8 Creative Container Ideas for Your Garden

Have a boring garden space?  Ready to spruce it up? Whether you're an experienced container gardener or just starting out, we have compiled a list of 10 creative container ideas that will inspire you to create stunning and unique displays in your garden. Each container idea is paired with suitable plant suggestions, so let's get right down to it!

Wooden barrel planters/Amazon

Rustic looking wooden half barrels are a beautiful idea for plants. For this type of container, some suitable plants are dwarf fruit trees, herbs, and flowering annuals. Make sure the barrels you purchase have drain holes. If not, you can drill holes in the bottom, you will want good drainage. They are sold at nurseries and other places online. I have found the above ones on Amazon. For more information on barrel planting, click here

Watering Can

Watering Can Planter/Marcie Pratt

A watering can? Seriously? Yes! Look, there are some beautiful watering cans out there and they make wonderful planters. The watering can planter above is at my Mom and Dad's next door. Her plastic watering can froze during the winter and busted. So, she had Dad cut a big hole in the front, and she threw in a Petunia Wave. The Petunia Wave will spill out the front creating a cascade of flowers. Smaller, petite flowers, like pansies, violas, or trailing lobelias.

Hanging Baskets

Hanging Basket Planters/Amazon

Hanging baskets make a splendid choice for patios and decks. They come in all kinds of sizes, colors, and materials. The wire hanging baskets with coconut coir liners allow for a beautiful flower display. Cascading plants such as Petunias, Trailing Ivy, or fuchsias would be a perfect choice for these types of planters. Remember to check for proper drainage in the planters you choose.

Old Wheelbarrow

Yes! Old wheelbarrows make great planters! This is an old wheelbarrow I found in someone's trash pile in their driveway. It had a flat, and it was all rusty and ugly. I spray painted it yellow and look at how beautiful it turned out! What about drainage? Well, the bottom was quite rusty, so I was able to jab a screwdriver in the metal and make some holes. It worked perfectly! Check out that purple Sweet Potato Vine, one of my favorite plants. Wheelbarrows are great for an annual mix and some trailing flowers.

Teacup Planters

Would you care to join me for a spot of tea? Yes! Let's put a plant in a beautiful teacup! Teacup planters make such cute little plants. They would be perfect for a housewarming or someone that could use a little cheering up! Now the teacup made of tires, isn't that the cutest? A large planter like that would benefit from a colorful mix of annuals and some trailing plants, like a sweet potato vine. A smaller teacup makes a cute little fairy garden arrangement.

Strawberry Towers

Photo credit: Nikki Adams

These stackable planters are a compact way to plant strawberries, and it also accommodates herbs as well. These vertical planters save space and are a cinch to water. I have planted in these before and you will need to know a couple things. They don't quite get enough sun exposure on all sides, you will need to rotate the planter so that sunlight is evenly distributed. Also, when watering, check to make sure you're not flooding the bottom plants of the tower, this is easy to do.

Old Grills

Photo Credit: La Gigi Loca

Photo Credit: Janie Shepherd-Smith

Photo Credit: Tammy Harris

Pull that old rusty broken grill out of the shed and let's do a makeover! I have seen so many gorgeous grill planters! As you can see from above, there are many ways to spruce up an old grill. Long trailing plants, and a mix of small and medium sized flowers make for gorgeous displays in your outdoor garden space.

Old Bathtubs

Photo Credit: Paula Garakani

Photo Credit: Joe Larkin

Yep! Go back and read it again, I'll wait…Old bathtubs can make an immensely admirable outdoor garden display. It could be a tricky journey, considering there may not be drainage for plants. I would say there's a few ways around that. First, you could make a self-wicking tub out of it, and water that sucker from the bottom. Or you could have a rusty bottomed bathtub; get a screwdriver and poke holes. Another more creative option would be to turn it into a little pond. Get some aquatic plants from the pet store and just go with it!

There are many things in this world that make great planting pots and it may not have been their intended purpose. Think like that. Out of that box. Drive around neighborhoods across town, see what they're planting over there! Or better yet, go dog in the shed and pull out your old pots, gather some paint and the kids, and paint them! How fun! And getting the kids involved is a bonus!

Come on over and join me in my Facebook Group, Beginner Gardeners Start Here. A place to come hang out and ask all your questions!