What do you have planted in your planters outside of your house?

I hate high maintenance beds and planters so most of ours are filled with things that maintain themselves and come back year after year.

For color we used:

azaleas, tiger and day lilies, hostas, canna, tulips, gerber daisys (they come back if you mulch enough!). These should bloom all spring, summer and into the fall. (We're in zone 7. NC.)

For cool textures we used:

Silver dust, lambs ear, ornamental grasses

For Smell:

Rosemary and curry (They smell great when people brush up against them!) And we're adding jasmine since it is hubby's favorite. :))

Each of my boys gets a few pots and and some planter space in the yard as well. This year they chose petunia, geranium & snapdragons.

We're hoping for a fun summer of blooms and scents - hope the drought monster stays away this year!!

I have Azaleas and they bloom in spring and in summer. There's a lot of those in Wilmington, NC. They even have an Azalea Festival.

I also have a plant that is between a Yucca and an Aloe. It grows even in the snow (which hardly ever happens on the southeastern coast). The leaves (not really leaves) have thorns.

I bought the Roll n grow that they show on television. So far I see little plants coming out so I am excited that flowers will bloom from them. Roll n grow has their own site where you can purchase it. Check it out !

'Bright Lights' cosmos will bloom all summer.

Texas Star hibiscus will bloom all summer.

Hardy hibiscus will bloom all summer.

Moss roses will bloom all summer.

Daylilies are about to bloom but will not bloom all summer.

Morning glories will bloom all summer.

Turk's cap will bloom all summer.

'Main of Orleans' jasmine will bloom off and on all summer.

Oriental Trumpet-Red Dutch liliums will not bloom all summer.

Oriental Hybrid-Stargazer will not bloom all summer.

Ivies (no flowers).

Will be trying cucumbers just for fun.

The only flowers we have are two rose bushes, which do fine all year except winter. Then there's the container garden. That has a lemon tree, sage, rosemary, parsley, cilantro, basil, oregano, jalapenos, red bell peppers, thyme, chives, and green beans.

I have geraniums in all shades of white pink and red in my window boxes. I have hanging baskets of double knock-outs and I also like to do impatients. All very hardy, bloom all summer and really just take general watering.

Impatiens for shady areas, Petunias and verbena for sunny areas. Moss rose mixed in with these, grows well in both sun and partial shade. I have one pot full of Asiatic Lillies. Also Pansies:

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/21405626...

Petunias are a sure thing for full-sun areas and they do well in planters.

You can also try spices for those shade/part sun areas - they look nice and you can also use them for cooking.

I would drill some holes in the bottom , plants don't like wet feet

I have some inpatients in my shady areas and petunias & salvia (for the hummingbirds) in areas that get afternoon sun. I also have herbs & lettuce for my bunnies!