Shrubs for large pots

I love daphnes! There are many varieties, most are evergreen with wonderful scents. They flower in early Spring. They can be grown in containers. I don't know about hardy to minus 20 and hot sun!!

Thanks Gramm have never grown Daphnes so will look into them.?

Does it have to be evergreen, because acers look wonderful in large pots.

Yes, we need to see something growing in them all year round.Acers do look great in pots but also have too much of a spread to them.

We have three large cordylines.
One red and two green (with white strip)

-20 lemongrove???
Outer Siberia?

Yes, we relocated to there just recently Maw it’s even more bracing than Skegness!

Well, -20 may be pushing it , but we have lost plants that were supposed to be fine at -15 before now.

What about Pieris? They like an acid soil so have never grown well in our garden beds but (touch wood) they seem to be fine in large pots. They are evergreen (or green and white) and not that exciting until spring arrives then all the new shoots are pink; one flowers, the other doesn't.
I saw some lovely olive trees at the Garden Centre today, so tempted but they were £80 each and I thought they could be too tender for really cold temperatures and too heavy to lug into the conservatory.

Camellia?

I have several Pieris in large tubs, love them

Love this one too

www.charellagardens.co.uk/leucothoe-axillaris-curly-red-5-litre/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMImc364OmU2QIVqr3tCh2MaQNsEAsYASABEgJ3efD_BwE

That's rather nice, have never seen one of those

It is unusual Jalima, it's tough and so pretty, the leaves are fleshy and curled, and it changes from green to reds , hence Curly Red, I will buy another this year

It doesn't look tough, but the information says it is.

I'm going to look out for one

I was going to suggest camellia too, -frost hardy but they need protection when the buds are coming into flower so probably not ideal for your site.
Cistus are pretty hardy though. Cistus x purpureus has beautiful, delicate flowers.

Thanks all for some really good suggestions.
Pieris do look good, but are better with some slight shade,
Camellias too big and spready of habit, Cordyline are a possibility.Cistus are great in full sun, we have lots in the garden, but not good in pots as they can freeze over the Winter.Leucothoe are nice, and there are several varieties, all with colourful leaves, so another possibility thanks.
Nandina Domestica ( Heavenly bamboo) is another possible choice as we have one growing in full sun and it is very
hardy, and colourful.
Will have to get to the garden centre soon and have a look.?

I had forgotten about hebes. Heartbreaker and silver dollar - both with green foliage with lovely pink tips. Evergreen. Relatively compact.

Grey green foliage.

I like Hebes, but we have planted about eight since we moved here and only one proved completely hardy.
As shrubs are fairly pricey am trying to get this right, as we need three of them.A shame as there are some really pretty ones out there as well.

lemon, I have Cistus in pots, never lost one

but are better with some slight shade,
I didn't know that - ours seem to have done better since being moved from a rather shady spot in the garden bed and put into pots in ericaceous soil on gravel in full sun.
It could be the change of soil though.

Pieris need ericaceous soil

When I planted them in the garden bed I dug a hole and filled it with ericaceous soil and then top-dressed them each year but they were still very spindly and unhappy but thrived in the pots - in full sun.

We're about to change our back door to a stable door because it will be more practical with two lively terriers to contain when the postman knocks! Peggy was issued with an ASBO last week for nipping his leg!!

This is giving me a perfect excuse to redesign our courtyard style patio so more large pots and and more evergreen shrubs because they look lovely against a slate grey painted fence.

So far I have hebes, Nandina domestica, box balls, a cordyline and a callistemon.

Any excuse to buy more.