Good weather means it's time to get outside and enjoy all Mother Nature has to offer, and of course, it's the ideal time to get hands dirty and have a little gardening fun. Of course, if one doesn't have a large yard or green space outside the house, having an array of live plants and flowers can be kind of a challenge, to say the least. But believe it or not, there are actually some great plants that will grow just fine on the patio, so anyone can enjoy somewhat of a lush outdoor space even if it happens to be pretty compact.
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Plants make any outdoor space more magical. They have been shown to improve human quality of life, regenerate oxygen into the air, and most importantly — they just look nice. There is something magical about a forest of one's own making. From the deep green leaves of the common houseplant to the vibrancy of flowers, and maybe even a homegrown tomato plant or two, plants add a little magic to any home lacking in outdoor space. They are also super easy to plant and take care of, even for those who believe they could kill anything green. Take a look at these photos to see 16 different plants that are perfect to grow on a patio.
From herbs to bamboo, we've got it all covered. Let us know which ones are destined to become faves for the family.
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Herbs
Herbs thrive on sunlight, so there's really no better place to grow them than a patio. Rosemary, oregano, mint — create your own little mini-garden of all your favorite flavors!
Geraniums
Add a burst of color to any outdoor space with geraniums. They're so easy to care for, anyone can handle 'em.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers look great in boxes or clay pots, and will make any patio feel alive and summery.
Bamboo
Create a cool, zen-like patio with bamboo. And the best part is you can keep it small, or let it grow if you want more privacy.
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Jasmine
Bring a little bit of the tropics to your outdoor space by growing jasmine. The scent alone is enough to transport you to somewhere far, far away.
Gardenias
Grown in large pots on your patio, gardenias are clean, classy, and smell great too.
Angel's Trumpet
Angel's Trumpet is a stunning flower — they hang down and can reach up to one foot in length. They're also very heat tolerant, so they'll thrive throughout a hot summer in the sun.
Angelonia
Colorful and fragrant, angelonia is perfect for patios — it loves the sun and the heat, doesn't need much water, and is generally easy to care for.
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Banana Plant
If you have the space for it, nothing will draw attention to your patio quite like a banana "tree". These large and lush plants probably won't give you fruit, but they love the heat and sunlight and are perfect for backyards.
Lantana
A favorite of butterflies, lantana's multicolored blossoms will add a gorgeous pop of color to whatever space they're given.
Mandevilla
Mandevilla is a flowering vine, so it'll need something to climb. But if you have that, then it's well worth the space and effort — the trumpet-shaped flowers bloom in beautiful shades of red, white, and pink.
Plumbago
If you need something to fill in space fast, plumbago is probably the plant for you — this gorgeous periwinkle bloom grows quickly and is drought- and heat-tolerant, so it'll stick around all summer long. It is poisonous, though, so maybe not the best choice for moms with toddlers who like to stick everything in their mouth.
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Pentas
Sweet and star-shaped, pentas are the perfect summer flower. They love the heat almost as much as butterflies love them, so they'll flourish all season long.
Solanum
Solanum is often sold to be a patio tree, and it flourishes in containers. It's low maintenance and gorgeous even when the flowers aren't in bloom.
Tropical Milkweed
Monarch butterflies love tropical milkweed, so with this in your backyard you'll get the colorful blooms and the colorful butterflies.
Sweet Bay Leaf Tree
A sweet bay leaf tree can grow to be a good size tree, but with some training and shearing it will also live happily in a patio pot. The leaves are the same ones used in soups and stews, so it's handy to have around the grill or kitchen.
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