These are both pretty large pots but not sure exactly of the dimensions. They are by my front walkway so I want them to look very pretty. So far I put 1 watermelon coleus, 2 Troika Cream nasturtium, and 1 vinca Tattoo Papaya. I want overflowing pots with lots of blooms. Is this enough or do i need more plants to get the look I'm going for?

I have more seedlings of all those 3 plants and can buy inexpensive annuals like sunpatiens or petunias for filler flowers, maybe a grass for the center.
(There's internet wires underneath this flower bed so that's why I have to have everything in containers.)

So pretty! Tastes vary but I like a lot of "spillers" going over the side and hiding the pots. Is that what you had in mind?

@purpleinpopp yes I do like spillers and the nasturtium is a Vining variety. Would adding another spiller be too much?

Those incredible pots full of flowers are over-planted, like a plant every 3 or 4 inches. Add way more nasturtium seeds.

I like nasturtiums but also Million Bells and sweet potato vines. For me, nasturtiums bail about halfway through summer - too hot. For a central plant, as you are in Florida, maybe a Ti plant or Cordyline?

I was also thinking a Ti or Cordyline, something for spiky form contrast. (though you do say lots of bloom... and it looks like you're mostly shade planting and anything with darker foliage tends to hide from my eyes anyway, in shade)

I do like the lime colored sweet potato vine.

Sometimes you end up having to cruise the nursery and see what they've got.

You might also consider a French or Spanish lavender for vertical interest.

@Lucy68 maybe a Ti Plant for centerpiece. I'm not sure there will be room for a cordyline. I do love million bells (and supertunias) but have always been hesitant to purchase because they're a little expensive. Maybe I'll try them this year. I really want nice looking pots. This spot gets mostly shade in our winter months and full sun in the summer so I intend for all these plants to die around May and that's when I plant zinnias and sunflowers in all the containers. I enjoy getting to switch up the garden look twice a year and love my cut flowers in the summer months.

Thanks for the idea @RickM I think either of those lavender would look beautiful with the colors of the watermelon coleus and the Troika nasturtium. Will look for those out my local nursery.

Million Bells are too expensive to toss but they are perennials.

@Lucy68 good to know! I assumed they were annuals like supertunias and that they'd just dry up in the hot summer months. Would be amazing if they came back in the fall.

They won't die down during summer. Mine die back in winter with the first hard frost (some years that never happens) but they go strong all summer no matter the temperatures.

When I put my mixed plantings together, I typically use plants that provide vertical interest (the thriller), as well as plants that weep over the sides of the pot (the spillers), and a number of misc bedding plants (the fillers) that compliment the arrangement with their colors, textures, and leaf shape/size.

I hope you find some inspiration in these shots.

























































Al

Some plants that can handle up to 100°, tons of sun. These plants bloom for half the year here. Do you get frost? YMMV with dark pots in the sun.
Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica)
Vinca (Catharanthus roseus)
Blue Daze (Evolvulus glomeratus)
Trailing Lantana (Lantana montevidensis)
Egyptian Star Cluster (Pentas lanceolata Starcluster™ Lavender)
Jamaican Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis)
Streptocarpella (Streptocarpus saxorum)

@tapla great inspiration photos. Thank you so much! Pretty much the looks I'm going for.

Those are lovely pots but they also show just how many plants it takes in a pot to make it a full beautiful pot.

That's what I like too, to try to hide & cover the pots so they look like impenetrable mini jungles. In the case of hanging pots, "magic" plants floating in the air.

Potted gardens are usually so easy to trim and remove no-longer-attractive leaves and spent blooms, as the plants grow.

We've racked up a LOT of pics in this discussion about container gardens, and discussions about watering them, where to put them, which plants are in the pics, etc... You might find it interesting:
The thread "Show off your container garden" in Containers forum

That's why when I first started with a few containers, I just went with the cheapest plastic, because the pots aren't seen at all once the plants take off. Plus I can just stack them all up in the garage and they don't take up much space storing for the winter. And they're heavy enough to move when filled even being plastic... I can't imagine the weight if they were heavy ceramic planters.

I'm still waiting to see what it feels like to not spend all the available $ on plants and buy one of the "wow" pots. Then it would take forever & a day to decide which plant is special enough for that pot. LOL!

Haha, Tiffany, I have saved a fabulous pot all season for the "perfect" plant.... and ended up not using it all. Silly. But when used, worth the occasional splurge.

These pots are all under $20 from Aldi. I like nice things😀 but don't need expensive clay pots that are heavy AF to move. I also don't get to choose from too many expensive plants here. A lot of plants don't do well in our climate and winter months hardly get sun on my garden beds and summer it's full sun and constant rain. So annuals are the easiest for me.