Are your Spring container gardens looking a bit sad? With a few simple steps, you can turn them into a stunning Summer Container Garden!
Summer is here, and it’s the perfect thyme to refresh your outdoor Spring planters and turn them into a beautiful Summer container garden. Whether you call them patio pots, porch planters or combo pots, your Spring planters may be ready to be refreshed for the Summer season. I’d love to share my simple tips with you!
On this blog, I may sometimes use affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you purchase via the link. The price will be the same whether you use the affiliate link or go directly to the vendor’s website using a non-affiliate link. By using my affiliate links to shop, it helps me to be able to continue bringing you fresh new ideas and projects! Thank you!
Simple Summer Container Garden Makeover
To transform your existing Spring container into a beautiful Summer container garden you will need a few key elements: the planter that needs refreshing, a larger container or 2, fresh soil, and a few new blooming plants.
Plants can be potted in almost anything as long as it will hold soil. Choices include terra cotta pots, baskets of any type, resin containers, concrete containers or plastic pots. For a touch of whimsy, you can even plant flowers in old boots, teapots or wheelbarrows.
For your container gardening, it is best to use a high-quality potting mix. Potting mix specifically designed for container gardening will provide key nutrients the plants need to flourish.
Finally, you’ll want to select the right plants for your container garden. When selecting plants, consider their size, color, and growing habits. You’ll want to choose plants that will complement each other and grow well in the same conditions.
Angel Vine Topiaries with Proven Winner Diamond Snow
Angel vine plants are one of my very favorite plants. This topiary shape is called Russian Dome and was originally in a 6 1/2 grower’s pot.
When I planted it in the tall container, I added a 4 1/2-inch pot of Diamond Snow from Proven Winners.
Several months later, the pots were looking a bit frazzled. The wooden dome on top of the topiary form was faded from the sun. It was definitely thyme to repot and refresh!
Choosing a New Container
I decided to go with a 16-inch container. I selected a container that was made out of resin so that I would still be able to lift it after it was potted. While I do love the look of ceramic pots, they are extremely heavy even before soil and plant material are added. Large pots like this would be impossible for me to move by myself if they were ceramic!
Resin pots are also normally much less expensive than ceramic. I found these on Amazon. I will include the link at the bottom of the post. Another great thing about these pots is that they already had a drainage hole in the bottom. Often times, the pots don’t have drainage holes already cut out and you need to get the drill out and make holes in the bottom.
Before adding potting soil to the new pot, I added a few empty plastic pots to take up some room. In the past, I have also used pine cones as well as biodegradable packing peanuts to take up space in the container so that I don’t use as much actual potting soil.
Ready to Repot Your Summer Container Garden
After I prepared the new pot by adding fresh potting soil to the pot, I was ready to remove the topiary from their existing pots. By laying the pot on its side and gently tapping it on the ground, I was able to loosen the plant from the pot. The picture below shows how I used the smaller pots to take up some space when I originally planted it. 
After placing the topiary into the new container, I added more soil. After I got the pot moved into its new position by the front door, I watered it very well.
Then it was thyme to refresh the wooden knob at the top of the topiary. I simply sprayed some 24K Gold spray paint on a paper towel and rubbed it on the knob. It looks so much better now!
Let’s Add a New “Accent” Plant
I could have stopped once I got the topiaries repotted. However, I wanted to add a little bit of color to the pots. I could see a little spot in the front where another plant could fit nicely.
When choosing an accent plant to add to your containers, you will want to consider the growing zone you live in as well as how much sun the containers will receive.
The US Department of Agriculture has developed a map that divides the country into different growing zones based on how cold it gets in the winter. I am fortunate to live in Zone 10a where the temperatures rarely get below 32. If you don’t know what growing Zone you live in, you can find out here: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/
These topiaries sit near our front door which faces South. They get full sun, meaning the sun shines on them 6 to 8 hours a day. I needed to choose a plant that could hold up to the sun, the heat and the humidity of Southwest Florida.
Petunias would be one great choice to add to the topiaries. They can take a lot of heat and sun.
Geraniums would be another great choice. Geraniums and Summer are almost synonymous in most parts of the country. Except for Florida, where they do better in the Fall thru Spring seasons!
Ultimately, I decided to go with one of my favorite plants instead! Blue Evolvulus or Morning Glory
Blue Evolvulus is a tender perennial in the same family as the Morning Glory. It has lovely blue blossoms. The leaves are small and oval in shape. I love how wispy it looks!
It is a true blue color. Blue blooming plants are very hard to find. I really like the combination of blue & white for the Summer months.
If you have been following me for awhile, you might recognize the picture above from Mother’s Day. I used these two Blue Evolvulus plants in the Mother’s Day Forget Me Not dough bowl centerpiece.
Back to the makeover……
I simply removed the Blue Evolvulus from its pot and planted in slightly off center in the pot with the topiary and the Diamond Snow. I added a little more potting soil, watered the container very well and then covered the top of the soil with dampened sheet moss. I placed the repotted containers in a shady spot for a couple of days before moving it to the sunny location by the doors.
Looking Down into The Topiary
The Topiary on the Left Side of the Garage Door
The Blue flowers aren’t very visible in this picture. I planted them more to the side of the topiary.
The little blue flowers close at night and then reopen the next morning. This plant has become one of my favorites.! It holds up so well in the heat and humidity in Florida!
Summer Container Garden Ready for the 4th of July
Tips for Refreshing Your Summer Flower Garden
Summer is the perfect thyme to add some vibrant colors to
your garden with beautiful flowers. However, not all flowers are suited for the
hot and humid weather. Here are some expert tips on the best flowers to plant
in the summer to ensure they thrive and bring beauty to your outdoor space.
Garden antiques and tools can be incorporated into your garden landscape to add interest. The use of topiaries and trellises can also add focal points to your outdoor area.
With summer just around the corner, I am sharing my favorite garden bedding plant ideas today! Bedding plants are a easy way to create a colorful garden in almost no thyme!
Are you looking for an annual plant that is easy to care for and will provide a jolt of color to your outdoor area? Look no further than petunias!
Dwarf Morning Glory Plants are easy to grow and require little maintenance. They're also great for adding color to your garden or patio. They have quickly become one of my "go to" plants! I love the bright blue flowers and the wispy stems! I'd love to share my tips on how to grow dwarf morning glory!
A dessert garden is quite similar to a tea, culinary or a fragrance garden. Many of the same herbs that you would use to make teas or grow to add to your cooking can turn ordinary desserts into delicious taste treats!
I love to work vintage and antique items into my displays, even in my garden! Antique garden tools & accessories are the perfect item to help add interest! Both inside your home and outside in the landscape!
Shopping links:
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases
See something that interests you? Simply tap the “i” next to any of the photos and you will see the item description and price. Click +Add to My Shopping List or +Add Product and the items are added to your shopping cart. You can shop from blog post to blog post and your shopping cart will follow you! When you are ready to checkout, simply click checkout which will take you to Amazon to complete the transaction!
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. The opinions here are all my own. It helps me to continue to bring to you DIY and projects on my blog.
Please see my disclosure page for more information.
[…] I have a pair of angel vine topiaries sitting next to our front door. For all the details on how I added the blue evolvulus to these pots you can read this post: How To Refresh Your Topiaries for the Summer […]