20 Patio Gardening Ideas With Flowers, Herbs and Pretty Planters

Looking for patio gardening ideas that leave room for more than a row of pots? Think climbing tomatoes, bright hanging flowers and little herb gardens that grow upward.

These pictures include patio arrangements plus garden-border ideas you could adapt around your own outdoor space.

You can keep things simple with one colorful planter or go all out with leafy corners. Start with the space you have, then choose plants suited to its light and your local climate.

Patio garden ideas worth saving

tomatoes along the wall

We’re starting off strong with this leafy row of tomatoes and climbing vines. I love the red fruit against all that green.

The matching black pots sit along the wall with tall lattice panels behind them.

Try a similar row beside your patio if you have a sunny wall, leaving enough space to reach each plant.

a pallet-style herb display

How cute is this little herb display? The orange-brown pots sit at different heights across the slatted backing, with leafy growth spilling over their rims.

For your own version, choose a secure vertical pot holder and keep the herbs you use most within easy reach.

bright pink railing flowers

I am obsessed with these bright pink blooms. They spill so far over the white railing that you can barely see the planter underneath.

Those long trailing stems make the whole display even prettier.

a tower of trailing greenery

If you are looking for a corner with lots going on, then this one is for you. There are orange-brown pots in graduated sizes, trailing leaves and smaller planters tucked around the bottom.

I’d borrow the tiered arrangement using a purpose-built stand rather than copying the tall stack without knowing how it’s supported.

a lemon tree by the door

This lemon tree may just be one of my favorites here. I love the bright yellow fruit against the dark doors, plus that big pale peach pot.

If citrus suits your growing conditions, try one beside your patio entrance. Leave room for the spreading branches rather than squeezing it right against the door.

hanging strawberries

Who says hanging baskets have to be filled with flowers? These strawberries look so cute dangling around the brown basket, with broad green leaves above them.

Read also: 20 Fruit Tablescape Ideas With Citrus, Grapes and Pretty Flowers

Hang your own strawberry planter somewhere you can comfortably reach for watering and picking.

a plain black planter

Don’t want a patterned pot competing with your plants? This plain black cylinder is a lovely starting point.

The image shows planter preparation, with a loop of cord held inside rather than a finished planting.

The setup underneath isn’t visible, so I’d save this for the pot style rather than use the picture as a watering-system guide.

silver-colored garden tubs

This is such a fun way to group a container garden. Long oval tubs hold broad leafy plants while smaller handled containers sit alongside them.

These are arranged on grass, but you could borrow the mixed-size grouping for a patio edge. Keep a gap between the containers so you can reach the plants at the back.

white flowers on black trellises

I love these little white flowers climbing across the black grids. The repeated panels look so pretty along the pale wall, with a narrow planted border below.

Read also: 20 Raised Bed Gardening Ideas With Pretty Paths, Arches and Flowers

Try a flowering climber suited to your space if you want greenery above your patio without adding another row of floor pots.

a ladder full of flowers

How adorable is this flower ladder? Red blooms sit at the top, followed by pots of purple, yellow and pink flowers on the steps below.

Use a stable ladder-style plant stand to try the same idea. You don’t need matching pots here.

I especially love the mix of dark, gray and orange-brown containers.

a birdbath among yellow blooms

The yellow flowers around this birdbath are so pretty. I love how their dark centers show up in the water’s reflection, with pale pebbles winding behind the bowl.

This is a garden-bed idea rather than a container arrangement. If you have a border beside your patio, a small birdbath could be a lovely addition.

a tiered green garden

If you’re looking for a garden that grows upward, take a little inspo from these gray-green tiers. Broad leaves, fine foliage and long grassy blades fill the different levels.

Choose a planter designed for stacking if you want a similar arrangement. I’d keep the simple pot color and let the plants be the interesting part.

big leaves in a courtyard

I am obsessed with this leafy courtyard. The huge split leaves above the doorway and the ferns below make such a gorgeous combination.

Start with a large foliage plant suited to your conditions, then group smaller pots around it. Keep the route to your door open, just like the clear path through this space.

flower baskets along the fence

Why stop at one hanging basket? Pink, white and purple flowers repeat along this fence, with another line of planting underneath.

Read also: 20 Landscaping Along Fence Ideas With Flowers, Greenery and Garden Lights

The pink flamingo is such a playful extra. You could follow the same flower colors along a patio fence and add one garden ornament if you like that little bit of fun.

maples and broad leaves

Don’t want to fill every pot with flowers? No problem!

This grouping has lime-green and reddish maple foliage above big leaves striped with different shades of green.

I especially love the broad leaves gathered around the taller trees. Try varying the height of your potted plants to get a similar layered arrangement.

Read also: 20 Patio Decor Ideas With Candles and Other Pretty Outdoor Lights

peppers in a blue pot

How cute is this colorful pepper plant? Red, orange, yellow and green peppers hang above a bright blue pot.

If you love bold color, this is a fun container combination to save without adding any flowers.

a little bench beneath a tree

This is actually one of my favorite garden corners on the list. The spreading tree sits behind a simple bench, with purple flower spikes and orange-brown pots all around it.

You could borrow the seating arrangement for a patio nook. Leave the area in front of the bench clear so there’s room to sit among the plants.

planters with tall slatted backs

Want to plan the layout before choosing your plants? These empty rectangular boxes show a neat starting point.

Each has a tall slatted back, with the whole row tucked beside the fence.

I’d try suitable climbing plants here, but the boxes are still unplanted in this picture. Check their drainage and growing space before deciding what goes in.

purple and white window boxes

These window boxes are just too pretty not to save. I love the purple flower clusters above the larger white blooms, with tiny flowers and pale-edged leaves trailing below.

If your patio sits beneath a window, a box like this could bring flowers closer without taking up floor space.

a spiral herb bed

Last but definitely not least, we have this spiral-shaped garden bed. The paired images show the bare soil first, then leafy plants filling the curved planting areas.

Read also: 16+ Genius Pallet Gardening Ideas That Transform Tiny Yards

I love the raised center and the little pockets around it. This one sits on grass, so consider it an idea for a garden area beside your patio rather than a pot to place on top.