Last week I visited the Indiana Flower & Patio show with a friend. I always look forward to this event for inspiration on styling my garden. Trends abound at these sorts of events. What struck me on this visit is that many of the gardens presented were installations, that is, meant to be outdoors in the ground. Applying outdoor trends to containers is a breeze, just consider the overall theme of a trend and make it fit your containers.

Green & Yellow Everywhere

Like much of the fashion happening this season, spring garden trends for containers can mimic outdoor trends which are flush with vibrant colour. Most specifically, greens and yellows. So many displays boasted evergreens of all sizes, shapes and textures. A few deciduous greens made appearances as well large amounts of English Ivy, a really traditional look. My favourite was “Gold Child” which seemed to be a perfect match for all those green and yellow shades.

The yellows? So much of what stands out are the mass plantings of both small and full-sized daffodils. Sometimes used to line a bed or bath, I love the idea of planting daffodils in pots “en masse” in loads of similar containers. I’m also enchanted with the idea of using contenders of daffodils to line a walkway or delineate a path. So charming. The “Tête-Á- tête” from Breck’s is a tiny little beauty and Eden Brother’s “Citrus Sorbet Mix” is an eclectic collection that adds a pop of tangerine making it even more colourful. As always, pansies and violas (in yellow) are a strong contender for the chilly spring months. They also grow beautifully in pots.

Pro Tip: Try planting your bulbs in pots in the fall so that they come up each year. After the flowers are spent, plant summer selections over them. A great way to have pretty pots in early spring with little effort.

A Bit of Purple

This year’s spring garden trends for containers include another splash of strong colour. Deep purple kept creeping in as an accent and looks fantastic. I adore this wine-coloured shamrock “charmed wine” from Romance Gardens & Greenhouses. I plan to use it in planters on my front porch, flanked by daffodils and violas in yellow. This gem of a purple hyacinth known as “Hyacinth Blue Jacket” from Dutch Growers make another great container option. Nestle hyacinths into groupings in several large pots with English Ivy and a few yellow tulips for show-stopping spring containers that look good both indoors and out.

Accessories

More spring garden trends for containers? Obviously, it’s a cinch to coordinate your garden accessories to play to trends. One idea that I plan to replicate is adding pots, pillows and umbrellas in coordinating colours to emphasise the bright, cheery colours of my container plantings. I love a yellow garden umbrella and snapped a great shot (see featured image) that demonstrates how eye-catching this can be. This one from Home Depot come in yellow and purple. Get creative and make the big trends work for you in your containers and/or small spaces.