Creative Ideas For Plant Containers: 7 Ways To Save Money And Add Charm To A Garden

Container gardens are great for small spaces, but quite often we devote most of our creative energy to how we fill them, rather than how they look or where they are placed. Discovering new and creative ideas for plant containers can help add individuality and whimsy to a potted garden – and depending on how you approach it, it can save you money and even help you to develop useful landscaping skills.

Containers don’t have to be the standard sets from the garden center. Some of the best container gardening ideas engage out-of-the-box thinking in giving new life to old objects you might have knocking around the home or yard. Upcycling old materials and avoiding mass-manufactured plastic pots is a great way to be more sustainable in your gardening.

It can be hugely enjoyable and economical to embrace recycled landscaping, and to try to think sideways or vertically with creative plant container ideas. These whimsical and practical pot ideas add another dimension to your planting aspirations and will ensure that your container garden is the talk of the neighborhood!

Easy And Affordable Creative Plant Containers

The best thing about getting creative with container gardening is that there are no rules. It doesn't have to be traditional or what someone else would do. There are some great practical options out there that deviate from the norm. You’ll find some inventive approaches to container gardening in the Pots and Planters section of the Gardening Know How Shop. But a few well selected creative container gardening ideas deploy clever recycling solutions that can save you some money.

Your potted garden can consist entirely of upcycled materials. You can do it on a budget. And, you can use materials that create harmony between the plants you choose and the growing space, whether you’re looking for urban garden ideas or fancy potted cottage gardens or cutting flower containers. So as well as considering the best plants for container gardening to add character and color to yards, patios and indoor spaces, be sure to give these more unusual garden container ideas a go.

1. Teacup Garden

Creating a teacup mini garden using old crockery is a really fun and whimsical idea. Use old teacups as containers for small plants. You can even use a teapot and an old platter to set up the garden. If you don’t already have a teacup collection, they’re easy to find at thrift stores and antique shops. As long as you keep them clean, these containers will carry on looking good for years.

Drainage can be an issue here, and you mustn’t neglect sensible container plant watering, but there are options. If you have a diamond bit drill, try gently drilling a hole in the bottom of the cups. If not, put the plants in small plastic pots which you can then place inside your teacups.

2. Floating Container Garden

If you have a pond or want to create a floating wetland or water feature, this is a great way to add novelty – and more plants! You’ll need to be a little handy to construct floating containers, but the result is definitely worth the effort. Choose native wetland plants, and create floating structures with foam or plastic that allow the roots of the plants to hang into the pond.

These floating gardens are a great way to reuse plastic containers in your garden that might be past their best. Your container islands should last all season without much maintenance. You’ll just have to rope them in at the end of the season to trim, divide and overwinter plants as needed.

3. Log Planters

This is a nice idea for a woodland or native garden. If you have had to take down a tree and have leftover logs, trunks or stumps, why not repurpose them into planters? Hollow out stumps, add soil and plant native flowers. Saw trunks and large branches into disks which you can then hollow out and use as planters.

This type of garden will deteriorate over time, but it’s totally natural and will only enrich your garden. You can even create edible variations for dynamic herb garden planter ideas or veggie raised beds with a difference! You just need a little patience and skill (and tools) to prep these gorgeous planters for ornamentals and edibles.

4. Spilled Flower Pots

Try this idea if you have traditional pots but want to use them more creatively. Tip a pot on its side and add soil both to the pot and a small area in front of the opening of the pot. Plant annual flowers and they’ll look like they are spilling out of the container.

Placement is key here, so find a good spot where it looks natural. To make it look more natural and keep it stable, bury part of the pot in the ground. These naturalistic planting styles also work well for succulent arrangement ideas for containers that might have become cracked on one side, damaged, or even broken.

5. Old Boots

Don’t throw out those old winter boots or rubber rain boots that have developed holes or no longer fit. Instead, transform them into a playful container garden idea and an instant conversation piece. Drill or cut some drainage holes in the bottom, then add soil and plants.

One pair can look lovely alongside other recycled pots. Alternatively, you can line up a few pairs alongside a wall or randomly in beds. You can even hang sets from hooks for quirky hanging planters. For taller boots, consider adding some rocks to the bottom so they don’t tip over.

6. Galvanized Containers

Galvanized steel containers lend a rustic or farmhouse look to a potted garden. Upcycle old troughs or buckets, or look for them at antique markets. You’ll need to drill holes in the bottom for drainage – but apart from that, just add soil and plants to create a beautiful garden.

These suit a broad range of planting schemes, from traditional cottage garden ideas to contemporary spaces. For large containers like troughs, create a themed mix like an herb garden, kitchen garden or flower garden.

7. Tire Garden

Old tires clog up landfills everywhere. If you’re getting a new set, consider upcycling the old set as planters for unusual container gardens that will create a fascinating talking point for visitors. Tires work well as structures for raised beds and for growing everything from flowers to veggies.

Just fill the centers with soil and add plants. You can let the tires shine as an eclectic part of the garden, or surround each one with other plants to help them to blend into the landscape. For other sustainability ideas, visit the Gardening Know How Shop and let your imagination play.

Other Creative and Inventive Container Ideas

• Seed starting can be an expensive business, so why not experiment with making your own containers?. Try these DIY seed starter pot ideas to save money while growing new plants.
• For a twist on conventional container gardening that adds vibrancy (and fun), why not explore some of these whimsical spilled flower pot ideas to make a splash with color and character?
• Container garden plant selection is key in hot, dry areas to ensure pots still deliver vibrant, colorful displays. Grow these drought tolerant container plants for full sun and heat and keep your container bloomers healthy, hearty and full of life.
• For the ultimate in creative container gardening you can harvest and eat, you need the best mixed seeds. Grow Park Seed’s Ultimate Container Seed Collection, available in the Gardening Know How Shop, for the perfect potted edibles.

This article features products available from third party vendors on the Gardening Know How Shop. Keep in mind that our plant inventory is limited - so if you’re thinking of purchasing, don’t wait!