Plants on my Porch! (2013, buy, gardening)

[liney59]

I have a screened in porch 12 x 14 with a southwest exposure. I would love to fill it with plants, flower pots filled with plants, hanging baskets etc! What do you love on your porch and what should I plant? I am new to this climate and unsure how traditional annuals would do and also I love the look of tropical plants and would love to try some of them! What have you had success with and what should I plant/buy/hang etc???!!!!

[no kudzu]

The porch will give you shade so you should consider shade loving plants regardless of your exposure. At least this has worked for me. Caladium, impatiens, ivy, hosta, ferns, (asparagus, leatherleaf, boston, etc). I'm very frugal with my gardening money so I usually don't buy many annuals. I buy perennials to enjoy in a pot or basket for the first year and in the fall put them in the garden. I have hosta on my front porch which are 5 years old (in the same pot) and I don't water them during the winter months at all and they come right back in early spring..

Remember even in the shade of the porch you may need to water as often as twice a day during our ungodly hot summers but not now.
good luck.

[ScarletG]

Originally Posted by liney59

I have a screened in porch 12 x 14 with a southwest exposure. I would love to fill it with plants, flower pots filled with plants, hanging baskets etc! What do you love on your porch and what should I plant? I am new to this climate and unsure how traditional annuals would do and also I love the look of tropical plants and would love to try some of them! What have you had success with and what should I plant/buy/hang etc???!!!!

If you want bright pop of color....go with , impatiens...just make sure you keep them watered.

[VeraVega]

I have two large pots with Queen Kimberly Ferns on my south-facing screened porch. They look fantastic! They are different from the typical Boston Ferns that you usually see, they grow more upright and are more formal looking. I got mine at Lowes, and they have them at most local nurseries, but in general they might be a little harder to find.

[Claire_F]

One plant I got for the first time this year is a chenille plant. It's beautiful, very unusual, and does well in the shade.

I have a covered front porch, and have hanging baskets every year. In the past I've had trailing vincas, lantana, bougainvillea, purslane, and portulaca. All have done well.