Over the years, we’ve found some amazing planter ideas that we’ve finally put together in one scrollable location for you! These are such a refreshing change from the classically boring black polypropylene planters that 99% of store-bought plants come in. We hope you find something you love!
Wooden DIY Garden Containers
If you’re totally over plastic in your garden like I am, and you don’t love how metal tends to rust, maybe these wooden DIY planters are exactly what you’ve been looking for?
DIY Garden Containers from Old Drawers
This upcycled drawer planter from Beyond The Picket Fence is such a charming project. A little scrap wood and some old thrift store drawers are all you need to make your porch the most idyllic on the block! The tutorial for this project has lots of photos and easy-to-follow instructions.
Wooden Toolbox Planter
Those old wooden toolboxes might not be the most practical way to carry tools these days, but they sure do make adorable garden planters! This idea comes from BHG, and if you don’t love it (or you don’t have an old toolbox lying around), don’t worry – there are about a billion other ideas on that page you can scroll through!
DIY Wooden Garden Box
We love this literal garden box! The hairpin legs give it such an adorable midcentury modern look. Find this complete tutorial for this plant container project at Robb Restyle.
Tree Stump Garden Container
This one from Midwest Living is as wooden as they come; it’s an actual tree stump! If you cut down an old or dead tree and the stump is still visible, this is a great way to turn an eyesore into a centerpiece!
Maybe the Most Unique DIY Garden Container Ever?
This one would be a little tough for me, ruining a gorgeous instrument…It would be a great project if you could find a string instrument beyond repair… We love the idea of bringing the arts into the garden. Found on Recyclart.
From Toolbox to DIY Garden Container
Yes, another one! We love Ashley at Cherished Bliss, and on her spring home tour, she has this amazing vintage toolbox planter. Not only is this gorgeous used inside, but it would also be easy to grab this and take it outdoors. You could brighten up your patio for an afternoon tea party, or simply allow the plants to get a little sunbathing in.
Vintage DIY Garden Containers
Who doesn’t love a good bit of vintage? Whether you have some, ahem, old junk lying around or you’re always thrifting the best garden finds, these ideas will help spark some inspiration next time you come across an unused vintage bucket, box, or pretty much anything else!
Vintage Recycled Metal Planters
If you love upcycled junk and farmhouse style, then you will love the junk home garden tour from Organized Clutter! Visit her page and see lots of ideas to recycle metal containers into planters, and so much more! Our favs? The bicycle planter and the banana tree! And her gardens… amazing!
Vintage Bathtub Planter
This vintage tub was used as a unique garden container at the Pasadena Showcase House. Can you think of a more romantic plant container than this? Photo by Karol Franks.
… Another tub garden bed idea!
Old-fashioned charm. Need I say more? You could find an old tub at a Habitat for Humanity “Restore”. Don’t forget to drill some holes in the bottom for extra drainage so it doesn’t become a planter “pool” when it rains! Photo from Karen on ‘Flickr‘.
Vintage Chicken Feeder Planter
This chicken feeder planter from Creative Cain Cabin is an easy DIY. But remember, if you don’t have access to a vintage piece, you can fake it! You can buy galvanized chicken feeders at any farm & ranch supply store. Don’t worry, Mother Nature will make it look “vintage” soon enough!
Converted Tin Can Garden Planters
Here are some unique garden containers from BlackGold. These rusted tin can containers are a reminder of how anything can be made to look beautiful! I love the color and texture this Burros Tail adds to the planter; great contrast!
Straw Purse DIY Garden Container
Technically this one isn’t vintage, but it IS adorable! Make a straw purse planter with this tutorial from Stephanie at Garden Therapy. It isn’t as simple as just tossing in some dirt and plants, so go check out her tips on how to make this plant container!
Repurposed Oyster Bucket Planter
A vintage oyster bucket from Becky’s Farmhouse is the perfect unusual planter for her olive tree on the front porch. If you use a metal garden container, consider putting a plastic pot inside it before planting. The metal can get very warm in the summer, literally cooking the plant’s roots in the sun.
DIY Garden Containers for Succulents
Succulents are pretty hardy, so they do well in almost any type of container. That, combined with their unique appearance, means you can have a lot of fun with how you display them! Here are some of our favorite DIY garden container ideas for succulents.
Miniature Succulent DIY Bird Cage Planters
First, let’s start off with this really cute garden container idea from Succulents & Sunshine. These bird cage plant containers are really creative! She has two sources for you on where to find these mini bird cages. Although you could plant a container like this with something else (moss would LOVE this), this site is our resource for anything concerning succulents. You can learn a lot here!
DIY Concrete Garden Planters
If you’ve never seen a balloon concrete garden container, then prepare to be excited! You can actually make these planters! We found tutorials using two different techniques at Artsy Pretty Plants and Made by Bar‘. Both are different depending on where you are going to use them and what kind of finish you want to have. Remember, if you want a deep charcoal color like this one, you’ll need to add concrete dye. Photo from ‘Ogrodowisko’.
DIY Driftwood Planter for Succulents
Postcards From the Ridge made these adorable succulent containers using driftwood. She has a complete tutorial on how to fill the planter, why you should use moss, and what plants work best. This is like art! Perfect for the patio, or tucked into the garden next to a path as the perfect little surprise!
DIY Cinder Block Planter
Try our very own DIY cinder block planter project. You can make this as small or as large and complex as you like. Bet you never thought cinder blocks could be so cool!
Tree Branch Succulent Planter
Another garden container idea using nature. This DIY tree branch planter is from The Succulent Eclectic. Easy to do with a drill and a saw!
Succulent Planters from Old Boots
From Carolyn Keiper‘s garden… how charming is this? A trip to Goodwill is in order! Do we need to say it again? Depending on the condition of the boot, don’t forget to add drainage!
Natural Stone DIY Succulent Planter
Using natural stones to create unusual containers for the garden would be great for a natural garden style, or something a little more minimalistic. Photo by Cactuspad.
Tips for Making Unique DIY Garden Containers
Whether you choose one of the DIY planters on this list or have your own idea growing in your mind, there are a few things to remember when you’re transforming something used into a container:
- Prioritize drainage: Make sure excess water has somewhere to escape by adding drainage holes to the bottom of your container.
- Check the material: Avoid containers made from materials that could leach harmful chemicals into the soil, especially if you plan to grow herbs, vegetables, or other edible plants.
- Protect wood from rot: Seal untreated wood with a plant-safe exterior sealant or use a liner to help prevent moisture from causing rot.
- Watch for overheating: Metal containers can become extremely hot in full sun, which can stress or damage plant roots, so consider placing them somewhere with afternoon shade.
- Consider lining the container: A liner can protect the container itself from moisture and help keep soil contained, but make sure it doesn’t block drainage.
- Provide enough soil depth: Choose a container deep enough for the roots of your chosen plants, as shallow containers may limit growth and dry out quickly.
- Match plants to container size: Larger plants generally need larger containers, while shallow or compact planters are better suited to herbs, succulents, annuals, and other plants with smaller root systems.
Turn Heads with These Creative DIY Garden Container Ideas!
We hope you are as excited as we are about these clever garden container ideas we KNOW you never thought of! But maybe you have some great ideas of your own? Share in the comments! We think you will also love our posts on DIY Outdoor Planter Ideas & Projects and Hanging Baskets: Secrets the Pros Use! Or see our post on Inexpensive DIY Outdoor Planter Ideas over at TBD!
Nice Blog Post Keep It Up.Great Work!!
loved the ideas!!! now to scramble for some containers!!
Well here it is 2016/2017 and I love the tire! I have one random tire hanging around at shop looking awful so I’m gonna try your great idea! Thanks for repurposing
I like them all, but what is the plant inside the tyre?
That looks like Ice Plant, or Delosperma to us!
At the risk of being accused as “spewing” I’m going to take the advice “Speak Your Mind” and just say—any “rusty metal” is a serous health hazard, unless you are certain you and anyone who comes near it is current on their tetanus vaccine. I love your garden recycling art, but never rusty metal.
I have never met anyone with tetanus. Does it still even exist? I love rust & patina. Live a little.
Vaccinate and wear gloves…..I am a nurse and have been crafting with rusty metal for years. 20 of them ….. Getting legionnaires or a dirt born infection is much more likely. If of course, your vax is up to date. :))
Tetanus is caused by a toxin produced by a spore that lives in soil, not from rusty metal.
I really like the flat stones turned on edge I am trying to figure out how to do that ! That is really a cool idea ! I see you have one big stone lying flat and then the others standing up but I can’t figure out how you make them stand up ! If you could text me and let me know that would be great ! Thanks Tammy
I love all of the pictures! They have given me a bunch of ideas on how to repurpose using all the rusted, and in some people’s minds useless, things that I have been collecting and have been given over the years. I’m going to start with my cast iron claw foot tub that my mother-in-law gave me decades ago. I have a neighbor who’s like Terry yenco. She always has a cutting and rude comment to make about the things that I have been saving and using all these years. I’ve decided my neighbor just doesn’t have ANY imagination and couldn’t see the beauty in most things if she was hit up side the head with them. But I’ve also noticed my neighbor comments about my stuff but NEVER does anything creative. So go figure. :-)
You go! Remember, do it with purpose, and it is art!
Rosemary, sorry for your loss. I filled an old pair of Grampas work boots with garden soil many years ago and put a few hens and chicks in them. Now you actually can’t even tell that there are boots under them any more because they have taken over the boots. I would suggest keeping the hens and chicks in check so that you can still see your sons boots. Great ideas.
My son passed away last year and I can’t seem to get rid of his work boots, I should say, I don’t want to get rid of his old worn work boots. Thanks to this article about using unusual items to plant in I now know how I will keep him around me just a little longer. Thank you for the idea. Next year I will plant into his scuffed up up hard hat and welding helmet. The ideas just go on and on and on.
My heart goes out to you! What a wonderful way to have memory and sharing it with others!
Rosemary,
We, too, lost a 32 year old son last Thanksgiving, so my heart aligns with yours. He had just bought new work boots for wearing to grad school in the NYC winter. They are on my dining room mantle so our puppy won’t chew them any more…but had been at the door ever since he took them off that day. I’m a landscape designer and have been thinking of bronzing them like his baby shoes and using them as planters near his memorial magnolia. With thoughts of you, too, I will now do that. Since they were new, and worn for only 6 days, I’d like to protect them. Shellac? Any ideas? We live in Massachusetts. Thanks for all the wonderful sharing.
Love all the ideas the use of succulents is ideal for Australia with the high temps we get
Thanks
Several years ago we remodeled our bath and I took the cast iron tub out back, filled it with dirt and planted tomatoes & peppers. They loved it! I also took out ancient open flame gas heaters, removed the bricks through which the flame danced and planted Celosia in there. People got a huge kick out of those — the Celosia looked like flame in the metal box that was once a heater
what paint do you use on the tyre please – and do you need drainage holes??
I saw this on pinterest last year and I used an “all types” glossy spray paint. I could not get my drill to make the drainage holes, so i keep the flowers in their small pots (with holes) and they kind of stay invisible, if they are small enough to tuck in. It’s very dry here, so it seems like we can never over-water.
Love the inspiration of your post!!!
I think recycling is an art.. Great ideas indeed..
love all these ideas
Love, love these ideas! Reusing, recycling and anything rusty is awesome!
We already have a clawfoot bathtub and cowboy style work boots we used for our wedding (ice in the tub for drinks and boots for flowers) that I plan to repurpose for the yard. We are thinking recirculating water through an old rusty pump at the head of the tub and placing plants on one of those bathtub racks you use to hold your book, soap, etc.
I reuse rusty junk in sculptures and hanging things all the time. I wonder, though, if they should be lined with plastic like they do to metal baskets in nurseries to prevent MORE rust (& disintegration), and dripping. AND, if so, do we make holes in it to prevent molding roots? Maybe some pebbles in the bottom to allow SOME drainage root relief? What do we think of this? When I adhere rusty parts, I either wire things together, or I sand the two areas to be joined and use a two part epoxy putty. It’s strong and sets up in 3 minutes. Some people call it plumbers putty and one is made by JB Weld. What do we think?
Great ideas Linda!
I, too, love to repurpose. I have my father’s tackle box. He has been gone close to 20 years and it was old when he had it. It is a bit useless for tackle but I love it because it was his. I have a new covered back deck that I plan on using the tackle box for plants this year. Thanks for all the great ideas.
I think all of the posts were inspiring and I know it’s been a year since xxxxxx spewed her stuck up comment on your lovely blog, my New Years wish for her is that she was able to look back at your blog and see the beauty in all things old & new and not just in what her gardners plant in her yard year after year as she leads us all to believe happens.
I think you either appreciate something like this for what it is, and if it’s not your thing, no need to express that to someone just sharing ideas. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I love all of these ideas in the right setting.
I use old tin cans as wells as an assortment of old wooden boxes. I have noticed that placing a clear coat over some can keep water and weather out to help as well as a thin varnish on The outside of wooden boxes
I love anything old and rusty I can plant in. We went through our family farm that was falling apart and scrounged and founded several old metal containers. They were extra special with the memories of grandparents using them. Some got spray painted, some we just planted in. I have a vintage truck planted with succulents, several chicken feeders and old milk crates.
I’ll plant in anything!
One of those tool boxes (the green one) is actually from our website…love seeing how these ideas keep going all around the web. We love the “shabby” at Potted.
Wow, thanks for sharing that Annette! I hope our readers will visit you at The Potted Store online!
Love the chicken feeder
We had “steps to nowhere” the door was closed up years ago. I set old cement blocks and planted succulents. They spread and climb and easier then removing cement steps.
Like this idea as well!
Wow! Very creative……
I repurposed an old, broken wooden chair I found the barn of the house we recently purchased. I afixed several planters of different colors and sizes to the arms, a small one hangs from the back, and knocked out some seat slats to place a few containers there. Add petunias and creeping flox and it’s lovely!
I did a dining room chair I found by a dumpster. Removed the cushioning and made a big hole in the seat board. Put in some saggy used window screen and an old dish towel. Filled it with soil and flowers. Loved that chair.
As to the constant reminders to drill drainage holes . . . yep. Didn’t drill holes in the toilet bowl and tank. Flowers didn’t live. Thought it would go well with the bathtub I had.
I have a toilet bowl and my hubby removed plugs that were in the tank and the seal was removed on the bowl. I plant preannuals, then after a couple I get new preannuals and transplant. Wonderful addition to my garden! This yr I think I’m going to plant hen chicks and some other succulents that will survive Michigan winters.
I have a potty and why would you need to drill holes when they are there anyway? The potty drains somewhere! I love my 1958 lime green potty. I just don’t overwater, plus I live in NM where it is hard to overwater!
I loved all the repurposed containers! My biggest coups are the found objects I can use as containers. I have a collection of antique restaurant colanders that I am planning on hanging on my Side fence and put succulents in.
Every project in this article are beautiful. I get old water cans that my son has found and spray paint them,according to the mood I am in at the time, and then plant in them. They are gorgeous and gives me satisfaction that at one time some wonderful, hardworking man used these while going about their duties. Thank you so much!!
Probably should be noted that most of these containers will last only a season or two before disintegrating so ideal for annuals, but not workable for permanent landscaping displays
I spray inside of my “rusty, shabby, repurposed” containers with clear Flex Seal to help them last longer without changing the charming look.
Great tip Shawna, do you get Flexseal at home improvement stores?
This sounds like a great solution. Do you think it would be okay if you are planting edibles (herbs, strawberries)?
I have one of those vintage pedal cars and I haven’t planted it because I thought it would rust too quickly to justify sacrificing it. But if I could spray it with the Flex seal to get a few more years out if it that would be worth it. Thanks for the tip and all the great ideas.
I totally disagree with Terri, If anything the “shabbiness” can elevate the beauty of the plants. I love to “repurpose” items that can no longer be used as originally intended. They make beautiful, fun and whimsical additions to my yard and have received many compliments on them.
Felt that the shabbiness of the containers overwhelmed the plants. Perhaps not quite as sloppy and a little more refined.
I think “shabby” is a term that is pretty objective and repurposed containers are not for everyone! Thx for your feedback!
I think they look awesome! Some people are a little rude.
Kathy just want to thank you for both your refined and courteous response as well as your interesting ideas!
Thank you Ellie!
Wow, Terri. Super rude comment. In fact, the snottiness of your tone overwhelmes the message. Perhaps not quite as condescending and a little more refined.
Love the rocks. I tried making the one with the rock slabs standing on their side and they kept falling over. How did you get them to stay.
Hi Susan,
That wasn’t out project, but I would suspect you could adhere them together with a exterior “Liquid Nails” or other adhesive meant for landscape projects…
Probably have to glue them one by one a littleat a time to get them to stick.
You wire them together, that’s how the Japanese do it.
I think that it is rude and quite frankly I like the containers myself. I love reusing things and i think it adds charater and style with a persons own style.
I most wholeheartedly disagree! I adore the “shabbiness” and the idea of giving new life to well-loved objects that may no longer be suited to their original purpose. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and create beauty while you’re at it! :D
what a rude thing to say. Why bother commenting at all? I loved several things and it gave me ideas of things I have that I can use! thank you!