Porch pots are a great way to brighten any entryway and welcome guests to your home, and they're even more fun when you jazz up your porch pot with seasonal flair. A spring porch pot will add instant color to your entry and evoke all the freshness and renewal of the season.

The Perfect Spring Pot

Colorful containers in bright hues or pastel shades are popular choices for spring porch pots, or you can opt for a fresh, white container or a classic terra cotta pot. Pots may be plain or could be painted with spring accents or fun decorations like flowers, butterflies or polka dots. For more creative options, consider galvanized tubs or even large rain boots that are a fun twist on seasonal rain showers. For larger designs, tiered or stacked pots add more planting space, or you can create a tipsy tower of pots for whimsical style.

You can design a spring porch pot with or without an interior liner. A liner can make it easier to water plants, especially if the outer decorative pot does not have drainage holes or you might want to change pots throughout the season. If your pot does have drainage and is a proper size for your plantings, however, you can plant right in the colorful pot.

Keep It Stable

To make sure your pot doesn't tip, it is important to fill the base so it will stay firmly upright. Sand, gravel or river rock can easily fill a pot's base and ensure it is heavy enough to not tip. If you want a lighter pot and have a pot style that won't tip if it gets a bit top heavy with growth, however, consider adding a few empty plastic bottles or a layer of packing peanuts to the bottom of the pot. This will cut down on the amount of potting soil you need and will make the overall pot lighter.

Planting Your Pot

All sorts of colorful spring plants are ideal for a spring porch pot, and early blooming varieties are best to get your pot lush and beautiful right away. Bulbs are a great option, and different annuals and perennials can all be part of a spring porch pot. Popular choices include…

• Bluebells
• Crocuses
• Daffodils
• Grape hyacinths
• Hellebores
• Irises
• Pansies
• Petunias
• Primroses
• Snowdrops
• Tulips
• Violets
• Winter aconites

Ivy, ferns and other greenery are also excellent choices for a spring porch pot, and they will add luscious green hues to the arrangement even before grass and landscaping may be greening up for the season. Adding blossoming branches, pussy willows and other vertical spring textures will create more height for your porch pot as well.

Decorative Accents

Fun seasonal decorations can add extra flair to a spring porch pot, and are easily changed throughout the season to highlight different spring holidays, such as Easter and Passover, as well as any spring birthdays or other special occasions. Faux bird nests, colorful eggs, a cozy bunny and fluffy yellow chicks are all fun options that can be tucked right into the pot. A ribbon in bright spring colors or patterns can be wrapped around the pot, or a burlap or raffia ribbon will add a more rustic touch to the arrangement. For more vertical decorations, consider adding a short shepherd's hook to the pot and hanging a welcome wreath, seasonal flag or even a small bird feeder or hummingbird feeder to welcome not only your human guests, but feathered ones as well.

Caring for Your Spring Porch Pot

Because spring can be an unpredictable season, it is important to care for your spring porch pot properly so it will thrive even when weather conditions change. Putting the pot on casters will help you be able to move it indoors if an unexpected frost or freeze threatens, and it will also help you rotate the pot so all sides get good sun exposure for even growth while the days are still short. Water the pot well but don't overwater, especially if it receives moisture from natural spring rains. A good fertilizer will help feed your pot adequately, and choose a fertilizer blend with the proper nutrients to encourage lush blooms or superb foliage, depending on what plants you have included in the arrangement.

A spring porch pot is a great way to quickly embrace the richness of the season and add colorful beauty to your entryway, deck or patio. By planning your pot carefully and caring for it properly, your pot can be an amazing decoration you'll enjoy all season long.