Suggestions please - what to plant in these pots?

[PsychedlicSally]

Hi, I had a bit of a shopping "accident" at the garden centre and ended up buying these 4 pots without thinking through what I would plant in them.

The biggest ones are 70cm high and about 17cm internal diameter at the top, the smallest one is 40cm high and 10 cm internal diameter, medium one 45cm high and 11cm internal diameter. terracotta, no drainage holes.

My main issue is the narrowness of the neck, daren't plant anything in them which I won't be able to get out so I am thinking annual or perennial grown as an annual. They will all go on my patio which is sunny south facing but has a small area with some shade from a neighbouring tree mid afternoon, only idea I've had so far is Argyranthemums. Could either plant in pot with lots of stones/sand/gravel in bottom or insert a plastic pot in top but they can only accommodate fairly small pots.

Patio planting theme is largely Mediterranean/tropical style plants, lots of pots, couple of raised beds, 8ft Chamaerops humilis in one corner I fancy the big pots either side of the french window

Any suggestions?

I would consider putting some stones in to act as a weight at the bottom and then fitting a plastic pot in the neck, possibly with herbs in, and maybe group them together.

(And move them to a sheltered place for the winter)

You could drill a hole(s) in the bottom with a masonry drill, on a slow speed and NOT using the hammer function.

Olive trees in the big ones

I would put sedums and ice plants in them

I’d put things that would tumble down the side. Petunias or even a patio clematis. Or those alpens with little pink flowers.

Try to aim for the classic "thriller, filler, spiller" combination if possible. Some grasses (thriller), calibrachoa and nemesia (filler), plus muehlenbeckia (spiller) would look fab (along with playing into the Mediterranean theme).

You could also consider (for spring) some bulbs e.g. tulips (or a bulb lasagne) with violas and ivy.

Or herbs/strawberries/etc.

I'd fill the base with recycled polystyrene chips or old plastic pots/trays (much lighter than gravel), then line the top with a plastic pot.

You could also ask someone knowledgeable at the garden centre what they recommend, I usually find staff have some great ideas.

Yes I agree- the proportions will look weird with a little tufty thing at the top! I actually think I'd go for an ivy- it'll have a cool 'roman ruins' kind of vibe and ivy is tough enough to survive those less than idea conditions!

Or morning glory (quick easy annual from seed), or strawberries as Poppins suggested.

Could they not stand alone as ornaments? They are lovely

Maybe some trailing rosemary? It looks lovely in flower and fits with Mediterranean theme.

Geraniums in terracotta pots feel very Mediterranean.

Not necessarily from this supplier!

www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/geranium-red-shades/classid.2000018766/sku.BP30001921/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADohxryQcO50JONQuD3GwiMT-t27c&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkN--BhDkARIsAD_mnIq-qvtCZm-jDAPI9_0E2-AA60nneobCVKwDMQeqFZ8e632v0QiSWBkaAogPEALw_wcB

Trailing pelargoniums would look nice in the large ones. Mediterranean herbs in the small ones.

The Crocus website has suggestions for similarly shaped pots https://www.crocus.co.uk/products/_/the-tool-shed/pots-containers/plcid.767/plcid.790/vid.344/vid.338/

i would avoid anything with a large root system (eg Olive tree) unless you don’t mind breaking the pots when they need repotting.

With a diameter of 17cm, I don’t think you can accommodate the usual thriller/filler/spiller combo, so you’re probably better focusing on one type of plant per pot. Bulbs may also be difficult to place inside without them touching.

Thanks all for your suggestions, some lovely ideas. I'll mull it over but like the idea of trailing pelargoniums and herbs for the smaller pots which a few of you suggested. I'd not thought of herbs.
Olive trees would look lovely in them but I wouldn't want to have to kill the pot or the olive tree once it got too big.
I'll go through all my plastic pots to find some which fit well, might have to buy some long plastic pots so I can get more root space.