I always love hosting spontaneous gatherings with friends and family when unexpected good weather comes around, but it does mean frantically running round to pull everything together. That's why I rely on my patio plants to do some heavy lifting and ensure my outdoor seating is always ready for action.
By choosing table container plants to elevate garden furniture, you can be assured that the seating is already taken care of. I'm talking about fragrant, low-effort, showy plants that impress all summer long while needing minimal attention.
From aromatic herbs (Walmart offer a herb variety pack to create a herb planter), to vibrant flowers that bring elegance to the table, there are some particular table container plants that bring outdoor living spaces together with little fuss. Here, with insights from a garden designer, I talk through five easy options for effortless summer hosting.
1. Chocolate Mint
Aromatic herbs are always a good idea to have on a dining table or even a coffee table. One of the more unusual mint varieties is chocolate mint which has a distinct chocolatey scent and peppermint flavor.
Not only is having it in easy reach make it an excellent and surprising sweet treat for your guests, but its sweet scent will be released when hands brush past it.
Like growing other types of mint, it's actually best to keep chocolate mint in a pot. It's a vigorous grower, so keeping it contained stops aggressive spreading.
Just take care to grow it in a pot with a drainage hole and saucer, as overly wet conditions can oversaturate and rot roots. This distressed terracotta planter with a saucer from Wayfair has rustic charm.
Take advantage of chocolate mint's unusual flavor by regularly harvesting the mint leaves. This will encourage new, bushy growth and keep it tidy in its pot.
Find a chocolate mint plant on Amazon.
2. Calamondin Orange
I love giving my patio a Mediterranean-feel, so it feels like a bit of a vacation every summer evening. One of the best plants to style for this is a citrus trees.
More specifically, the calamondin orange tree (which you can find at Fast Growing Trees) is a super easy addition. Simply placing it on your outdoor dining table can make the perfect summer tabletop garden, especially when laden with mini oranges from late summer.
It's surprisingly low-maintenance to grow citrus trees in pots, with the main task being fertilizing through spring and summer (this citrus feed from Amazon is a good option).
Oranges are also self-pollinating, so you can get a good crop with just one plant.
Pairing it with brightly colored pots can bring the joyful look together, like this blue stripe scalloped pots from Wayfair.
3. Euphorbia 'Diamond Snow'
If you love tiny flowers, then there's no better choice for a tabletop container than 'Diamond Snow' euphorbia.
'When designing an elegant, low-maintenance garden, I naturally gravitate toward a palette of blue, purple, and white, and 'Diamond Snow' is hard to beat,' says garden designer Kate Schneider.
'This heat and drought-tolerant annual forms a tidy 12–18-inch mound and performs best in full sun, though it can tolerate partial shade. Its delicate white flowers bloom continuously throughout the season without the need for deadheading, making it a carefree addition,' she explains.
It has a fairy garden-feel with its small bracts and fine-textured foliage.
You can find 'Diamond Snow' euphorbia on Amazon.
4. Echeveria
One of my favorite things about summer is that you can move houseplants outdoors, and for those of us living in milder climes this means you can style heat-loving succulents outdoors.
To bring some texture to your outdoor furniture, you can create a succulent bowl with lots of different rosette echeverias.
By mixing and matching different varieties (see this pack of 12 echeverias from Walmart), you can create a chocolate box of succulents that is not only fun to look at but also run your hands over and feel.
Even better, succulents are incredibly low-maintenance. You can let them dry out entirely before watering again, and they won't need fertilizing as they thrive in poorer soil conditions.
I love the look of this raised succulent planter on a stand, perfect for a table centerpiece, or even styling at a lower level next to a chair leg.
5. Texas Lantana
Another bright bloom to make your outdoor living area more vibrant is Texas lantana.
'It produces cheerful blooms in shades of yellow, orange, pink, and red. My kids insist it smells like tropical fruit punch, and I have to agree,' Kate says.
'Native to Texas as its name implies, this plant thrives in intense summer heat and blooms continuously throughout the season,' she notes.
To grow lantana in pots successfully, make sure to provide well-draining soil and you place it somewhere with lots of direct sun.
Deadheading your lantana will also extend its display all the way to fall. Just take care to use sharp and clean gardening snips, like these Fiskars ones from Amazon.
This 'Havana Sunset' lantana on Amazon has a dreamy mix of pink, orange, and yellow colors.
What to Shop
These Felco F2 pruning shears are made for lifetime use, with replaceable parts. It has a bypass blade and aluminium handles.
This vintage floral pot is perfect for tabletop displays. It's ceramic and has drainage holes.
This all purpose plant food can give your container plants a boost during summer. Dilute with wate to apply every couple of weeks.
Our guide to summer table centerpiece ideas has more inspiration for bringing your outdoor living area to life. And if you want to use cut flowers to decorate for gatherings, check out our Petals & Roots allium floral design tutorial for an elegant arrangement.
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