Container gardens offer a multitude of benefits including easy portability and the potential for adding visual appeal and function to any space, even a small one. All you need to get started is an attractive container with drainage holes, potting soil and the right plant for the right space. Ideally, plants for western sun exposure should be heat-tolerant, sun-loving plants that can withstand the intense afternoon sun.
Herbs grown in the extended sunlight received in a site with western exposure develop increased amounts of the oils that give them their fragrance and flavor. Culinary herbs such as dill, fennel, rosemary, lavender, sage, basil and oregano are excellent for growing in containers. Mint is particularly well-suited to container gardens because it may become invasive and take over the garden when planted directly in the soil. Herbs thrive in well-draining soil and should get about 1 inch of water weekly. Container-grown herbs need to be watered more often than those grown in the ground. Growing herbs in containers allows gardeners in cooler climates to bring pots indoors before the danger of frost.
Similar to herbs, many vegetables grow well in a container garden that gets plenty of sunlight, making them an ideal choice for areas with western sun exposure. Additionally, the soil in containers warms up faster than the ground, allowing gardeners to start crops earlier and faster in the spring. Container-grown tomatoes, squash and other vegetables are also less prone to pests and soil diseases. Use a potting mix that has perlite and peat moss, and mix in an organic fertilizer such as kelp meal to enrich the potting mix and feed the crop.
Heat-loving flowering annuals such as lantanas and petunias thrive in the full sun offered by a western exposure. Lantanas grow quickly, reaching heights of 1 to 6 feet. Lantanas are known for their long blooming season and colorful, 2-inch flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies to the garden. Flowers bloom in colors such as white, orange, pink, red and yellow. The sunlight of a western exposure helps petunia plants produce more flowers. Plants grow 6 to 18 inches tall with a spread of 1 1/2 to 4 feet, depending on the variety. Petunias feature colorful flowers that bloom from spring until the first frost. Grow petunias in containers filled with well-draining soil or potting mix. Deeply water the plants, adding 1 to 2 inches of water weekly.
Container gardens are space-efficient and offer the most flexibility to gardeners since plants can be easily moved, repotted or rearranged. Even gardeners with a tiny outdoor space can grow flowering perennials such as threadleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis hybrid "Route 66"), with its bicolor yellow and burgundy flowers that bloom throughout the summer. Threadleaf coreopsis is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. It grows quickly to heights of 1 to 3 feet. Another option is hummingbird mint (Agastache "Desert Sunrise"), an aromatic perennial that is hardy in USDA zones 5 through 10. Hummingbird mint blooms with showy spikes of dark pink or pinkish-red flowers from summer through early autumn. It grows 3 to 6 feet tall with a 1- to 3-foot spread.
- Monrovia: Plant Selection
- University of Minnesota Extension: Herbs
- Sunset: How to Grow Vegetables in Pots
- Clemson Cooperative Extension: Lantana
- Clemson Cooperative Extension: Petunias
- Fine Gardening: Coreopsis Hybrid "Route 66" (Threadleaf Coreopsis)
- Fine Gardening: Agastache "Desert Sunrise" (Hummingbird mint)
- Colorado State University Extension: Container Gardens
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