Zone 7a/b, Tennessee, USA

[mishraye]

Hello! I'm new here, with extremely limited gardening experience. I am looking for plant recommendations.

I have a new home and there is a rather large covered wood deck. It has North, East, and West exposure. I would like to decorate it with plants that will survive year-round (caveat: I CAN bring in a few inside if the weather is extreme, so I may be able to consider zones 7b or 8a...just don't want to have to do it ALL the time).

I'd like a few potted plants, some smaller plants to put in flower boxes, etc. Potted plants can be larger varieties.

Also, please feel free to point me towards websites where I might find this information on my own.

Thanks in advance!

[rainbowgardener]

I love having herbs in containers on the deck for easy snipping when I want them. Since your deck is covered, your plants won't be getting as much light, but mint, tarragon, thyme, lemon balm, anise, ginger, cilantro can handle shadier situations. The cilantro/coriander is an annual. The ginger would have to come in in the winter (but one of mine that I forgot did survive last winter). The rest are hardy perennials

On my deck I have this set up:

A bench with containers with trellis behind it attached to the deck. The picture was before there were vines growing on the trellis. Once it is covered in vines, it gives a little illusion of privacy from the neighbors. I use it to grow things hummingbirds like, to bring them on the deck with us, but most of those need more sun than you probably have. In those pots are lemon grass, petunias, purple basil, thyme.

You can also grow small shrubs in large containers. Here's an article showing examples of beautiful containers with shrubs and other plants. Most of these should work for you: https://www.finegardening.com/article/1 ... containers

[mishraye]

Thank you!