Plants for Pots, Patios & Balconies


Hardy plants for pots, patios and balconies. Compact hardy palms, clumping bamboos, ornamental grasses and drought-tolerant exotics that thrive in containers year-round, from a Central London balcony to a Yorkshire patio.

259 products

    259 products
    Chamaerops humilis 14cm / 1.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    European Fan Palm (Mediterranean Fan Palm)

    Chamaerops humilis

    £21.99
    1
    Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Black Lace Elder 'Eva' PBR

    Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace'

    £16.99
    1
    Agave stricta 'Nana' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Dwarf Hedgehog Agave

    Agave stricta 'Nana'

    £10.99
    1
    Hosta 'Francee' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    White-Edged Hosta

    Hosta 'Francee'

    £10.99
    1
    Clematis armandii 15cm / 1.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALSSale

    Armand Clematis (Evergreen Clematis)

    Clematis armandii

    £22.99 £24.99
    1
    Dianella revoluta 'Blue Stream' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Blue Flax Lily

    Dianella revoluta 'Blue Stream'

    £15.99
    1
    Hosta fortunei 'Bobcat' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Plantain Lily

    Hosta fortunei 'Bobcat'

    £7.99
    1
    Hosta 'Colored Hulk' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Plantain Lily

    Hosta 'Colored Hulk'

    £7.99
    1
    Fargesia rufa Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Clumping Bamboo

    Fargesia rufa

    £28.99
    1
    Euphorbia x martini 'Ascot Rainbow' 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Variegated Martin's Spurge

    Euphorbia x martini 'Ascot Rainbow'

    £15.99
    1
    Dryopteris erythrosora Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Autumn Fern

    Dryopteris erythrosora

    £13.99
    1
    Phygelius x rectus 'Candy Drops Rose' (Cape Figwort) Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    1
    Fargesia 'Red Dragon' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Clumping Bamboo

    Fargesia 'Red Dragon'

    £18.99
    1
    Hosta 'Catherine' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Plantain Lily

    Hosta 'Catherine'

    £8.99
    1
    Aristea ecklonii (Blue Stars) Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALSSale

    Blue Stars (Blue-eyed Iris)

    Aristea ecklonii (Blue Stars)

    £6.99 £7.99
    1
    Hosta 'Big Daddy' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Plantain Lily

    Hosta 'Big Daddy'

    £8.99
    1
    Polystichum setiferum Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Soft Shield Fern

    Polystichum setiferum

    £7.99
    1
    Dryopteris koidzumiana Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Hardy exotic

    Dryopteris koidzumiana

    £10.99
    1
    Canna indica Cannova Rose 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Indian Shot

    Canna indica Cannova Rose

    £15.99
    1
    Geranium maderense | Giant Herb-Robert Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Giant Herb Robert (Madeira Cranesbill)

    Geranium maderense | Giant Herb-Robert

    £18.99
    1
    Hosta 'Lakeside Little Tuft' 11cm / 0.75L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Plantain Lily

    Hosta 'Lakeside Little Tuft'

    £8.99
    1
    Mahonia eurybracteata subsp. ganpinensis 'Meteor' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Soft-leaved Mahonia (Oregon Grape)

    Mahonia eurybracteata subsp. ganpinensis 'Meteor'

    £34.99
    1
    Kniphofia citrina 11cm / 0.75L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Yellow Red Hot Poker (Torch Lily)

    Kniphofia citrina

    £8.99
    1
    Hakonechloa macra 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Japanese Forest Grass

    Hakonechloa macra

    £12.99
    1
    Aeonium Schwarzkopf Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Black Rose, Zwartkop

    Aeonium Schwarzkopf

    £12.99
    1
    Albizia julibrissin 'Tropical Dream' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Silk tree

    Albizia julibrissin 'Tropical Dream'

    £29.99
    1
    Hosta fortunei 'First Blush' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Plantain Lily

    Hosta fortunei 'First Blush'

    £11.99
    1
    Pennisetum 'Rubrum' 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Purple Fountain Grass 'Rubrum'

    Pennisetum 'Rubrum'

    £13.99
    1
    Senecio candidans 'Angel Wings' 13cm / 1L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Silver Velvet Senecio 'Angel Wings'

    Senecio candidans 'Angel Wings'

    £14.99
    1
    Euphorbia characias 'Silver Swan' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Variegated Mediterranean Spurge

    Euphorbia characias 'Silver Swan'

    £7.99
    1
    Cordyline australis Variegated Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Variegated Cabbage Palm

    Cordyline australis Variegated

    £19.99
    1
    Callistemon Inferno ('Yanferno') Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Bottlebrush 'Inferno'

    Callistemon Inferno ('Yanferno')

    £24.99
    1
    Plectranthus (Coleus Grp) 'Main Street Ruby Road' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    1
    Aeonium haworthii Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Pinwheel (Haworth's Aeonium)

    Aeonium haworthii

    £7.99
    1
    Mahonia eurybracteata 'Volcano' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Oregon Grape

    Mahonia eurybracteata 'Volcano'

    £34.99
    1
    Catalpa bignonioides 'Aurea' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALSSale

    Golden Indian Bean Tree

    Catalpa bignonioides 'Aurea'

    £35.99 £39.99
    1
    Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Zebra Grass

    Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus'

    £8.99
    1
    Loropetalum Black Pearl Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Chinese Fringe Flower, Black Pearl

    Loropetalum Black Pearl

    £33.99
    1
    Athyrium niponicum 'Metallicum' 15cm / 1.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Japanese Painted Fern 'Metallicum'

    Athyrium niponicum 'Metallicum'

    £12.99
    1

    The GrowTropicals Guide to Plants for Pots

    What plants grow best in pots?

    Containers open up hardy exotic planting for anyone without a big garden. Compact hardy palms (Trachycarpus wagnerianus, Chamaerops humilis), clumping Fargesia bamboos, ornamental grasses and hardy agaves are all suited to life in a pot for many years. The key considerations are pot size (bigger is better for winter root protection), free-draining substrate, and watering discipline through both summer and winter. Read our honest guide to what to expect from hardy exotics through the seasons before ordering.

    Care essentials for container plants

    • Pot size: Choose a pot 5 to 10 cm wider than the root ball, and repot into a larger one every two to three years. Bigger pots buffer temperature swings better in winter.
    • Substrate: Loam-based, free-draining potting compost. Add sharp sand or grit for drought-tolerant species. Ensure the pot has generous drainage holes.
    • Watering: Container plants need water whenever the top of the compost feels dry, including through winter. In July that can be daily; in December, monthly.
    • Feeding: Liquid feed monthly from April to September with a general-purpose fertiliser. Refresh the top 3 cm of compost each spring.
    • Winter care: Move borderline pots against a sheltered wall for winter. Insulate the pot itself with bubble wrap or hessian to protect roots from the hardest frosts.

    Explore the pot-friendly range

    Pot planting is a natural fit for clumping bamboos, compact hardy palms, agaves and succulents and ornamental grasses. See the full Hardy Exotics range for more.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Plants with bold foliage and a naturally compact or slow habit do best in pots, including hardy palms, tree ferns, grasses, agaves and many foliage plants. This collection gathers exotics that thrive in containers on a patio or balcony.

    A surprising amount. Bold foliage plants, grasses, compact palms and agaves all grow well in balcony pots, giving you a tropical feel in a small, hard-surfaced space. Choose plants suited to your balcony's light, whether sunny or shaded.

    More often than plants in the ground, as containers dry out faster. Through summer, check daily in hot weather and water when the top of the compost is drying out. Bigger pots and a good compost hold moisture longer.

    As large as the space allows. Bigger containers dry out more slowly, give roots room and keep plants healthier, which means less watering and repotting. Always choose a pot with drainage holes.

    Many can, especially the hardier ones. In cold spells, move tender plants to a sheltered spot, raise pots off the ground so they drain freely, and protect roots from prolonged freezing. The hardiness rating on each plant is your guide.

    Plants that thrive in pots

    You do not need a garden to grow something beautiful. A good pot and the right plant turn a patio, doorstep or balcony into a green retreat. This collection gathers hardy exotic plants that grow happily in containers for years, from palms and tree ferns to grasses and bold foliage, all chosen to bring a lush, faraway feel to a small space.

    Perfect for patios, balconies and courtyards

    Container plants are the whole garden for many city dwellers and renters, and these plants are made for the job. Pots let you garden on hard surfaces, move plants to follow the sun or shelter, and refresh a display whenever you like. A few bold plants in good containers do more for a small space than a fussy mix of little ones.

    Choosing pots and compost

    Pick the largest container the space and your back will allow, with drainage holes, and a quality loam-based, peat-free compost. Bigger pots dry out more slowly and give roots room to grow, which means healthier plants and less watering.

    Watering and feeding

    Pots dry out faster than open ground, so the main job through summer is regular watering, daily in hot spells for thirsty plants. Feed through the growing season, topdress or repot every couple of years, and most of these plants will reward you for years.