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When pleasant weather arrives, you're sure to be spending lots more time outdoors, and it's all the better to do so with the delightful color, fragrance, and beauty plants add to your patio. Flowers, herbs, edibles, and more all might look great in your space, depending on your preference, and for season-long color, plan to plant both annuals and perennials (which will come back for years). It's also easy to swap any of them up from year to year and season to season to add a fresh look.
Before deciding what to plant, first consider how much sun your patio gets. Is it mostly sunny or mostly shady? When a plant label or description calls for full sun, that means about 6 or more hours per day, while part sun or part shade is about half of that. You'll also want to think about what time of day your patio gets sun. Plants that prefer part shade certainly won't be happy sizzling in hot afternoon sun. Be sure to check your USDA Hardiness zone too to make sure a plant fits your climate.
Now to our list of 20 of our favorite patio plants—get ready for some inspiration to dig your hands into the dirt and enjoy the fruit of your labor! (And check out these best balcony plants too.)
1
Fan Flowers
Fan flowers, which look like tiny fans, are pretty, hardy annuals that bloom all summer long. They come in shades of purple, blue, white and pink and look great spilling out of containers. Fan flowers need full sun.
2
Strawberry Plant
Why not add perennial edibles to your patio garden? New ever-bearing strawberry varieties sport little berries that are almost too pretty to eat! Keeping them in tall pots also prevents your friends, the chipmunks and other rodents, from gnawing on them. Strawberries need full sun.
3
Chrysanthemums
Replace faded annuals with these harbingers of fall in late summer. Mums come in a rainbow of shades, which pair well with autumn’s gourds and pumpkins for a fun seasonal display. They need full sun.
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4
Cuphea
If you want hummingbirds, plant these amazing annuals! Bright orange-y tubular flowers keep pollinators coming back all season long. These annuals need plenty of space to grow, so give them their own container. Cuphea needs full sun.
5
Begonias
Begonias come in a ton of deep, saturated shades including white, pink, orange, rose, or red. They bloom continuously without deadheading (pinching off spent flowers) until a hard frost. They’re almost impossible to kill! Some types are grown for their spectacular foliage. Most need part to full sun.
6
Roses
Roses are hardier than you think! Shrub or landscape types work well in pots, but make sure the pots can withstand freezing temperatures over the winter. For example, ceramic and terra cotta aren’t good choices; plastic and wood are better options. Roses need full sun.
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7
Mandevilla
These climbing plants have trumpet-shaped pink, red or white flowers on vines that climb gracefully up any trellis you provide. You can bring it in over winter in cold climates, but they’re fussy and will drop leaves. They need mostly sun, but give them some shade during the hottest part of the day (especially in Southern climates).
8
Cherry Tomato
There’s nothing like popping a freshly picked cherry tomato off the vine and into your mouth! Look for newer varieties which remain compact and pretty in containers, rather than heirloom types, which are sprawling vines. Cherry tomatoes need full sun.
9
Marigolds
If you're looking for annuals that thrive on neglect, choose marigolds! They don't mind heat or drought and will last until the first hard freeze. Their bright colors really pop in planters! Pinch off the spent flowers to keep them blooming.
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10
Herbs
Make your patio pots do double-duty by adding beauty and giving you fresh herbs for dinner! For full sun, you can’t beat basil; look for different types including Italian, Genovese, purple and Thai. Rosemary is another sun lover. If you have mostly shade, consider cilantro, parsley and thyme, which like sun but do okay in shade.
11
Calibrachoa
These cheery, low-maintenance annuals resemble petunias, but they’re actually a different plant. They come in a stunning array of colors with single and double flowers, including pinwheel varieties. They'll even handle a light cold snap. They need part to full sun.
12
Lantana
Lantana is as tough-as-nails. This annual blooms all summer with zero help from you! It is drought tolerant and loves the sun, so it won't fade when summer is sizzling. Pollinators love it! Lantana needs full sun.
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13
Lavender
These hardy plants with silvery foliage and deep purple-blue flowers create a sense of romantic charm. And they smell amazing! Plant these perennials in pretty pots or baskets and place near seating areas so you can run your hands over the flowers to release their fragrance. Lavender needs full sun.
14
Sweet Alyssum
This sturdy annual looks amazing cascading out of planters or window boxes. Place pots near seating areas so you can enjoy its honey-sweet scent. It prefers full sun but will take a little shade.
15
Black-eyed Susan Vine
This fast-growing annual vine comes in creamy white and cheery oranges and yellows. Give Black-eyed Susan vine its own pot and trellis so it can climb to its heart’s content, and create a colorful privacy screen too. It needs part to full sun.
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16
Succulents
Succulents are, by definition, full of juice, and they sure will bring fun interest to any space. Harsh climate-hardy, they store water in their leaves and stems, making them easy to care for. Be sure to select varieties that will thrive outdoors instead of inside. Most need partial to full sunlight.
SHOP SUCCULENTS
17
Caladium
Live somewhere with hot, humid weather? These plants’ large, heart-shaped leaves in pink, red, and green are sure to thrive, and they’re here to prove you don’t have to be a flower to show off vibrant color. They prefer full to partial shade.
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18
Heliotrope
Similar to a hydrangea in appearance, these clusters of sweet smelling blooms come in shades of purple, blue, and white. Their Greek name points a habit of facing the sun, but they can’t survive harsh weather. They prefer full sun.
SHOP HELIOTROPES
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19
Million Bells
These South American natives show off hundreds of bell-like blooms that earned them their name, and their vibrant colors scream “summer.” They especially look great in hanging baskets. They prefer full sun.
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20
Ornamental Pepper
As their name suggests, these colorful peppers are grown more for their beauty than their taste. Keep your eye on them as they change colors as they ripen during the summer. They prefer full sun.
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Arricca Elin SanSone
Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more. She’s passionate about gardening, baking, reading, and spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
