How to Choose the Best Flowers to Plant on a Patio

Whether you are relaxing on a lawn chair soaking up some sun, emerging your hands in rich gardening soil, or organizing outdoor furniture, a patio is the perfect place to display your favorite selection of flowers. The best flowers to plant around a patio are those that have blooming qualities and thrive during the heat of the summer.

Patio flowers should only be planted or potted outdoors once the danger of frost has passed. Strategic placement of these flowers in transitional areas that include periods of shade and periods of direct sunlight will help you have a patio floral design that lasts all season long. Adequate watering, mild fertilization, and proper planting techniques are essential ingredients for a successful patio garden.

The following list of flowers provides you with some of the best examples of patio plants that can be used to create a beautiful and illustrious patio design.

1 Dipladenia

This best pick for a patio design offers red and pink colored blooms that are beautifully displayed in a vine like fashion. Dipladenia is a great flowering patio plant for a climate that experiences a long Indian summer. Due to its love for light, it is best kept on a patio area where it receives direct sun exposure.

2 Gardenias

Gardenias are luscious patio plants that have extremely fragrant flowers. These can be used as landscaping shrubs or as patio accents. They seem to thrive best when cool evening temperatures set the stage for blooming buds. These hearty flowering plants tolerate lightly shady outdoor conditions.

3 Hosta

This flowering plant is not often considered a blooming variation because the small purple flowers do not appear until late in the season. However, the intensely variegated foliage and dramatic leaf shape make them a fine contribution to a patio design. This blooming plant does best in areas where it receives a vital portion of shade. Hosta tends to grow quickly, so a plant that measures one-foot in diameter usually measures two or three feet by the end of the season.

4 Oleander

If your patio needs a bright burst of color, the oleander could be the perfect fit for your patio design. The unique foliage is visually stunning, and the intensely bright pink flowers will certainly catch your eye. Due to the fact that this flowering plant has been reported to be poisonous, make sure that you place it in a patio area that is clear of pets and young children.

5 Hibiscus

Hibiscus plants have large single and double flowering blossoms that come in a variety of colors including pink, peach, red, yellow, and white. The intensely variegated foliage provides a soft color contrast with the flowers and other patio accessories. The gorgeous blooms are eye stopping, but each bloom only lasts for approximately one day.

6 Impatients

Impatients are one of the best flowers to plant around a patio because they survive well in areas that receive some shade. Potting these flowers allows you to place them on an umbrella covered patio table or under a shaded tree. Impatients also come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes that include double blooms, oversized blossoms, and miniature versions. The color range varies from pure white to deep purple and every hue of red and pink in between.

7 Lantana

Lantana is known for its strong adaptation to areas that receive full sunlight, so it makes for a healthy patio addition. The best flowers to plant around a patio are often those that can also be pruned and used as a potted plant such as this one. The fruity fragrance and pretty floral clusters in orange, white, pink, and yellow make it a lovely patio accessory. If you carefully prune the dead blooms from the plant, you will increase the intensity of the blooming season.

8 Geraniums

Geraniums may not be the most unique patio flowers, but they tend to hold up well in adverse weather conditions. Their hearty nature and mild drought tolerance allows them to thrive in patio areas where they receive a combination of shade and sunlight. One of the best qualities of Geraniums is their versatile color range. The blooms come in shades that include: red, white, light pink, hot pink, fuscia, watermelon, coral, purple and salmon.

9 Tibouchina

Tibouchina has amazingly beautiful deep purple flowers. Their dynamic appearance makes them one of the most eye-popping alternatives for a patio design. Due to the exotic nature of the foliage and the extreme qualities of the blooms, it is important for the Tibouchina to stay well watered. In addition, patio areas that receive a portion of shade during the hottest parts of the day will allow your Tibouchina to thrive and flourish.

10 Jasmine

Jasmine comes in a wide assortment of varieties with the Angel wing being one of the easiest to grow. Because of its stellar fragrance and pointy flower shape, Jasmine is one of the most attractive additions to a patio design. The versatility of this flowering plant allows it to be trained on trellises for a lush patio addition.

In summary, the best flowers to plant around a patio are those that tolerate both sunny and shady conditions. Colorful blossoms and attractive foliage also provide beauty and variation for your patio design. As you relax and celebrate the summer season, allow your patio to be the floral showpiece of your home.