Four season plant pot

[DontBuyANewMumCashmere]

I am filling a space (outside) near my front door with plant pots. I already have a few different plants (rose bush, holly, going to plant an evergreen shrub like box or something) but had an idea to have a pot that has flowering plants every season; snowdrops in spring etc

Has anyone done this and have you any tips or plant suggestions that work well together? Many thanks

[traviata]

Do you mean just one pot that stays there all the time and has something interesting all year round? That is a tall order. The best bet might be an evergreen shrub that doesn't really do much, plus some bulbs for spring.

How about having a different pot each season? You could have a nice terracotta pot (or whatever) that stays there all the time, then plant up four plastic inners, and slot in a new one, change it around every few months.

[ClarkL]

Have you seen layering of pots? Adding spring/summer bulbs like crocus, daffodils and tulips all at different depths in the pot? I've no idea how well it works but saw it on pinterest

[JapanNextYear]

I've done a layered pot that lasted winter through to late spring. But I think all year would be a bit difficult. I gave another with evergreens in and smaller pot that I pot up with snow drops and then replace with small pots with narcissi. That was quite effective.

But I bought plastic inserts like suggested above and rotate them according to what looks good.

[DontBuyANewMumCashmere]

Thanks for your replies! I'm such a novice I didn't even consider it would be a difficult thing to do!
If I planted different bulbs and seeds in a flowerbed they'd all come out at different times so why wouldn't it work in a pot / planter?

Anyway the plastic inserts is a terrific idea and I'll try what Japan says.

Thanks again

[traviata]

It's difficult to achieve in a flower bed, or even in an entire garden!

Bulbs - they come up and look lovely, then the leaves hang around for months looking shabby.

Seeds/ perennials - they spend weeks and weeks just being small and green, then the flowers arrive; but most plants have flowers that are over by mid-summer. Peak flower time is mid June. Then you have a green plant again, which may die away entirely in late autumn.

Shrubs - their flowers also come and go in a matter of weeks.

The only way to achieve all year interest is to really work at it with planning, and to have enough plants (in a big enough area) to have something different which looks good every few weeks. in a pot, you just could not fit enough in.