pearl’ brightened up with Sorbet® XP ‘Blueberry Frost’ pansies.

Switch it up: Add some drama by placing a large leaf tropical in the center. Bird of paradise, banana, or an elephant ear alocasia would all look fantastic.

Snowland™ Daisy, Lobelia, Creeping Zinnia Ivy Geraniums, and Fuschia

If flowers are your thing, this combination is perfect for pots. While I enjoy playing with foliage textures and colors, I often create flower-heavy containers. The key is choosing blooms that fill different roles and offer a mix of textures and colors.

In this design, Snowland™ daisies serve as the upright flowers. Next, add lobelia and creeping zinnia. These two mingle together beautifully as the filler layer.

You can also tuck in ivy geraniums such as ‘Blizzard Red’. They are not essential, but the bold blooms create a nice contrast against the flurry of small flowers.

To finish the arrangement, tuck in fuchsias and petunias as trailers. Place the fuchsias on the side that receives less sun. The combination of both trailing over the edges looks striking.

Switch it up: This is a flexible design, so play with it to match your style. Butterfly daisies, ‘Diamond Frost’, calibrachoa, verbena, and many other blooms will work. Walk through your local garden center and see what inspires you. Just remember to choose a mix of upright, creeping, and trailing flowers.

Dahlia, Salvia, and Ivy Geranium

This planter is simple but bold. It has everything you need: dramatic foliage, varied textures, and plenty of flowers. Start by planting a red leaf dahlia such as ‘Giselle’ in the center of your container.

Next, plant an annual salvia such as ‘Victoria Blue’ underneath it. Finish the design with an ivy geranium like ‘Mini Cascade Pink’ to trail over the edges.

This is a sun-loving flower combination for pots with medium water needs. Choose a large container, since all of these plants will grow quite big.

Switch it up: Sunflowers would look fantastic in the center instead of a dahlia. Try a dwarf variety such as ‘Sundance Kid’, which only grows to about 2 feet tall. Pair it with ‘Red Hot Sally’ salvia and ‘Blizzard Red’ ivy geraniums.

Fern, Pansies, and Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’

This sweet combination is made for shade. Start with a fern. I like the look of a big, full Boston fern, but almost any fern will work. Ponytail, ostrich, maidenhair, or whichever variety you prefer and can find will look beautiful. Then place pansies underneath.

Do not worry too much about the specific varieties, since a mix always looks lovely. Add Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ to spill over the edges. The silver foliage looks striking against the green of the fern.

Switch it up: For a more formal look, swap the pansies for begonias. The large rosettes of tuberous begonia blooms add a rich, elegant feel tucked beneath a fern.

Pineapple Lily and Diascia

This design is simple, with only two plants, but it has a lot of impact. I think that is because neither plant is especially common. Start with a big pineapple lily in the center, then add diascia all around. That is it.

This flower combination for pots looks best in full sun. It creates a dramatic, tropical feel.

Switch it up: Do not worry if you cannot find diascia. Verbena, bacopa, or Wave petunias make great substitutes.

The Edible Arrangement 

If you are short on space and keep going back and forth between a decorative pot or a veggie pot, why not do both? Vegetables and herbs can be beautiful when combined. First, decide whether you want a shade combo or a sun combo.

In shade, choose leafy greens like lettuce, chard, and kale. Dinosaur kale has big, textured leaves and looks striking in the center of a pot. The brightly colored stems of rainbow chard work just as well.

Use ‘Freckles’ lettuce for a pretty pop of speckled leaves that are also delicious. Finish this combination with chocolate mint trailing out. Growing mint in a container is the best way to prevent it from spreading.

In full sun, choose herbs and plants that produce fruit. Plant an ‘Indigo Sun’ cherry tomato in the center with basil all around and thyme spilling out. Or try lavender or rosemary paired with curly parsley and sage.

Grow what you love to eat and pay attention to the colors and textures of the foliage as you design your edible arrangement.

Switch it up: Remember edible flowers. Pansies are cute little shade lovers that look great on cupcakes and in salads. Nasturtium is a spicy trailing plant with bright red and yellow blooms. Even chives offer delicious purple flowers that pair well with eggs or potatoes.

Mandevilla, Calibrachoa, Geranium, Bacopa, Potato Vine, and Sedum

I like this bold red and pink combination. It is bright, beautiful, and comes together easily. Start with a mandevilla in the center of your pot, and add a trellis or obelisk for it to climb. Next, plant geraniums around the mandevilla as your filler layer.

What makes this planter so eye-catching is the abundance of trailing plants. Layer in lime green sweet potato vine, bacopa, calibrachoa, and trailing sedums to create a cascade of color and texture.

This combination needs full sun and plenty of water. Choose a larger container to give all these plants room to grow and to create a striking display.

Switch it up: This design can be customized in countless ways. Experiment at the garden center with trailing plants. Creeping Jenny, Angelina sedum, torenia, verbena, Wave® petunias, and others can all be swapped in. You can also switch the center plant to a dracaena, a dahlia, or even a small cedar.

Coral Bells and Lupine

This little combination is simple, yet the juxtaposition of foliage and flowers is striking. It prefers part shade and evenly moist, but never wet, soil.

Choose a dwarf lupine from the ‘Gallery’ series. I love ‘Gallery Pink’. Plant it in the center of the pot. Next, pick a coral bell such as Dolce® ‘Wildberry’ and plant it around the perimeter. Use an odd number of coral bells, such as three, five, or seven, for the best visual balance.

Switch it up: There are countless varieties of lupines and coral bells. Try Heuchera ‘Georgia Peach’, which has beautiful copper-toned foliage, paired with a ‘Popsicle Yellow’ lupine.

Mixed Succulents

My front door faced full south, and keeping up with watering my containers became a full-time job. They dried out constantly and fizzled quickly. A great solution is planting a container full of sun-loving succulents.

Head to your garden center and see what is available. You can usually find echeverias, burro tail, bunny ear cactus, aloe vera, crassulas, and more.

When choosing your succulents, consider color, shape, size, and texture just as you would with flowers. Also think in terms of thriller, filler, and spiller. Use an Aloe vera plant in the center as the spiky thriller.

Tuck in a variety of echeverias as the filler. Finish with Crassula ‘Baby’s Necklace’ trailing out. With succulent containers, the more varieties you add, the better it usually looks.

Plant your succulents in loose, sandy soil. I recommend a cactus blend. Keep them in full sun and use containers with plenty of drainage.

Switch it up: Cactus and succulents are perfect for funky junk containers. If you have a head planter, an old boot, or even a teacup you have been wanting to use, succulents are ideal since they need very little soil, water, or nutrients. If the container has no drainage, keep it in a spot protected from rain.

Coleus, New Guinea Impatiens, and Ivy

If you want an easy three-plant design that looks thoughtful and elegant, this one is perfect. The great thing about this simple planter is that it can handle anything from sun to shade. It prefers evenly moist soil, but not too much water.

Start with ‘Chocolate Mint’ coleus in the back at the center. Then add ‘Infinity White’ impatiens in front. Finish with variegated English ivy trailing out the front.

Switch it up: Do not worry too much about the exact flower color combination for pots. If you cannot find a dark coleus, choose a pink variety like ‘Chocolate Covered Cherry’. You can also play with the color of the New Guinea impatiens. White looks lovely, but a pink variety would shine as well.

‘Lanai® White’ Verbena, ‘Blackcurrant Punch’ Calibrachoa, and Superbells® ‘Lemon Slice’ Calibrachoa 

I picture this arrangement in the center of an outdoor table. It is low-growing with plenty of texture and color. Simply mix ‘Black Currant Punch’ calibrachoa, Superbells® ‘Lemon Slice’ calibrachoa, and ‘Lanai White’ verbena.