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.

323 products

    323 products
    Hosta 'Chain Lightning' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALSSale

    Plantain Lily

    Hosta 'Chain Lightning'

    £6.29£8.99Save 30%
    1
    Fargesia angustissima Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Narrow-leaved Bamboo

    Fargesia angustissima

    £44.99
    1
    Orontium aquaticum 9cm / 0.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Golden Club

    Orontium aquaticum

    £13.99
    1
    Wisteria floribunda 'Rosea' 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Pink Japanese Wisteria ('Hon-beni')

    Wisteria floribunda 'Rosea'

    £30.99
    1
    Rhus typhina 'Tiger Eyes' 31cm / 15L - Collection Only Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALSSale

    Tiger Eyes Staghorn Sumac (Stag's Horn Sumach)

    Rhus typhina 'Tiger Eyes'

    £91.29£113.99Save 19%
    1
    Pittosporum tobira 'Mojo' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Dwarf variegated Japanese pittosporum

    Pittosporum tobira 'Mojo'

    £24.99
    1
    Callistemon Inferno ('Yanferno') Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Bottlebrush 'Inferno'

    Callistemon Inferno ('Yanferno')

    £24.99
    1
    Cornus alba Nightfall foliage detail

    Dark-leaved Dogwood

    Cornus alba Nightfall

    £26.99
    1
    Callistemon Hot Pink ('Kkho1') Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Bottlebrush 'Hot Pink'

    Callistemon Hot Pink ('Kkho1')

    £24.99
    1
    Photinia × fraseri 'Carré Rouge' 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Photinia Carré Rouge

    Photinia × fraseri 'Carré Rouge'

    £15.99
    1
    Dryopteris lepidopoda Jurassic Gold ('Hollasic') 14cm / 1.5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALSSale

    Jurassic Gold fern

    Dryopteris lepidopoda Jurassic Gold ('Hollasic')

    £10.99£13.99Save 21%
    1
    Pseudopanax 'Cyril Watson' 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Cyril Watson Pseudopanax

    Pseudopanax 'Cyril Watson'

    £24.99
    1
    Agave 'Blue Emperor' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Blue Emperor Agave

    Agave 'Blue Emperor'

    £22.99
    1
    Beschorneria albiflora 23cm / 5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    White-flowered Mexican Lily

    Beschorneria albiflora

    £28.99
    1
    Agave potatorum 'Compacta' potted plant

    Butterfly Agave

    Agave potatorum 'Compacta'

    £13.99
    1
    Fatsia japonica 'Variegata' with cream-edged glossy leaves held in hand

    Variegated Japanese Aralia

    Fatsia japonica 'Variegata'

    £26.99
    1
    Phoenix canariensis Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Canary Island Date Palm

    Phoenix canariensis

    £12.99
    1
    Agave pygmaea 'Dragon Toes' potted plant

    Dragon Toes Agave

    Agave pygmaea 'Dragon Toes'

    £23.99
    1
    Agapanthus praecox 'Zambezi' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    African Lily 'Zambezi'

    Agapanthus praecox 'Zambezi'

    £18.99
    1
    Pseudopanax crassifolius f. trifoliolatus 23cm / 5L (Collection Only) Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Lancewood (Horoeka)

    Pseudopanax crassifolius f. trifoliolatus

    £49.99
    1
    Astelia nervosa 'Westland' 23cm / 5L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Mountain Astelia (Bush Flax)

    Astelia nervosa 'Westland'

    £34.99
    1
    Abutilon 'Kentish Belle' 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Hardy Abutilon 'Kentish Belle'

    Abutilon 'Kentish Belle'

    £17.99
    1
    Cestrum fasciculatum 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Red Cestrum

    Cestrum fasciculatum

    £18.99
    1
    Enkianthus campanulatus 17cm / 2L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Redvein Enkianthus

    Enkianthus campanulatus

    £17.99
    1
    Gynostemma pentaphyllum 12cm / 1L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Jiaogulan (Sweet Tea Vine)

    Gynostemma pentaphyllum

    £15.99
    1
    Cyathea tomentosissima Plants - Outdoor GrowTropicals

    Golden Dwarf Tree Fern

    Cyathea tomentosissima

    £53.99
    1
    Euphorbia 'Miner's Merlot' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Spurge (Miner's Merlot)

    Euphorbia 'Miner's Merlot'

    £7.99
    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
    Polystichum lepidocaulon Plants - Outdoor GrowTropicals

    Hardy exotic

    Polystichum lepidocaulon

    £15.99£25.99Save 38%

    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.