High impact, low maintenance, hardy container plant. Impossible?

[HouseOfGoldandBones]

We've moved to a new house, with a tiny front garden, which is concrete.

My thinking is 5 or 6 massive pots, with slate surrounding, but with very high impact plants.

I thought something like the pink passion cabbage tree, but as I live in Scotland, I'm not sure they would survive the winter.

Because the containers will be very large, the plants need to be fairly tall, and work all year round.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Monkey puzzle

I've got a pieris in a pot - evergreen, lovely red bracts and white flowers at this time of year. I think mine is limited by its pot (not enormous) - they can get large. Needs ericaceous compost (great thing about pots is you can grow at a mix of pHs).

They're both great ideas.

Thank you

Pink Passion which is a Cordyline btw, certainly won't be hardy enough - I've lost it here in the South east in the past. How about a Japanese Maple? (Acer) They prefer acid soil which you can provide in a pot, can be slow to grow, but have wonderful foliage in spring and autumn, depending on the variety you choose.

Buddleia are bombproof and you can get smaller and fancier ones.

I've got hydrangeas in pots which do well.

Bamboo or miscanthus would work for height.

I wonder if a Fatsia would work? Depends how cold your part of Scotland is... it may be an idea to take a look around your area to see what thrives.

The Japanese Maple would work, we've got a few in the back garden that are doing well.

Having a look round is a great idea, thank you

What about a callistemon? Though I'm not sure how low your temperatures go, you can always use horticultural fleece when necessary. Or an olive tree? With pots, though, you may have to wrap the pot as well if your winters are bad.

Syringa is also pretty indestructible, if you want something less in need of maintenance.

I’d second a Fatsia, they can grow well in Scotland if you’re on the west coast. Or Rhododendrons.
Otherwise look locally and see what grow well in other people’s gardens.

Camellia? You can keep it pruned to the size you wish, I'd go for an every green, and acers and buddleia are deciduous.

Acer, or Japanese maple, very slow growing and beautiful all year. I bring mine in at Christmas and decorate the bare branches with silver bells and blue birds. There are lots of different varieties. Mostly prefer some shade.. I have had mine for 7 years and it’s 4ft tall now. I do top up it’s ericaceous compost every year and repot every 3 years or so.

How about a Photinia - the “pink marble” and “pink crispy” varieties are gorgeous. They grow quite big and you can shape them in a number of ways. They’re really hardy - I’ve done pretty much nothing with mine over the years apart from trimming them occasionally. They provide great colour all year round.

Would a cordyline work?

Don’t plant a callistemon or cordyline unless you live on the west coast.

I think you should smash up the concrete and plant into the ground.

Large containers and large specimen plants are very expensive and need looked after.