Choosing plants for your pots
The right plant depends on how big the pot is and what shape it is. Here's what grows well in each Urban Outdoor pot, with Australian natives marked.
Start with the size of the pot
Small pots, under 35 cm high
Herbs, succulents, strawberries and small grasses. Small pots dry out quickly in summer, so check them often.
Medium pots, 35 to 50 cm high
Shrubs and flowering plants: kangaroo paw, lavender, westringia, dianella and lomandra.
Large pots, over 50 cm high
Small trees and feature plants: olive, dwarf citrus, bay, lilly pilly, bird of paradise and kentia palm.
A plant in a pot can't send its roots looking for water, so a bigger pot is easier to look after. If you're between two sizes, go up.
Tall pots
Tall pots hold plenty of soil, so they suit small trees and upright plants with deep roots.
Lomandra (native)
A fine, grassy clump that copes with heat, wind and the odd missed watering.
Sun or part shade. Pots 25 to 60 cm high.
Dianella (native)
Also called flax lily. Strappy leaves, blue flowers and berries, and very little fuss.
Sun or part shade. Pots 30 to 60 cm high.
Cordyline
Bold, upright leaves in reds, pinks and greens. A good fit for a tall, narrow pot.
Part shade. Pots 40 cm high and over.
Dwarf citrus
A Meyer lemon or Tahitian lime gives fruit, scent and glossy leaves. Use the largest pot it will fit and give it plenty of sun.
Full sun. Pots 45 cm high and over.
Lilly pilly (native)
Clips into a ball, a standard or a screen. Plant a row of tall pots or troughs for a living fence.
Sun or part shade. Pots 45 cm high and over.
Bird of paradise
Large paddle-shaped leaves and orange and blue flowers. It looks at home beside a pool.
Sun or part shade. Pots 50 cm high and over.
Bay tree
Clips into a lollipop standard, and the leaves go in the cooking.
Full sun. Pots 50 cm high and over.
Olive tree
Silver-green leaves, and it handles heat and dry spells. The classic tree for a big pot.
Full sun. Pots 55 cm high and over.
Kentia palm (native)
Elegant arching fronds. It's from Lord Howe Island and happy in shade or indoors.
Shade or indoors. Pots 55 cm high and over.
Round and square pots
The all-rounders. Small sizes take herbs and succulents, the largest take a citrus or a small tree.
Succulents
Echeveria, sedum and similar. Tough, low and happy to dry out between waterings, so they suit hot spots.
Full sun. Pots up to 40 cm high.
Herbs
Thyme, oregano, chives and parsley have shallow roots, so small pots suit them. Keep them close to the kitchen.
Full sun. Pots up to 40 cm high.
Dwarf kangaroo paw (native)
Flowers on tall stems from spring. It needs full sun and potting mix that drains freely.
Full sun. Pots 25 to 50 cm high.
Lomandra (native)
A fine, grassy clump that copes with heat, wind and the odd missed watering.
Sun or part shade. Pots 25 to 60 cm high.
Lavender
Grey leaves and summer flowers. It likes sun and doesn't want wet roots.
Full sun. Pots 30 to 50 cm high.
Dianella (native)
Also called flax lily. Strappy leaves, blue flowers and berries, and very little fuss.
Sun or part shade. Pots 30 to 60 cm high.
Westringia (native)
Also called coastal rosemary. It clips into a neat ball, or a low hedge along a trough.
Full sun. Pots 37 to 60 cm high.
Cordyline
Bold, upright leaves in reds, pinks and greens. A good fit for a tall, narrow pot.
Part shade. Pots 40 cm high and over.
Dwarf citrus
A Meyer lemon or Tahitian lime gives fruit, scent and glossy leaves. Use the largest pot it will fit and give it plenty of sun.
Full sun. Pots 45 cm high and over.
Bird of paradise
Large paddle-shaped leaves and orange and blue flowers. It looks at home beside a pool.
Sun or part shade. Pots 50 cm high and over.
Bay tree
Clips into a lollipop standard, and the leaves go in the cooking.
Full sun. Pots 50 cm high and over.
Olive tree
Silver-green leaves, and it handles heat and dry spells. The classic tree for a big pot.
Full sun. Pots 55 cm high and over.
Pots in this shape: Valley, Havana, Kingston, Savannah, Sienna, Monet and Tuscany
Troughs
Troughs are long and narrow. Plant them in a row for a low hedge, a herb garden or a screen.
Succulents
Echeveria, sedum and similar. Tough, low and happy to dry out between waterings, so they suit hot spots.
Full sun. Pots up to 40 cm high.
Herbs
Thyme, oregano, chives and parsley have shallow roots, so small pots suit them. Keep them close to the kitchen.
Full sun. Pots up to 40 cm high.
Native violet (native)
A soft groundcover with small purple and white flowers that spills over the edge of the pot.
Part shade to shade. Pots up to 40 cm high.
Strawberries
They spread along a trough and fruit through summer. Keep them well watered.
Full sun. Pots 15 to 40 cm high.
Dwarf kangaroo paw (native)
Flowers on tall stems from spring. It needs full sun and potting mix that drains freely.
Full sun. Pots 25 to 50 cm high.
Lomandra (native)
A fine, grassy clump that copes with heat, wind and the odd missed watering.
Sun or part shade. Pots 25 to 60 cm high.
Lavender
Grey leaves and summer flowers. It likes sun and doesn't want wet roots.
Full sun. Pots 30 to 50 cm high.
Dianella (native)
Also called flax lily. Strappy leaves, blue flowers and berries, and very little fuss.
Sun or part shade. Pots 30 to 60 cm high.
Westringia (native)
Also called coastal rosemary. It clips into a neat ball, or a low hedge along a trough.
Full sun. Pots 37 to 60 cm high.
Lilly pilly (native)
Clips into a ball, a standard or a screen. Plant a row of tall pots or troughs for a living fence.
Sun or part shade. Pots 45 cm high and over.
Low, wide pots
Low pots dry out faster and hold less soil, so they suit plants with shallow roots that cope with a dry spell.
Succulents
Echeveria, sedum and similar. Tough, low and happy to dry out between waterings, so they suit hot spots.
Full sun. Pots up to 40 cm high.
Herbs
Thyme, oregano, chives and parsley have shallow roots, so small pots suit them. Keep them close to the kitchen.
Full sun. Pots up to 40 cm high.
Native violet (native)
A soft groundcover with small purple and white flowers that spills over the edge of the pot.
Part shade to shade. Pots up to 40 cm high.
Strawberries
They spread along a trough and fruit through summer. Keep them well watered.
Full sun. Pots 15 to 40 cm high.
Dwarf kangaroo paw (native)
Flowers on tall stems from spring. It needs full sun and potting mix that drains freely.
Full sun. Pots 25 to 50 cm high.
Lomandra (native)
A fine, grassy clump that copes with heat, wind and the odd missed watering.
Sun or part shade. Pots 25 to 60 cm high.
Lavender
Grey leaves and summer flowers. It likes sun and doesn't want wet roots.
Full sun. Pots 30 to 50 cm high.
Pots in this shape: Sorento Squat and Aspen
Getting the basics right
Use potting mix, not garden soil
Garden soil packs down hard in a pot and stops water draining. Use a premium potting mix, and look for the Australian Standards mark on the bag.
Let the water drain away
Roots that sit in water rot. Urban Outdoor pots come with a plug in the base: take it out before planting outdoors, and make sure water runs out of the bottom of the pot after watering. Pot feet lift the pot off the ground so it drains freely and doesn't stain the deck or paving.
Water more in summer
Pots dry out much faster than garden beds, and small pots fastest of all. In a South Australian summer a small pot in full sun may need water every day. Push a finger into the mix: if it's dry a few centimetres down, water it.
Match the plant to the spot
Each plant above shows the light it likes. A plant that wants full sun will struggle on a shady verandah, and a shade lover will scorch by the pool.
Not sure what to plant?
The garden centres that stock Urban Outdoor know their plants. Take a photo of your spot and ask them.
Find a garden centre