Container flower pot displays: the best for your garden

Here's a selection of our best container display designs, created lovingly by our gardening experts. Why not make your own?


Gardens Illustrated's container planting series is a definitive way of creating impressive, beautiful flower displays using pots. We ask garden designers and gardeners to give us all the tips on how to create the best-looking pots. Here's a selection of some of the best.

Here's our page for pots of style

Gardens Illustrated

Wild-style spring plant display for the container garden

1/13/2020
Make the most of early spring plants to create a container display with the appeal of the wild woodland edge. Perfect for the container gardener or a sunny terraceShow more
Pastel container flower display

Gardens Illustrated

Plant container display using pastel shades and eucalyptus

4/3/2020
Ben Preston, head gardener at York Gate in Leeds, lays out a flower container display using pastel shadesShow more
Plant container display with fritillaries

Gardens Illustrated

Create a plant display with fritillaries for early summer

3/30/2020
Ben Preston, head gardener at York Gate in Leeds, creates a container combination to add a freshness to early spring. Words Ben Preston, photographs Eva Nemeth Show more
Bowled over

Gardens Illustrated

Gypsophila: a gorgeous display with gypsophilia

2/19/2020
Head gardener Matthew Reese creates an easy display for a pot that will take your breath away using the pink form of the dainty flowered Gypsophila. Photos Andrew Montgomery Show more
Galvanised water tank filled with wildlife-friendly plants poppies, dianthus and Orlaya Grandiflora

Gardens Illustrated

Wildlife-friendly container display

2/20/2020
If you want your garden to benefit pollinating insects like bees and butterflies this container display has been planted with plants that attract wildlife and suit a garden of any size. Designs by gardener Julia Wylie, who specialises in naturalistic planting schemes. Photographs by Andrew Montgomery Show more
A stylish pot for summer

Gardens Illustrated

A stylish summer container display using Pelargonium 'White Boar'

7/3/2024
Head gardener Thomas Unterdorfer shows how to create a stunning container display with a gently wild style for early summer. Photographs Andrew MontgomeryShow more

Gardens Illustrated

Planting ideas for summer containers

2/17/2020
Designer Jinny Blom created a series of easy-to-achieve planting schemes for containers, so that you can freshen up your garden with instant displays of vibrant plants. Here's her idea for a simple yet effective tabletop collection of pots, Photography Andrew Montgomery Show more

Gardens Illustrated

Late summer planting combination for pots

8/22/2023
Designer Kristy Ramage brings pizzazz to a late summer container combination using plants in lilac tones and a splash of orange. Here's how she did it. Photographs Andrew MontgomeryShow more
A mix of Dahlias and grasses are planted up into a greengrocer-style box

Gardens Illustrated

Planting ideas for late-summer container display

6/30/2022
Planting combination for a stylish late-summer container display using Dahlias and Panicum grass by designer Sarah Price.Show more
Cultivation and care

Gardens Illustrated

Flower container display for summer with Gaura

3/24/2020
Designer Kristy Ramage plants up a stunning urn with a splash of gorgeous summer flowers. Here's how to recreate the look yourself. Photographs by Andrew MontgomeryShow more

Gardens Illustrated

Making an entrance with container displays

8/30/2017
Head gardener Thomas Unterdorfer regularly changes the mix of pots that greet him each morning in the garden. Here he gives his plant advice and growing tips for a container display that makes a statement of an entranceShow more
A tropical planting display

Gardens Illustrated

Tropical planting display in a Victorian bird cage

3/29/2023
Benjamin William Pope creates a stylish display from an old Victorian bird cage. Photographs by Andrew MontgomeryShow more
A late summer container

Gardens Illustrated

Pot planting display with colour until autumn

9/1/2023
Head gardener Benjamin William Pope brings summer to 
a close with two sophisticated displays that add a touch of easy 
charm and subtle colour until early autumn. Photographs Andrew MontgomeryShow more

Gardens Illustrated

Succulent houseplant pot display

1/8/2023
Find out how to create this stylish houseplant display using unusual succulents. Created by head gardener Benjamin William Pope. Photographs Andrew MontgomeryShow more