Best choice for large pot bush or flower

[Dahlia]

I am looking for suggestions of what to plant in a rather large pot on my porch. I want it to be short, hardy, and bushy and if it includes blooms eventually all the better! (The pot is a mini wine barrel)

 

[ducks4you]

Purple Hot Thai peppers. If you don't like hot peppers, you could harvest, dry out, pulverize and make a nifty vegetable insect spray.
Also, add marigolds to the outside edges of the pots.

 

[flowerbug]

so far i can only come up with recommendations on what not to plant (no blueberries or other berry plants).

i was thinking thyme or rosemary, but those are more arid loving plants and may not do well where you are located. hmm... i've not had to think much about plants of this type in a long time.

 

[Alasgun]

Comfrey might deserve some thought. Easy to grow and produces nice flowers along the way. Foliage will be large leaf similar to Gloxinia and flowers pink to purple.
Quite useful for any number of things as well. For me it’s an animal feed, a compost starter, a poultice for sprains, respiratory maladies, an element in Compost tea, a fertilizer and even a treatment for “figs” - commonly known as hemorrhoids!

I’ve got well over 100 plants on the property now!

Here’s a link to a lot of information and a source for purchase. (One of Many)

Mike

coescomfrey.com/comfrey.html