3 easy-grow flowers for patio pots

The BBQ season is abut to kick off, with the Easter Bank Holiday signalling the beginning of a beautiful spring and summer. Whatever the weather, our garden accessories will keep the party going. But what if you want instant ‘gorgeous’? Here are three easy-to-grow flowers for patio pots, all perfect for adding instant ‘wow’ to your patio or party space.

Our first flowers for patio pots – Nasturtiums

Their big seeds are easy to handle and plant, as big as 1cm across. They grow like mad, impressive in no time. They don’t care about the conditions, they like the sun but they’ll happily thrive in almost every setting. And the flowers? They are stunning. This is the nasturtium, a blinder of a patio plant.

Buy mixed seeds for a cheerful display of oranges, reds, yellows and multi-coloured blooms. Or go sophisticated with just one colour. We’ve seen one with dark, deep red flowers, almost black, set against small, dark grey-green leaves, really lovely.

They need very little care, the flowers keep coming until the first frost, and you can sow new ones with the seeds you get, no need to buy more. Best of all for BBQ lovers, you can eat the leaves and flowers. They taste very like mustard and cress, fab in a salad and amazing in a burger.

Number two – Wallflowers

Like nasturtiums, wallflowers are super-easy to grow and you can sow the seeds you get for years of heavenly scent. The leaves are a nice grey-green and the flowers last and last, endless clumps of fragrant reds, oranges, pinks and purples, yellows, even versions that’re more or less black. Ours are perennials, so stick around for years.

Wallflowers are hardy and love life in a pot. They’re simple to care for and the hardy ones keep on flowering until the first frost. Ours have just started flowering and they’ll probably keep going until November. The best thing about them is the smell. Honestly it’s just wonderful, strong and delicious. What a great way to add extra loveliness to your garden life.

Interestingly, you’ll see something that looks a lot like cultivated wallflowers growing on pebbled beaches along the south coast, places like Brighton and Worthing. It looks like they’re related to wallflowers, with white or purple flowers – but much bigger leaves and a woody stem. They grow like a shrub and can get quite big.

Our third flower for patio pots – Heucheras

A third really easy to grow choice, heucheras are fantastically varied and simple to grow. Pot-lovers and easy to care for, they’ll give you months of colour from the leaves alone. While they flower beautifully, the leaves are the main attraction for many people.

Winter 2022-23 included one of the nastiest freezing spells for years. Our heucheras, in pots, have survived a three week run of sub-zero nights and frigid days, proving they’re tough customers. In the growing season they grow fast for quick dramatic looks. You can easily divide the clumps to make new plants. We’ll be adding more to our patio this year, they’re so attractive.

We hope you’re inspired to pot up some amazing easy-grow flowers for the coming BBQ season. Now all you need is some planters. Our sister company, Garden Leisure, has some lovely planters and exciting ideas for adding flowers to the garden in pots. Take a look here.