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California Gardening

Container plant ideas for Spanish front porch

12 years ago

We have a Spanish style home with an arcade front porch that faces south. I'm looking for plant ideas for a large container (or group of 3) below the porch light mounted on the wall near the front door.

The porch is covered overhead and faces south. It is blocked from morning sun, then gets mostly mid-to-late afternoon sun in summer, and earlier sun in winter when the sun is lower. Being under the porch roof, it doesn't get sun directly overhead.

Our front yard was re-landscaped early last year, with the lawn replaced by plants and the look is quite "showy" -- therefore, this plant (or group of plants) doesn't need to be showy itself. Plants in the front yard include Blue Fescue, Salvia leucantha, Gazania, Daylilies, Kangaroo Paw, Lavender, Rosemary, Phormium. The plants along the walkway to the front door include giant Liriope.

I'd appreciate any suggestions for plants that are not very thirsty and can tolerate a week or two without water during summer vacations,

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Comments (6)

jenn
Original Author
12 years ago
Already found one: A had a small Dracaena Marginata in a pot on the patio, too small for that spot but almost just right for the porch under the light. I put it inside a larger dark blue accent pot. Now I'd like a couple of smaller ones for a nice grouping.
hosenemesis
12 years ago
Jenn, I imagine you posting this query, then getting all enthusiastic about shopping for your new porch plants and heading straight out the door! The dracena sounds pretty. I think they look great in pots. I have ivy as the spiller in most of my pots- I like the small leafed,variegated varieties. Wire plant is neat too, but it crowds out the other plants faster than the ivy does. I use blue fescue a lot for the filler. Echeverrias will do well on the back side of the pot where it is shady, and some varieties will spill down.

Renee
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I too am having a problem putting something in a large stone pot on a north facing side of my garage. I live in the Las Vegas area so summers are hot and dry but I get very little sun in the late afternoon on that north facing wall. I need some suggestions for a plant that will grow about 3 to 4 feet tall in that pot. Thank you.
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Camellias if the pot and the space are big enough. The flowers will benefit from being under cover. Sarcoccoca stays much smaller, and fragrant in the dead of winter. Dwarf pieris are great container plants, and most are starting to bloom now. These are all evergreens.
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holly, You really have to go out there and check the soil. Soil means EVRYTHING in gardening, it is what the plants will live in. I would go with frgrant, and if possible, evergreen, so in the winter it doesn't look totally dead. Even from just Christmas to the beginning of March, but still, you want to see some green. Suggestions for moist, not fast draining soil are Elephant ear, will come back when the weather warms up. Hibiscus, although if the soil holds water, they will die, papyrus, will do really well. Japanese iris, LOVES moist soil. WIll take part shade. Spirea, you can buy the small ones, they live in anything. daylily, will live in anything. Go outside and dig a hole in front of the porch. Fill it with water from your hose, and time it to see how long it takes to drain down. If over an hour, go with water loving plants that don't mind "wet feet". That is probably why your azela died, they need good drainage. Oh, and Sweet Bay magnolia, it LOVES moist soil, and will easily live there, and create shade for you.
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I've enjoyed wandering jew or purple queen in shade or sun locations. Since you wanted some additional flowering plants, you could put them in together. There are also impatiens varieties that can take shade and sun. They are different looking but may be similar enough to match when put into the 8 pots. Certain sedums are also trailing types that will handle shade or sun. They even could have different colorations based on that location, even though they are the same plant. Sometimes the different colors are even more interesting than just being a green succulent plant.
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jenn
Original Author
12 years ago
Funny Renee! Actually I didn't run out shopping yet... just moved a plant from the patio to the porch. :-) Thanks for the suggestions!
nanabelle
12 years ago
Jenn: I am in SoCal and have a spanish style home with an arcade, also, but mine faces north. I had a Dracaena by my front door for years until it grew too tall. Then it went to the backyard until it grew too tall for the overhang by the back door. I think that is a perfect choice for your (and mine) architecture.

I hate to get rid of these "old friends", so I had to put it in a hidden corner. I also had what I think is called Dumb Cane under my porch light. It has now grown too large and is in my hidden corner.

I have a very large Mother-in-law's tongue by the front door which has bloomed once in 12 years. It has the most delightful fragrance. It compliments the architecture, also.
hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
12 years ago
Agave attenuata and the usual succulents such as Echeveria would be other good plants. The variegated A. attenuatas are much slower growing and more beautiful than the species, which is already beautiful itself. A little sun is plenty.

There are many very colorful Echeverias available that provide year round color and also the flowers are hummingbird magnets. They do well in much shade. 'Burro Tail' Sedum morganianum is another idea.
jenn
Original Author
12 years ago
Hoovb -- why do I always forget to consider succulents?!
They're perfect for that spot, and low water. We have some in the patio and could move some of those to the front porch without having to buy new ones. Thanks for the ideas.

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