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.

162 products

    162 products
    Ficus carica 'Del Portogallo' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Portuguese Edible Fig

    Ficus carica 'Del Portogallo'

    £39.99
    1
    Trachelospermum asiaticum 'Star of Milano' 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Star Jasmine (Variegated)

    Trachelospermum asiaticum 'Star of Milano'

    £30.99
    1
    Aeonium tabuliforme Variegated Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Dinner Plate Aeonium

    Aeonium tabuliforme Variegated

    £16.99
    1
    Zantedeschia aethiopica Pink Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Calla Lily (Arum Lily)

    Zantedeschia aethiopica Pink

    £13.99
    1
    Imperata cylindrica Red Baron 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Japanese Blood Grass, Red Baron

    Imperata cylindrica Red Baron

    £14.99
    1
    Livistona chinensis 24cm / 6L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Chinese Fan Palm, Fountain Palm

    Livistona chinensis

    £82.99
    1
    Hardenbergia violacea Rosea Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Native Lilac (Purple Coral Pea)

    Hardenbergia violacea Rosea

    £9.99
    1
    Astelia chathamica Silver Spear Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Silver Spear

    Astelia chathamica Silver Spear

    £24.99
    1
    Agapanthus africanus White Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    White African Lily

    Agapanthus africanus White

    £10.99
    1
    Agapanthus africanus Blue 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    African Lily (Lily of the Nile)

    Agapanthus africanus Blue

    £14.99
    1
    Elegia elephantina Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Cape Reed (Large Cape Rush)

    Elegia elephantina

    £13.99
    1
    Callistemon salignus (Willow Bottlebrush) Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Willow Bottlebrush

    Callistemon salignus (Willow Bottlebrush)

    £17.49
    1
    Olearia traversii Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Chatham Island Daisy Bush (Akeake)

    Olearia traversii

    £14.99
    1
    Griselinia littoralis 9cm / 0.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Kapuka (New Zealand Broadleaf)

    Griselinia littoralis

    £6.99
    1
    Sparmannia africana Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    African Hemp (House Lime)

    Sparmannia africana

    £24.99
    1
    Oxalis triangularis Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Purple False Shamrock (Love Plant)

    Oxalis triangularis

    £9.99
    Oxalis Vulcan Gold Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Firefern (Molten Lava Sorrel)

    Oxalis Vulcan Gold

    £11.99
    Muehlenbeckia Axillaris variegated Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Creeping Wire Vine (Variegated)

    Muehlenbeckia Axillaris variegated

    £6.99
    Oxalis Vulcan Red Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Firefern (Molten Lava Sorrel)

    Oxalis Vulcan Red

    £9.99
    Sedum tekesimense 'Atlantis' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Variegated Stonecrop 'Atlantis'

    Sedum tekesimense 'Atlantis'

    £6.99
    Athyrium sp. Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Lady Fern / Painted Fern

    Athyrium sp.

    £3.99
    Dryopteris koidzumiana Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Dryopteris koidzumiana

    £10.99
    1
    Crocosmia 'Carmine Brilliant' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Vermilion Montbretia 'Carmine Brilliant'

    Crocosmia 'Carmine Brilliant'

    £19.99
    Crocosmia 'George Davidson' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Yellow Montbretia 'George Davidson'

    Crocosmia 'George Davidson'

    £19.99
    Senecio candidans 'Angel Wings' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Silver Velvet Senecio 'Angel Wings'

    Senecio candidans 'Angel Wings'

    £14.99
    Coleus scutellarioides 'Main Street Spacecake' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Coleus 'Main Street Spacecake' (Painted Nettle)

    Coleus scutellarioides 'Main Street Spacecake'

    £8.99
    1
    Oxalis regnellii Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Green False Shamrock (Lucky Clover / Good Luck Plant)

    Oxalis regnellii

    £10.99
    Oxalis tetraphylla (deppei) 'Iron Cross' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Iron Cross / Good Luck Plant (Lucky Clover)

    Oxalis tetraphylla (deppei) 'Iron Cross'

    £7.99
    Sciadopitys verticillata Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Japanese Umbrella Pine

    Sciadopitys verticillata

    £34.99
    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.