Best Shrubs for Pots

Shrubs are some of the hardest workers in the garden. They may not get the plaudits like showy perennials do, but without shrubs your garden would feel a whole lot less complete. And while people might associate them most with sprawling beds and borders, shrubs can also grow beautifully in pots and containers.

In this post, we’ll be looking at some of the best shrubs for pots, so that even if you only have a patio or balcony as your outdoor space, you can get to experience the best of what shrubs have to offer, too.

Jump to:

• What is the best shrub for larger pots?
• What is the best shrub for smaller pots?
• What's the best shrub for pots in sunny spots?
• What's the best shrub for pots in shady spots?
• What is the best evergreen shrub for pots?
• What is the best wildlife shrub for pots?
• What is the best early-flowering shrub for pots?

What’s the best shrub for larger pots?

Now, if you’ve been to any garden centre, you’ll know that there are some seriously big pots out there, the kind that set you back a cool few hundred pounds each. If you’ve got the cash to splash – and the strength to move – then you can opt for a larger, more vigorous shrub. A rhododendron is a good bet.

These acid-loving flowerers are some of the most ostentatious plants out there, and by growing one in a pot, you curtail any risk of the plant spreading (as rhodos are known to be quite invasive).

There are all sorts of varieties out there, including red, white, pink and purple cultivars, and the best part is that they’re nice and easy to look after. Plant them in ericaceous compost in your pot, keep them well-watered, position in dappled shade and then let mother nature do the rest.

What’s the best shrub for smaller pots?

Only got a small space with which to work? Not to worry, there are plenty of more compact shrubs out there that’ll do just the job. In fact, there are many shrubs out there that have been trained into a standard (or lollipop shape) specifically for use as a patio plant. Here at Roots, we’ve got a patio ceanothus, lilac, photinia, hibiscus, euonymus and many, many more.

If you’re not a fan of that distinctive lollipop shape that standards give you, then there are some low-growing bushy shrubs you can consider. Box is perhaps the obvious one but there are also dwarf hydrangea varieties out there, like the adorably named ‘Little Spooky’, which ensure you still get that flowering interest you’re looking for.

What’s the best shrub for pots in sunny spots?

Is your terrace a bit of a sun-trap? Firstly, we’re jealous. Secondly, you’ve got some of the best options to play with in terms of shrubs available to you. A strong contender for sunny positions on the patio is lavender.

Not only does this Mediterranean heavyweight love the sunshine but it also thrives in poor, dry soils. We’d opt for something like a terracotta pot as this porous material allows the compost to dry out and prevents your lavender ever sitting in waterlogged or overly wet conditions.

Another good option is Mexican orange blossom (Choisya ternata). This fragrant fellow boasts delightful white flowers, akin to citrus blossom, and glossy evergreen foliage that ensures genuine year-round interest.

What’s the best shrub for pots in shady spots?

If you’re not blessed with a south-facing spot, and your patio/balcony sits on the shadier side, then there’s no reason why you, too, shouldn’t be able to enjoy a good potted shrub. Foliage shrubs like fatsia are an excellent option; their architectural foliage adds immense interest and there are varieties like ‘Spider’s Web’ that are compact enough to grow in a pot (growing to just a metre, or thereabouts, in height).

What’s the best evergreen shrub for pots?

There are many nice evergreen shrubs out there, with many of these being suitable for container-growing. Bamboo is one of the first plants that springs to mind. With their striking upright culms and narrow lanceolate foliage, these plants look fabulous in a pot and offer a chic, contemporary look.

Presenting in a range of hues, including golden, black and red, the additional benefit of pot-growing a bamboo plant is that you can choose a ‘running’ variety without fear of it spreading like a soft stick of butter. Perfect for both minimalist and Japanese-style gardens, potted bamboo plants can also provide valuable privacy screening thanks to their dense coverage and fast rate of growth.

What’s the best shrub for pots and wildlife?

Looking to attract more wildlife to your terrace? Silly question, who doesn’t want more bees and butterflies… Stepping up to the plate – escallonia! Specifically, ‘Pink Elle’. A low-growing shrub with a slow growth rate to boot, this variety of escallonia is known for attracting pollinating insects to its flowers, and sits on the RHS’s Plants for Pollinators list, indicating its pollinator appeal.

Or take something like Viburnum tinus, for instance, also known as laurustinus. Its nectar-rich flowers attract pollinators, offering food at a time when it’s otherwise scarce, while the berries bring plenty of birds (such as blackbirds). It can grow in shadier areas and grows happily enough in a large container. What’s not to like?

Honourable mentions go to cotoneaster, ceanothus and pieris, all of which grow nicely in pots.

What’s the best early-flowering shrub for pots?

If some early colour is what you’re after, then you can’t go wrong with a camellia (or three). Camellias are known for their dazzling early season impact, and herald the arrival of spring – and just as importantly, help us say farewell to the gloom of winter!

Varieties like ‘Nuccio’s Pearl’ are on the smaller side, making them ideal for container-growing, while bigger examples, like ‘Princess Baciocchi’, which can grow up to six metres in maturity, make for exceptional feature plants.

Final thoughts

Pots aren’t just for perennials – though they obviously look good in them, too! No, they’re for all manner of plants, including trees, climbers and, as we’ve established here today, shrubs. Hopefully, having read this, you’ll have an inkling into the kind of shrub that will suit your patio, terrace or balcony. Frankly, we’re absolutely potty about them and we hope that you are, too…