Suggestions. Plants in pots for year round interest

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I have a hideous poured concrete patio which, unfortunately, isn’t going to be changed for at least a couple of years.
I have a load of large pots & DH is going to build me a couple of large troughs/planters so that I can soften the rectangle up a bit.
What sort of thing can I put in them for year round interest?
Suggestions please.

I have a horrible paved drive.

I have tulips in early spring (planted autumn before) and plant out tomatoes, courgettes and spring onions after the frosts. I have herbs all year round.

You could do other bulbs or shrubs for winter / autumn, but actually ive enjoyed the blaze of colour in April to signal the end of the winter and the contrast almost adds to the effect.

Theres loads you can do in pots. Its surprised me.

I have pots of bulbs that I put by the front door in spring, I didn’t even think of putting some in the pots for the patio so thank you for the suggestion.

I’m keen for them not to just be soil over winter so I have been Googling shrubs for pots also.

All evergreen: Skimmia japonica - I have a white flowering one (Kew gardens, possibly) and a red one

Miniature conifers - the lime ones are quite striking

Lollipop shape shrubs - ceanothus, photinia, bay, underplanted with bulbs

Escallonia pink elle

Also hostas (but … slugs), viburnum, pittosporum and euonymous all do well in pots

I only buy shrubs, bulbs/tubers and perennials for pots now, as I’m fed up with spending £££ on bedding plants in autumn and spring

I just rotate them, so I only have some out at one time

My evergreen shrubs and hydrangeas are out all year round and then I have dahlias, spring bulbs, calla lillies, hardy geraniums, verbena lollipop, various erigeron, dianthus and echinacea out only when they’re in flower. I keep them out of immediate sight when they’re dormant.

The biggest evergreens your pots can take, plus seasonal interest

Shallow pots suit of sempervivums and sedums, if you want a variety of heights.

Ive got a dwarf lilac and a small daphne in the garden (not pots). I picked them because they are small and wont dominate the garden but they are also suitable for pots.

Anything of a dwarf like nature works well - whether it be shrubs, perennials, annuals or veg.

Just a question of looking out for smaller varieties of common plants.

On our patio at the back we have an apple and a fig tree and they work well. And we have blueberries out front (but you really need a minimum of 3 blueberries).

I have to say i love all of my garden, but i probably fuss most over my pots, ironically.

I have good size sedum (not alpine type sizes) in pots too. I don’t know the varieties but one is purple, one is purple/pink and one is a nice limey green. Easy as anything and look good all year round, structural but pretty too.

Gardenia kleims hardy is on my list for a pot for next year.

Google had suggested skimmia but either skimmia reevesiana or skimmia rubella so I wasn’t sure which one to get.
I actually had a euonymous in a pot but it got so big it had to go in the garden.
I do like the idea of a dwarf lilac, DM has never had a garden without lilac.
I grow my peas in a pot every year so will continue to do that.
I stupidly planted my fig tree in the garden because it got too big for the pot. Unfortunately I didn’t know about restricting the roots. I just chopped it down yesterday as I was worried about the roots causing damage so I will get another fig tree.
I will add Gardenia kleims hardy, sedums & a dwarf daphne & maybe some dwarf conifers.
Thanks for all the suggestions

I have evergreen herbs that look great all year: rosemary, sage, variegated sage.

We have a few rhododendrons in pots, as well as lavender, gypsy grass, small conifers and a Japanese maple.

Im buying more pots and bulbs to plant for Spring.