Garden containers serve as a home for your plants while adding interest to you house and yard. Containers can be as simple as a commercially purchased pot or as unique as an old kettle that has been sitting in your garage. To be a candidate for a good container, the item you chose only needs to be of adequate size and design while providing enough room for your plants to grow.

Container Style

In order to find a garden container you will be happy with, look for one that matches your tastes as well as the space in which it will be placed. The perfect container should also be large enough to be noticed without overtaking the space or getting in the way. The placement of the container will also influence your choice of container style. Hanging baskets, window boxes, and raised beds are just a few of the options available. The container should meld nicely into the space while adding to the color and feel of the area around it.

Large Garden Containers

Large garden containers are perfect for sprucing up an unused portion of your yard or patio. Rocks, brick, or treated lumber can be used as retaining walls to create a custom container in any size or shape. Pre made containers such as water troughs, children’s wading pools, or plastic tubs can be used as they are or they can be painted and decorated to make them appear fresh and original.

Due to the size and weight of large containers, they are generally considered a permanent fixture. However, if you would like to give them some mobility, heavy-duty castors can be attached to the bottom or it can be sat on a gardening dolly before filling it with soil.

Small Garden Containers

Small garden containers can be used by themselves or placed in groups for larger areas. Metal, plastic, terra cotta, and glazed pots are widely available and economical choices. To personalize them, they can be sat into something else or decorated to suit your needs. Unconventional items such as novelty mugs and old logs can also be used as garden containers, but may need a few alterations. To provide drainage, holes can be made in the bottom or materials like broken pottery can be poured into the bottom before adding potting soil. To make use of items such as wooden crates or an old wagon, pots can be sat into them or they can be lined with a tarp or heavy plastic to hold the soil and water.

A Personal Touch

To make a garden container unique, experiment with different decorating techniques. The numerous varieties of paint and decoupage mediums available at the craft store allow you to add pictures to just about any type of material. Pictures can be added to pots by cutting them out and gluing them to the side of the pot. To extend the life of your artwork, coat the item with a clear lacquer or a solution of glue and water. If you would like to add a three-dimensional look to your garden container, add items such as fabric, wreaths, or pinecones to the outside of the pot.

The right garden container is not only functional, but it also enhances the beauty of the plants and the area around it. Containers can be as simple as a plastic pot in an accent color or be intricately decorated with moss and fake bugs. There are no hard rules to follow. When you are ready for a change, redecorate the pot or simply replace it with a new one.