14 Unique Container Garden Ideas and Planting Tips

I have thoroughly enjoyed the container garden that I shared in our sunroom decorating ideas. My garden and patio are constantly evolving and I love finding unique container garden ideas. I’m excited to share 14 of the best container gardening ideas, planting pots, and tips for you today.

What is a container garden?

Simply stated, a container garden is plants growing in pots or other containers versus in the ground. You can plant a variety of plants from flowers and herbs to vegetables, shrubs and even trees in a variety of containers.

Containers may include raised boxes, ceramic pots, recycled containers, buckets or whatever can hold soil and plants. 

Why container gardening?

There are many reasons to consider container gardening. Container gardens are a great option for people who live in apartments or condos with no real yard. They can have plants in containers on a balcony, deck or stoop.  

In addition, gardening in containers can cut down on weeds, make plants more easily accessible to those who may have mobility issues and also provide a great way to provide a little natural foliage (or fresh veggies) to hardscape areas like decks, patios and even driveways. Container gardens are quite versatile and can be set on the ground, hung from window sills, fences or even the walls.  

Vertical Garden Pots and Wall Planters

Kati at Houseful of Handmade created this beautiful DIY Vertical Garden with Drip Watering System built right in. Talk about convenience. I love the cedar wood and scale of this herb garden that includes rosemary, basil, cilantro, and more! She also include lemon balm, English and German thyme, snap peas and strawberries. This would be great in a sunroom or covered patio or outside on a deck or patio. 

This DIY Indoor Vertical Garden from Jessica Welling Interiors couldn’t be easier to make and I love the boho vibe it gives a room. It would be great in a small space or the sun room. 

Kathy and Steve (I love blogging couples!) at TGG shared this Easy and Amazing Modern DIY Living Wall Plant Wall and it truly IS amazing. They turned an ugly cinder block wall into a cool, modern planter wall repurposing affordable IKEA storage containers.  I would love an entire room or patio made out of these cool walls!

This unique Easy DIY Plant Wall shared by Libbie at A Life Unfolding is ingenious in it’s use of upcycled materials. I love the rustic charm and always appreciate seeing how people cleverly repurpose cast off materials. 

Container Garden Design Ideas: Design a Garden from Scratch

Need to start your garden completely from scratch? My Hubbard Home blogger, Rachelle shares a great post on Designing a Garden Potager  (raised garden) with lots of details, diagrams and instructions. This is truly a terrific resource and give plenty of large container garden ideas. Rachelle included a few flowers in her plan but mostly shared vegetable container garden ideas. Of course you can design your garden to suit your own taste!

Unique Container Garden Ideas: Recycled Plant Pots

If you are looking for affordable things to use for container gardening, there are lots of unique options including the use of recycled plant pots that you have on hand already or could find at your local thrift shop.

I love the whimsy of these Galvanized Bucket Stacked Planters from Beth of Unskinny Boppy. Inspired by a pin on Pinterest, Beth took it and made it her own for a unique garden statement. A trip through the flea market or a morning visiting garage sales could yield a great trove of containers for projects like this.

Got a broken wheelbarrow laying around? Roxanne of The Honeycomb Home shares how she created this adorable Tipped Wheelbarrow Garden Planter which is such a great idea for using the cast off and adding some visual interest to your yard. 

Michelle of Thistle Key Lane shows that a Simple Bucket Container Garden can have a lot of charm and impact. Buckets are so easy to come by and come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes making this a fun way to create a cohesive look in the garden.

Maria blogs at Simple Nature Decor Blog and I love the Unique Garden Containers she shared. It shows that with a little thinking outside the box, you can turn almost anything into a functional planter whether it be an olive picking bucket or a piece of galvanized chimney pipe.

Likewise, Amy at Atta Girl Says upcycled some old cups to create these adorable Tin Cup Succulent Dish Gardens. These would be so fun to create with kids and would make darling gifts for teachers, service people or others.

Taking it a step further, Rebecca at Simple Practical Beautiful created these Succulent Tea Cup Pots out of china cups. A great way to use mismatched cups or thrift shop cast offs. Wouldn’t these be adorable for a tea party at place settings? I think they’d make terrific hostess gifts too!

Tips for Container Gardening

If you’re new to container gardening, Kim of Salvaged Living shares these Tips for Successful Container Gardening which is a great place to start. Soon you’ll be on your way to learning how to do container gardening and becoming an expert!

The Mother/ Daughter duo at 2 Bees in a Pod shared this handy Container Garden Tips and Ideas post. They share some helpful and handy tips for choosing and filling a variety of containers. 

How can I make my container garden look good?

Check out the links above for tips and ideas. Research your plants and don’t forget these 6 tips:

1. Pick the Perfect Pot. The first step for a robust planter is to choose the correct pot size. Make sure you choose plants that are appropriate for the size container you are using. You may choose a variety of small plants to fill in a large pot but make sure they do not become overcrowded.
2. Plant with a Plan. Choose plants that are appropriate for your climate and area. 
3. Provide Nutrient-Rich Soil. Use fresh, healthy soil and change out periodically to provide your plants with the vitamins and nutrients they need to thrive. 
4. Give Them a Long, Tall Drink of Water. Provide water regularly as needed. You can set up a drip system for clusters of pots on a deck or patio or water by hose. Do not water the foliage, water at the base being sure to soak the soil.
5. Groom Bi-Weekly. Pick off dead leaves and suckers. Pull rogue weeds.
6. The Most Important Step: Fertilize, and Fertilize Again.

I love “landscaping” with containers as you can see in my post Fall Front Porch Ideas and Outdoor Patio Decor Ideas on a Budget. You can use the same concepts to arrange pots and garden containers in your entry and outdoor patio with whatever seasonal or perennial flowers you choose.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! For more inspiration, follow me on Instagram,  Pinterest,  LIKEtoKNOW.it,  Facebook,  and Twitter. Here is a pin to save this for later!