23 Front Door Plants for a Lush, Stylish Arrival Area

By Peg Aloi
Updated on 03/29/23
Grey planters with bright purple and pink hydrangeas flanking a front door

@contained_creations / Instagram

Adding plants to your front door area is an instant boost to curb appeal, but creating an inviting entrance doesn't have to be a huge undertaking. It might be as simple as one container or adding one plant. Using containers allows a great deal of flexibility and makes it easy to change plants to shift with the seasons.

Check out these 23 ideas for creating a striking and welcoming entrance with the help of plants.

  • 01 of 23

    Stay Bright

    Foreground black round container with bright pink begonias, with matching pot in background

    @contained_creations / Instagram

    These matching pots at a shady entrance area are full of vivid hot pink begonia x hybrida 'Dragon Wings' begonias, which bloom profusely and colorfully in shade. Keep them deadheaded and they'll bloom all season long.

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  • 02 of 23

    Add Cool Colors

    front door planter evergreen plants

    @contained_creations / Instagram

    The cool color palettes of these planters look great against the red brick house. The blues, purples and greens mostly come from foliage (ornamental cabbages, Heuchera, dwarf evergreens and grasses), with just a few flowers mixed in.

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  • 03 of 23

    Go Oversized

    Large stone planters outside white brick house with large ferns and purple petunias

    @contained_creations / Instagram

    These huge beautiful planters hold a stunning yet simple arrangement of ferns, petunias and creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia), perfect for a semi-shady area.

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  • 04 of 23

    Bring in Pink

    Window box planter filled with pink flowers and plants including caladiums, lantana and verbascum.

    @contained_creations / Instagram

    Why is pink such a popular color in the garden? For starters, it creates a bold color contrast with green. But pink is also thought to be a very soothing color. This juicy assortment of pink flowers and plants in this windowbox includes impatiens, caladiums, angelonia, and lantana.

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  • 05 of 23

    Beautify Your Bungalow

    Small whuite bungalow with white steps and potted and hanging green plants on porch

    @kirsten.diane / Instagram

    The simple yet striking look of this front porch entrance is easily achieved with symmetrical placements of pots of ferns and other plants with dark green foliage that match the color of the front door.

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  • 06 of 23

    Mix Textures with Flair

    front door planter with eclectic plants

    @contained_creations / Instagram

    Container plantings can be formal or informal. This planter has a diverse and rather inspired blend of textures and shapes, with some plants that are solid and weighty (like those thick, maroon heuchera leaves) and some that are airy and delicate (the pink 'Clara Curtis' chrysanthemum, among the grasses.

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  • 07 of 23

    Group Potted Plants

    Potted evergreens and grasses on a porch in front of windows

    @contained_creations / Instagram

    A fine choice for a display that rides the transition from late autumn into winter, this collection of potted evergreens looks classy and vibrant. The blue-green foliage and earthy colors of the planters creates a very pleasing and neutral palette. To thrive in a container, evergreen shrubs must be cold hardy to at least two USDA hardiness zones lower than the zone you live in.

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  • 08 of 23

    Reinvent Red and Green

    front door planters with various greens

    @contained_creations / Instagram

    Red and green aren't just for Christmas. Opposites in the color wheel, reds and greens complement each other in proximity. The cherry red of these impatiens is a vivid contrast to the lime green of the sweet potato vines, and the olive/brown vines and darker greens of leaves and grass balance the brightness.

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  • 09 of 23

    Play with Palettes

    Three green and brown ceramic pots outdoors planted with different plants

    @contained_creations / Instagram

    A delightful blend of shapes, textures and colors accentuates the beautiful glazing of these ceramic pots. The 'Blood Banana' tree contains both the brown and green tones, while the silvery ivy and pastel purple blooms play up the pale aqua.

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  • 10 of 23

    Go Muted

    Window box on white house contained deep muted colors of autumn plants

    @contained_creations / Instagram

    This windowbox planted with flowers and plants (chrysanthemums, kale, heuchera and ivy) in muted but rich colors stands out boldly against a white background. The subtle tones of brown, purple, orange and green create an earthy, warm palette of autumnal beauty.

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  • 11 of 23

    Add Climbing Flowering Vines

    Brick house with pink flowering vine and potted plants alongside stairs

    @contained_creations / Instagram

    If stairs lead up to your entrance, a climbing vine can be a wonderful accent plant. Be sure to provide an adequate structure for support because some vines can be quite aggressive or invasive (such as Japanese or Chinese wisteria). This cheery pink mandevilla can be grown as a frost-tender perennial in warm climates or as an annual in colder climates.

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  • 12 of 23

    Accent With Autumn Colors

    Grey painted front door with red autumn wreath and orange and white pumpkins and mums

    @marieflaniganinteriors / Instagram

    Having a door painted a dark color means finding ways to brighten up the area with decor. The brass and copper wall sconces and fittings are a perfect addition. In the autumn, the warm oranges and bright whites of pumpkins and flowers complement the deep grey and lighten up the entrance with color.

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  • 13 of 23

    Throw in Some Cabbage

    Small antique urn planted with green cabbage and delicate trailing vines

    @contained_creations / Instagram

    An ornamental cabbage can fill a small container with dramatic texture, and is a very easy (and edible!) plant for the center of a design. This blue-green beauty blends nicely with some English ivy and creeping thyme, with its fragrant, delicate tiny leaves. Except for all-green varieties, the cooler the temperature, the more colorful the cabbage will become.

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  • 14 of 23

    Bring in Containers

    Flowers in containers alongside pale peach colored outer wall and cobblestone street

    @s.u.s.a.p. / Instagram

    This small hotel in an Italian village decorates its entrance on a cobblestone street with multiple containers of various sizes and at varying heights, full of lush flowers and grasses. The pastel walls are enhanced by the colorful annuals in containers.

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  • 15 of 23

    Bring Some Drama

    Brick house with wide brick steps with pots of mums and planters

    @contained_creations / Instagram

    With a wide staircase entrance, there's plenty of space to create a dramatic display with containers. This autumnal design includes large dramatic planters with cascading ivy, colorful burgundy heuchera, and a tall spiral evergreen topiary with a bittersweet vine wound around it, along with pots of dwarf boxwoods and chrysanthemums.

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  • 16 of 23

    Soften Angles

    Modern house with grey stone and black trim with plantings of hydrangeas and grasses

    @ladylandscape / Instagram

    This striking modern house has a large entry area that has been softened with multiple plantings. The soft, delicate textures of hydrangeas, astilbes and grasses balance the angular lines of the house design while the differing shades of green provide a rich infusion of color.

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  • 17 of 23

    Welcome Spring

    Large pedestal planters in front of staircase entry with ivy, pansies and pussywillow stems

    @contained_creations / Instagram

    These grand planters are overflowing with assorted spring annuals and sprightly ivy. The center features cut pussy willow stems, a spring favorite that can be replaced with other flowers as the season progresses.

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  • 18 of 23

    Add Fun Planters

    White swan planter with white flowers and vines

    @contained_creations / Instagram

    This charming swan container adds a touch of whimsy to this entrance. The assortment of white flowers makes matches a swan's natural color, but plants in other colors could be used.

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  • 19 of 23

    Hang Some Baskets

    White house with front porch entry with hanging baskets of pink petunias

    @burcharddesignco / Instagram

    Hanging baskets are a very quick and easy way to add flowery drama to your entrance. Maybe you're still working on your garden area or just don't have time this season to get it together. These big baskets of lilac pink petunias are eye-catching and low maintenance.

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  • 20 of 23

    Be Eclectic

    Entrance with multiple hanging plants and container plantings

    @leafandlolo / Instagram

    Visitors to this home in Barcelona, Spain will know instantly a gardener and plant lover lives here. The eclectic assortment of plants is such a vibrant accent to the entrance, showing a deep pride of ownership in this home.

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  • 21 of 23

    Add a Single Tree

    Rubber tree in planter in front of dark wooden door in white stone building

    @leafandlolo / Instagram

    This attractive entrance with a dark wood stained door has added drama from this small tree growing in a container next to the doorway. Be sure to choose a compact, dwarf variety that is suitable for growing in a container.

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  • 22 of 23

    Think About Flowerboxes

    Planter and windowbox on white house with grey shutters, both planted with purple flowers

    @contained_creations / Instagram

    The large planter echoes the window box with shades of purple-blue (hydrangeas and pansies) and delicate greenery of the cypress and ivy. The bright colors pop against the neutral whites and greys of the house and shutters.

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  • 23 of 23

    Consider Pastels

    White house with porch, bamboo chairs with white pumpkins, pots of orange mums

    @kirsten.diane / Instagram

    Though we often associate deeper, richer colors with autumn decor, these pastel shades offer an unusual view on the autumnal aesthetic. The pale orange pumpkins and chrysanthemums are a great choice to accent the pale wood of the door and bamboo chairs, and the abundance of white is both fresh and unexpected.

How to Choose the Right Plants for Your Front Door

Choosing the right plants for containers can be a bit overwhelming with so many choices available. The thriller (tall central feature plant), the filler (medium size plant with fuller, fluffier texture which create the bulk of volume) and the spiller (trailing plants that spill over the side of the container, like ivy) is a popular three-pronged design approach. But you can let your creativity guide you to choose colors, textures and shapes you enjoy in combination. Consider also the colors and shapes of the area where the containers will be placed when planning your overall design concept.

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