Shrubs for containers?

Hi, I have quite a small garden and only space to plant containers rather than straight into the ground. I was wondering if anyone would be able to give me some ideas of suitable shrubs to plant that would flower in the spring/summer but also give some all round colour.

I've planted some flowers in some of the pots, dahlias, geraniums and nemesia. I've also got two buxus balls that my husband bought - not sure if they're suitable for containers but he randomly came home with them one day so I've planted them so will see what happens! I've also got an azalea and a confetti bush, I forget the proper name for it.

I would love some ideas for other shrubs or even smallish trees that I could plant in the containers

 

Hi susie any help?

1. restricted apple , pear fruit trees, for containers
2. small container Japanese maple
3. ,Dwarf conifer
4. Something unusual like Sophora microphylla or Albizia julibrissin
5. Tender trees, such as olives, pomegranates and citrus are ideal in pot
6. Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida f. rubra) Slow-growing with long-lasting, pink bracts in spring and purple autumn leaves. Red robin green and red leaves which is growing well in a container
7. For all summer and attactive to bees and butterflies argyranthemum go dasiy, even fushia , and most flower plants
8. The buxus balls will grow in a container

 

I potted myrtle tarentina, leptospermum scoparium red and pink, luma apiculata last year. Let's see how compact I manage to keep them. And Japanese maple...

 

Thank you both I will look into some of those. I never even thought about fruit trees but I love that idea! Do you think honeysuckle would grow in a container? I love the smell of it when it's growing amongst the hedges. I was also looking online last night and quite like the campunula (if I got that right!) and agapanthus - I forget the variety now but it was a gorgeous dark purple, almost black.

 

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I am going to grow one as i like honeysuckle in a container and i came across 2 kinds for containers the trumpet honeysuckle
(L. sempervirens) that has red flowers and produces red berries. It has restricted growth and bloom late in July and August.
A particularly small variety of honeysuckle to grow in containers is ‘Celestial’, a true dwarf

 

Hi

Pieris "Little Heath " is great for a pot and evergreen

 

Sorry for the late reply. Thank you for the suggestion of the honeysuckle variety, I will definitely look out for those two

 

That looks a really pretty one, I will keep an eye out for one of those as well. Got lots of pots to fill up as hubby keeps buying them!

 

Hi I was looking yesturday at some container honeysuckle when I came across that honeysuckle berries can be toxic to cats
They love the smell of the leaves and flowers which can cause them to react to it like catnip yet the berries can be toxic to them so to be on the safe side I not getting one

 

Oh no that's not good, I knew lilies were toxic to cats but not honeysuckle. I don't have cats myself but would hate to cause harm to any neighbouring cats (even if they do poop on my lawn at times!).

 

Hi susie as you don't have a pet you could always buy a honeysuckle to put in a container or basket by house maybe outside by the front door it will be away from puss

 

Hi

Yes that's a good idea, will see if I can do that. Although saying that there is one neighbourhood cat who doesn't appear to have any boundaries whatsoever and if he sees an open door he will try and sneak through it! Have had to shoo him away a couple of times from getting in the house!

 

Hi susie yes some cats can be a nuisance but if one adventures on tiggs territory watch out
I use to have a few cats visit but since I have had tiggs they have disappeared but I did find pure white vinegar mixed together with lemon juice, and if I had any rosemary in a spray bottle put by the door .
did deterred some

 

Is that the cat in your profile picture? He looks gorgeous

 

Hi susie yes thats tiggs
He was a rescued cat a freind of my daughter had him in her flat and while she was at work left him all day in the small bathroom no wonder he became wild. she was getting married so decided i dont need a cat and as he wild she was going to take the easy option and put him to sleep .
My daughter said we will have him and i would train him I was the 4th home he had been to in 12 months
My daughter bought him i loved him at first sight but couldnt believe he was year old he was so big but felt sad to think how cruel to treat a defenceless animal
Straight away he wonted my home to be his home i trained him it was not easy as he was so wild but with patience and love he now well behaved that was 10 years ago.
he likes his pic taken so i am sure he say purrthankyou i am gorgeous lol