5 pansy container plans for spring

 Pansy Container Ideas

Pansies are beautiful cold-hardy flowers - check out these 5 pansy container plans for spring! Start spring with pansy containers As winter comes to an end and spring begins to gift us with the warmth of the sun, garden centers and nurseries start to release the first blooms of the year. When you're trying to decide what to take home, I recommend picking up a few packs of spring pansy containers. With all the color options to choose from, there's so much you can do when incorporating them into your spring containers. Scroll down for a few spring pansy container planting plans, and watch the YouTube video above, where Garden Gate staffers Christine and Jennifer share a step-by-step tutorial for the two spring pansy containers featured below.

Add pansy containers to your patio or entryway

Plant a few spring containers, and an empty patio or deck will suddenly be filled with color. Your balcony will become a bright spot in your apartment, and your neighbors will be asking where those plants came from. Grouping containers together provides a large display that will draw attention to your entryway, or you can use bright blooms to decorate a tabletop on your deck.

Spring containers are the beginning of all the ways to express yourself this growing season. Once they fade, you can get creative again by changing out the plants for a whole new look in the summer and fall. In the meantime, get inspired by the spring pansy container ideas here, and you might just have to make another trip to the garden center!

Go bold with red flowers this spring

This combination is perfect for a patio or next to your front entrance, as its bold colors make a statement that lasts for weeks. And you can enjoy the light, sweet scent of pansies and nemesia as you walk by. Cool spring temperatures help these blooms last, but eventually you’ll need to deadhead them.

Container Care Tips

Pinch or cut back the stems of pansies, nemesia, and marguerite daisy to encourage more blooms. Daffodils only bloom once. So when they’re done, you can pull the bulbs out if you want to avoid the ugly yellow bulbous leaves that will grow when they’re in a container.

Red osier dogwood stems cut from the garden provide height, color, and texture even as the flowers fade. Once the weather starts to warm up, the stems will lengthen and the blooms will slow down. Now is a good time to replace cool-season plants like pansies and nemesia. You can leave gaura and marguerite daisy in place to add height and interest to late-season combos.

Small Pale Container

This sweet little cool-season planter makes the perfect addition to a tabletop. Since the pint-sized plants don’t grow very tall in the spring, you can still see your conversation partner across the table. As warmer weather approaches, calla, sweet alyssum, and viola will start to outgrow this 12-inch pot. But you can plant them on the edge or toss them in the compost pile to enjoy blooms again in the fall.

Ranunculus & Pansy Container

This container filled with colorful spring flowers like snapdragons, tulips, and pansies will give you something pretty to look at until the warm weather annuals are ready to pick. Here, the different shapes and textures of the flowers make as much of a statement as their colors. Place this planting arrangement on a patio or front step, where you can easily bend over to admire each bloom.

Container Planting Tip

It’s okay to pack spring containers tightly because you’ll be removing and replacing plants as they fade as warmer weather approaches. When planting, you may need to gently press the root balls to press them into the container. This won’t harm the plants as long as you’re careful not to break any stems.

Get Four-Season Structure in a Container

Adding evergreens like boxwood or arborvitae to a container is a great way to get structure in every season. 'Green Velvet' is tolerant of pruning and can be shaped however you like. Hold off on pruning until all danger of frost has passed in the spring so as not to damage the tender new shoots. When growing shrubs in containers, buy the largest pot possible (these are 24 inches in diameter) so that the potting mix can help retain moisture and protect the roots.

Boxwood Tip

To winter boxwoods in zone 5, prevent moisture loss and scorched leaves Spray an antiperspirant and water occasionally if temperatures are above freezing.