Creative Containers

No time to manage an outdoor garden? No space?  Container gardening is your answer!

Large or small, indoor or out, there is a perfect container for your gardening needs.  But with so many options to choose from, where does one begin their search?

With the cutest ones! 🙂  The most creative ones.  The planters that will add style and pizzazz to your patio or home AND serve a practical function.  Terra cotta planters are probably one of the most classic planters on the market today.  Made from orange-red clay, the term terra-cotta is Italian for “baked earth.”  Fired at high temperatures, the porous material used allows them to “breathe” by allowing air to reach the roots.  While this makes them the ideal solution for plants that prefer well-drained soil, it also means they have a tendency to dry out quicker than others.  Not the best option for gals like me who “forget to water,” occasionally. Sometimes.  Okay, often. 

But for those of you who manage this task well, take a look at this spin on the old classic–the Lady Planter!  An interesting display for your plants to say the least.  Me?  I an envision this goddess with some “oregano” hair spilling out, flowing long and full. 

Yet traditional terra-cotta not play a dual role.  When chipped or cracked, turn them upside down and create a toad bungalow!  You want to invite these beneficial fellas to set up shop in your garden.  (They eat pesky insects, you know.)

So versatile, you can also turn the larger ones upside down placing their tray on top for an impromptu side table!  Very clever.

Another old favorite when it comes to planters is the wheel barrel.  What must ave started for practical reasons has evolved into a decorative solution for today’s gardener. Wheel barrel planters come in all shapes and sizes, from the very rustic to the absolutely adorable.  This one is located outside my favorite local seed shop — Simon Seed — and really makes a statement. 

For my patio, I purchased a Jim Shore design and just love it. 

If you like whimsical and cute, take a look at this designer’s collection of planters.  From roosters to goose, flowers to mice  (Mickey Mouse, that is!) there’s surely something here to please adults and kids alike.  Getting kids involved in the garden is a definite must.  We do want them out gardening and expending energy as they soak up Vitamin D in the glorious sunshine, don’t we?

Of course we do! For a green, sleek and recycle conscious planter, how about this design by Braun?  It’s called the Envi and functions as a composter/planter. Is this 21st century or what? 

 

Looking for curb appeal?  How about this copper wrought iron combination?  Made from 100% recycled copper it fits snugly into a scrollwork wrought iron holder.  Let the compliments begin!

When it comes to container gardening I say, “Think outside the container.”  Consider the plants you select to fill these containers in new and exciting ways. Like corn stalks for vertical design elements.  Most likely you won’t reap a bounty of husks, but you will have a fresh and fancy conversation piece!  Try herbs as hanging plants, lavender for a touch of indoor scent and hydroponics for a “wall” of privacy along your back patio.

While I don’t technically consider these “containers,” they are indeed.  Filled with water, these towers can act as a nice privacy wall running along your back patio.  No mess, no fuss, they grow some terrific plants.  Enjoy!