Best patio plants: 19 picks for year-round color and style

Choosing the right patio plants is as important as the layout and design. As well as adding beauty and style, planting can be used to soften walls and paving, zone areas, as well as create privacy and shade. A few eye-catching specimen plants in containers helps to define a patio space, but to create unity, be inspired by the planting that’s been successful in the rest of your garden – particularly if you can see your whole plot from the windows of the house.

Before deciding what to plant, first assess how much sun or shade your patio gets. Full sun is a minimum of six hours direct sun a day, part shade is about half that time. Check your USDA hardiness zone too, and make sure your plant choices are right for your climate. Bear in mind that plants in containers are usually more sensitive to frost and cold, so those that are to remain in pots all year round need to be hardy and able to cope with whatever weather is thrown at them.

If you have somewhere you can bring pots undercover over winter – a greenhouse, porch or conservatory for example – then the range of plants you can grow opens up considerably. Citrus plants, agave and alstroemeria will all benefit from indoor protection and carry on looking good through winter.

Whatever your taste and style for your patio, ringing the changes with seasonal flowers is one of the joys of gardening.