Container gardening is popular everywhere, it’s not just for those with small gardens or living in apartments and condos. Creating a creative container garden that has character and personality isn’t as easy though. If you aren’t looking for the same old boring terra cotta pots, then we’ve gotcha covered. Here are some great ideas for creative gardening, using some really clever garden container ideas you never thought of! (But wish you had!)

 

Clever Garden Container Ideas You Never Thought Of!

 

Clever Garden Container Ideas

We have a bunch of really great garden container ideas for you, and they are all really unique. (We love being original! You?)

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!

 

This DIY garden container was made using a salvage container and an old vintage street sign. Complete tutorial on how to do this window box project at ‘Midwest Living‘.

 

These rusted metal pipes are the perfect plant container for these sun loving succulents. Although we don’t have a source for this photo, we would suggest using landscape adhesive to connect several together to give the “planter” stability. Or, you could bury the pipes part way into the ground. Fill with soil and plant the top. The open bottom will offer succulents the perfect amount of drainage they love.

 

You can be creative with your container gardens, without being tacky. Recycling and repurposing are the buzz words in so many gardens now, so take advantage of what you have around you, and look at it in new ways. This tool box garden container should have some holes drilled into the bottom for drainage.

easy container gardening

 

This garden container idea is from ‘DIY Network‘, and is another take on the tool box garden above. Not quite as “rusty vintage” but we like the kind of whimsical industrial look of this plant container.

 

If you want a natural garden container, look no further than a dead log! Hollow out the log, kind of like a canoe. Add planting mix and plants! Any trailing plant is going to look amazing in a planter like this! Photo by ‘Sunnte’.

 

Postcards From the Ridge‘ made the same type of garden container on a smaller scale 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!

 

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!

 

Make this repurposed vintage box garden container by adding some hairpin legs. Find this complete tutorial for this plant container project at ‘Robb Restyle‘.

 

Use recycled old terra cotta drainage pipes to create one of a kind planters. This garden container idea is from ‘Midwest Living‘.

 

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‘.

 

If you’ve never seen a balloon concrete garden container, than prepared to be excited. You can actually make these planters! We found tutorials using two different techniques at ‘Artsy Pretty Plants‘, and ‘Made by Barb‘. 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, to add concrete dye. Photo from ‘Ogrodowisko’.

 

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!

 

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!

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 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!


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27 Comments

  1. contractorfinder April 2, 2021 at 7:25 am

    These are great ideas! I’m so glad I found your post! When I go to decor stores and look at finished interiors, I didn’t think about how details mean so much in the overall picture of a room’s decoration. Now I understand that such little things as flower pots, or paintings, even door handles mean a lot in the overall decor. I really liked the round shape pots with an unusual cut. And I’m in awe of the succulent chest. I love that everything looks very eco-friendly and cozy. This is the perfect solution for me. Tell me where you can get such a box?

    Reply
  2. April February 22, 2016 at 4:29 pm

    What’s your take on vegetables garden in the tires. I think that might be hazardous. The point of having a garden would be to keep it as organic as possible. So I’m a bit concerned. Any ideas on this?

    Reply
    1. Kathy Woodard March 18, 2016 at 8:44 am

      It’s not something we would do actually… I agree, I wouldn’t want to eat food grown in one!

      Reply
    2. Pamela LeMaster May 14, 2019 at 4:16 am

      I thought you would have idea’s that no one would have thought of already.

      Reply
  3. Nora May 12, 2015 at 7:38 am

    Sorry bout the last sentence. Should be Do this for 3″…

    Reply
  4. Linda Shumate February 25, 2015 at 8:17 pm

    all of these ideas are great and I can’t wait to utilize them, so I have one question? In order to keep the dirt from washing away from the bottom of the containers, such as the old tires for instance? What is placed at the bottom to hold the soil and roots?

    Thanks, can’t wait to start planting.
    Linda

    Reply
    1. Nora May 12, 2015 at 7:35 am

      Try a good layer of small rocks about 1-2″ in diameter mixed in with some larger to take up space. Fo this for about 3″ deep should be good to go.

      Reply
    2. Chad May 19, 2015 at 8:28 am

      Maybe a large heavy duty garbage bag opened up inside. Poke some holes in the bottom for drainage. Layer in the bottom a few inches of larger (2-3″) gravel, then several inches of pea gravel on that, then your soil. Just a thought.

      Reply
      1. Chad May 19, 2015 at 8:30 am

        May not need anything if the tires are placed on a level draining surface (not concrete) though.

        Reply
    1. Kathy Woodard July 31, 2014 at 8:45 pm

      Thx Andrea!

      Reply
  5. Janet June 30, 2014 at 6:45 am

    I wonder how strawberries would do in a pallet garden set vertically? Do they have deep roots?

    Reply
    1. Kathy Woodard July 7, 2014 at 1:05 pm

      They do not…I have seen strawberries in one of the pallet gardens, and they seemed to thrive!

      Reply
    2. Vivian P. July 11, 2014 at 9:04 am

      Be careful of pallet with vegs…make sure they have not been chemically treated…the chemicals can leech into your food…

      Reply
      1. Laurie December 15, 2014 at 6:31 pm

        FYI – all pallets are treated. I would think a good coat of paint on the interior soil contact areas will prevent migration

        Reply
        1. Kathy Woodard December 30, 2014 at 9:42 am

          Hi Laurie! Does anyone have an opinion on this? I was told you could find untreated pallets… I agree though, it seems paint would seal it in… Comments readers?

          Reply
          1. Amanda W August 27, 2015 at 12:16 am

            Some pallets are chemically treated with some pretty nasty stuff for a vegetable garden. I would think that you would want to use a garden safe poly (plastic) if you are using chemically treated wood. I don’t think that paint would prevent leaching by the soil. The same applies when you build raised beds and planters using chemically treated lumber like yellow pine instead of cedar.

            http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-determine-if-a-wood-pallet-is-safe-for-use/

        2. Dmar May 11, 2016 at 12:08 pm

          You can get untreated pallets but they are expensive (around $100) but worth it if you’re growing edibles.

          Reply
    3. Paige April 25, 2016 at 11:01 pm

      Strawberries grow great in the “Topsy Tervy” Tomato planters.

      Reply
  6. Jenny June 10, 2014 at 6:42 am

    The toolbox would be the neatest idea for a Father’s Day gift!! I think I need to go to some thrift stores ASAP!

    Reply
  7. Jessica Cramer February 3, 2014 at 11:33 am

    Oh, these are wonderful ideas! I love the succulents in the tool box! Sharing!

    Reply
  8. Dionne Kempenich October 18, 2013 at 12:50 pm

    I live in Asheville NC and would love to have a succulent garden with hens and chicks that I can leave out all winter even if it snows. Besides the hens and chicks, can you suggest others? I love getting my blog from glove.

    Thank You.
    Dionne

    Reply
    1. Kathy Woodard November 3, 2013 at 11:52 am

      Sedum “Angelina” is our favorite hardy succulent, but your best bet is to visit your local nursery to find out what works best and is available in your area.

      Reply
    2. Bets January 18, 2015 at 5:36 am

      I live in Ma and have hens and chicks planted in my yard which stay out all winter. I was surprised the first year to see they survived thru the cold winter. I don’t cover them at all. Have had them for at least 5 years

      Reply
      1. Kathy Woodard January 22, 2015 at 8:37 am

        Hen and chicks can be quite hardy!

        Reply
        1. debio January 23, 2015 at 8:24 pm

          I live in northern WI and the majority of my sempervivum last through our nasty winters! :)

          Reply
    3. Gayle May 12, 2015 at 2:53 pm

      I lived in Cary, NC and grew chicks & hens. As long as you have well draining soil and keep watering even through the winter, every few weeks. I put a layer of fine to medium mulch surrounding but not totally covering them and didn’t worry about them. If they get damaged by frost, they do recover & any bare spots can be filled by removing dead plants & putting a chick in the spot

      Reply

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