How To Create A Garden-Inspired Front Porch Like Ree Drummond

Ree Drummond's line of adorable kitchen products is largely flower-inspired, so it's no surprise that, as The Pioneer Woman documented, her front porch is a floral explosion reminiscent of something out of The Secret Garden. She achieves this magical look with a combination of container plants and blooming shrubs. You can get the same effect using planter boxes and large pots, along with building some landscaping beds around your porch. Choose the right planters by considering what material will coordinate with your house and style. 

Drummond's front porch achieves this garden aesthetic because she creates different layers for diversity and interest. Each individual element, including the planter boxes, pots, and beds, is layered and combined to add depth and complexity. Symmetrical elements, such as matching topiaries, provide the structural bones of the design, while looser elements like hanging plants lead your eye dynamically through the space. To recreate this effect, place two matching, tall topiary trees on either side of your front door. Then, bring in multiple pots containing variations of the same flowers, such as mums, and line them up along the edge of your porch. Add some boxes to your porch railings, and fill them with "thrillers, fillers, and spillers." In other words, combine visually striking plants with subtler alternatives that add volume to the container and others that will hang down over the side of the box. You can use the same concept to create interesting flower beds directly next to your porch, expanding your porch garden's reach.

To create a layered, abundant garden feel on your porch, you'll want to use a variety of plants, from evergreens to annuals. You can choose from many different plants to get the look you're going for, but you'll need to make sure the ones you choose will thrive in your gardening zone. For the matching topiaries, go with sturdy evergreen trees or shrubs, such as a dwarf Alberta spruce or a Green Mountain boxwood. Individual plant containers give you the chance to show off seasonal annuals. While some perennials can take years to mature, annuals provide instant gratification. In the spring and summer, heliotropes or South African phlox will give you gorgeous flowers that hold up to heat and sun. In the fall and winter, you can't go wrong with mums and pansies. But don't be afraid to branch out with some colorful greens like Black Pearl ornamental peppers and Bull's Blood beets to add some color and round out your dinner salad.

Fill your railing planter boxes with thrillers such as salvia or canna lilies, fillers such as lobelia or begonias, and spillers like ivy or sweet potato vines. Rose bushes will look great in your garden bed and come in every color you can imagine. Round out the look with lower-growing plants such as hostas or lamb's ear. One of the hottest new trends for 2026 is monochromatic flower beds, but go with whatever colors you love.