Porch planter ideas (flowers, spider, vines, hostas)

[ac00]

I was looking to put two planters on each side of the pillars on my porch. Do you have any suggestions on the flowers and plants that would make a good arrangement? This is for a zone 6 hardiness

[lifelongMOgal]

What is your goal? Are you wanting height, color? Which direction does the porch face (which time of day does it get the most light)?

[ac00]

Goal--decorative purposes. Add a little color to the brick front. Porch faces North.

[Clark Park]

As potted porch plants, I have had good luck with impatiens, petunias, pansies, and geraniums. Not such good luck with Gerbera daisies, miniature roses, or ranunculus.

[nuts2uiam]

Thunbergia is a viny kinda thing it has a black center and yellow flowers. Needs sun but mine is on the north side and mine does very well every year. (Annual)

[PeterRabbit]

Post a photo of your porch/house.

[Icy Tea]

Wave petunias really take over and spread out. I'd add a contrasting lighter color taller plant in the center.

[CptnRn]

How about something like this, with a few flowering plants tossed in. I don't recognize all of the plants in that pot but the ones I do are English Ivy, Asparagus Fern & Spider Plant.

http://www.statesman.com/multimedia/dynamic/00842/Garden-Ambiance-HO2_842219c.jpg (broken link)

[chiroptera]

Can't go wrong with petunias! They do fine without a ton of sunlight. So do impatiens and begonias. Hostas (not much in the way of flowers, plus they'e a perennial so you can replant them almost anywhere), hollyhocks, some types of lavender....

I'm zone 5-6 and have mostly perennials in the ground but adore petunias for potted annuals. They smell really nice on the front porch too. Pansies also. No flowers but really colorful foliage: sweet potato vines.

Probably your best bet is to go to a good nursery (not a big box store) and chat up the owner/employees. If it's a good nursery they will be total plant geeks and will have good recommendations for your exact area.

[Clark Park]

I decided to go with geraniums. The color is a glowing fuschia red that I found irresistable. I do "color schemes" for my porch flowers and window flower boxes ... last year it was a mix of pale yellow, golden yellow and light orange. This year it's going to be reds and purples.