25+ Plants for Green and White Container Gardens
Create a relaxing patio, balcony, or porch with this timeless color palette
Caladium, Impatiens, and vines brighten this shady front porch in Richmond, Virginia’s Fan District
In a world full of constant notifications, the garden offers a much-needed escape. And when space or time is limited, container gardening makes it easy to get your hands in the soil and create your own offline oasis. It’s part of a broader movement, where time with plants is becoming a refreshing antidote to screen time.
A green-and-white palette is one of the simplest ways to bring this calm to a patio, balcony, or doorstep. Soothing and versatile, it brightens shady corners, pairs with any planter style, and looks timeless in every season.
The ✨Magic✨ of Green and White in Containers
Visually calming and cohesive
Brightens shady spaces
Pairs with any planter style and color
Timeless and effortlessly elegant
This look also ties into the growing “green-drenched” trend, where lush foliage takes center stage. By focusing on greenery and texture, with just a touch of white or silver for contrast, you can create a display that feels both fresh and classic.
Green Foliage for a Lush, Tranquil Look
Layering different shades and textures of green enhances the feeling of restfulness in a garden. The following plants thrive in containers and provide both depth and a cooling presence whether used as Thrillers (height), Fillers (mounding), or Spillers (trailing).
Thrillers:
Chinese Fan Palm with New Guinea Impatiens and variegated ivy brighten this partly shady corner.
Fountain Grasses. Pennisetum ‘Hameln’ and Miscanthus ‘Adagio’ make impressive centerpieces in containers from summer through fall, lending both height and a soft, weeping habit to compositions.
‘Kimberly Queen’ Fern. Upright and dense, great for pots on patios or balconies in partial shade to partial sun.
‘Majesty’ Palm. Tropical houseplant that can thrive outdoors in partial shade to partial sun during summer months. Arching fronds sway gracefully in the breeze. For a lower growing variety with broader fronds and greater sun tolerance, try ‘Chinese Fan’ palm.
FILLERS:
‘Autumn Brilliance’ Fern. New growth emerges in shades of rust, then matures to a lush leafy green in partial shade. In milder climates (Zones 7 and above), this beauty provides three or more seasons of interest.
Heuchera. Also known as Coral Bells, this perennial is prized for its mounds of attractive leaves and elegant, yet subtle flower stalks in summer. Focus on the green or chartreuse varieties, like ‘Pink Fizz’ Heucherella and Lime Marmalade Heuchera, respectively.
Spillers:
‘Algerian’ Ivy. Semi-evergreen with glossy green leaves on burgundy stems that climb and trail in shade or partial sun. Salt-tolerance makes this a great option for coastal containers.
‘Asparagus’ Fern. Delicate and airy, yet surprisingly tough and easy to grow in bright shade or partial sun.
‘English’ Ivy. A trailing, hardy vine perfect for softening the edges of containers in shade to partial sun.
Lysimachia. Also known as Creeping Jenny, these trailing chartreuse tendrils cascade elegantly over the sides of pots in shade to partial sun.
Variegated Leaves for Built-in Contrast
Variegated foliage instantly brightens restful container designs, offering built-in contrast with white, cream, or yellow against green.
thrillers:
‘Angyo Star’ Tree Ivy. This hybrid has large, lobed leaves in shades of green and cream. A healthy climber that makes a striking thriller in containers when trained on a trellis.
‘Silver Streak’ Flax Lily. Upright, strap-like, white and green striped leaves bring structure to containers and window boxes.
Coco admires how ‘Silver Streak’ Flax Lily adds structure to this soothing window box.
fillers:
Moon Falls Sedge. A graceful, arching carex with white and green striped foliage. Adds texture, movement, and deer-resistance in dappled sun to shade.
Hosta. Broad, variegated leaves on these shade-loving perennials come in many sizes and patterns. ‘Ginko Craig’ forms petite clumps that work beautifully in combo planters.
‘White Christmas’ Caladium. Large, dramatic white foliage with striking green veins.
spillers:
Variegated Algerian Ivy. This bicolored version of Algerian ivy features large, glossy leaves variegated with creamy white margins.
Variegated English Ivy. A trailing, hardy vine perfect for softening the edges of containers in partial sun to shade. Available with silvery white or golden yellow margins.
Variegated Plectranthus. Also known as variegated Swedish ivy, this dense filler grows both up and down for maximum fullness in partial to full sun arrangements.
White Flowers for a Bright and Elegant Design
Adding white flowers to container gardens creates a sense of calm and elegance. Their bright petals reflect light beautifully, making them especially striking in low-light settings. Try some of my favorite white flowers for porch planters below.
THRILLERS:
Mandevilla. Elegant, climbing, low-maintenance, tropicals with clear white blooms and vibrant green foliage. Give these a tall trellis or tripod to climb, and they’ll wow you all summer long!
FILLERS:
BabyWing® White Begonia. Low maintenance, vigorous bloomer from sun to shade. Glossy green leaves give the white flowers an extra pop.
Diamond Snow® Euphorbia Hybrid. Miniscule white flowers cover a delicate mound of green foliage for sun to partial sun. For a slightly looser, wilder look, try Diamond Frost®.
Dipladenia. The shrub form of Mandevilla with a loose, reaching growth habit for a relaxed, but crisp look in sunny containers.
Littly Lucky™ Lantana. Pollinator-friendly and sun-loving annual with petite, clustered flower heads.
SunPatiens and Double Impatiens. Continuous, bright white blooms that thrive in either sun or partial shade, respectively.
Upright Vinca. Heat tolerant, and often deer-resistant, vinca is ideal for long-lasting summer displays.
SPILLERS:
Scaevola. White, fan-shaped flowers cover this sun-loving annual, available in both mounding and trailing varieties.
Ready to bring your container garden oasis to life? Start with the right planter.
My FREE Planter Shopping Guide will help you choose one that fits your space and your style.
Silver and Blue-Green Accents for a Soothing Touch
Cool-toned silver and gray foliage introduce an additional element of serenity, complementing green and white plantings naturally.
THRILLERS:
Clarity Blue™ Dianella. Upright, blue-green blades with an architectural look. A flexible choice that’s tolerant of both wet and dry conditions, and can thrive from full sun to partial shade.
Skyscraper® Senecio. Upright succulent with blue-green foliage that makes an excellent thriller in containers.
FILLERS:
Dusty Miller. Soft, silvery gray leaves that add both visual and textural contrast.
Hosta. For a cooler palette, try cultivars like ‘Halcyon,’ which brings a smoky blue-green tone to shady pots.
Makana™ ‘Silver’ Artemisia. A fluffy filler with feathery, blue-gray foliage for a delicate and easygoing lightness in container gardens.
SPILLERS:
Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’. A cascading plant with icy-blue foliage that drapes elegantly.
I love window boxes, and the green-drenching approach shines in this application! I recently partnered with my friends at Monrovia® to create a lush flower box that mixes solid and variegated foliage from their extensive collection of perennials.
If you’d like to recreate this design at home, grab the FREE recipe below ⬇️.
Relaxing Aesthetic in Fall and Winter Porch Planters
The soothing green and white aesthetic isn’t just for summer. You can continue this approach into your fall containers with tall grasses, lush ‘Autumn Brilliance’ ferns, and dense ornamental cabbages. White or green pumpkins make a natural and whimsical addition to any design at this time of year.
Winter planters and window boxes can be stuffed with petite evergreen shrubs, conifer branches, and pops of white or cream from painted pine cones on picks or faux weatherproof berries.
Shop Planters to Ground Soothing Arrangements
While this peaceful green and white aesthetic is mostly about the plants, choosing the right pots can enhance their impact.
For a crisp, clean look, go with a white planter or window box. If you prefer a more uniform, monochromatic approach, choose a planter in a shade of green. Gray stone, sand-colored composites, or antique terra cotta can blend with your hardscape and will keep the focus on the plants. In shady locations, I also love the way black or charcoal pots fade into the background, allowing variegated trailing plants to shine.
Shop some of my favorite porch planters and flower boxes.
Add comfortable seating or a simple bench, and you’ll have the perfect offline oasis to recharge and enjoy the beauty of nature. And don’t underestimate the process: working with plants and connecting with nature is de-stressing in itself.
This post contains affiliate links. Any sales made through such links support Contained Creations, at no extra cost to you. Thank you!
I hope this has inspired you to design your own quiet retreat in the garden with a soothing scheme that provides instant tranquility.
For more ideas, explore Container Gardening Trends to Try in 2025 to see how this green-and-white theme ties into the year’s biggest garden design trends.
Warmly,
Steph
PS: Don’t forget to grab your FREE Green-Drenched Window Box recipe!
