Container Plants with Personality

Container Plants with Personality

Ah, spring!  Put away your winter coat, get outside and enjoy the fresh air. Spring is my favorite time of year. It's a season of rebirth with the grass turning green, trees budding, daffodils and tulips popping up everywhere and thoughts of planting gardens and flower beds. I think everyone's mood is elevated when spring arrives.

When it comes to planting flowers, I like to repurpose household items as containers to add some personality to my home. Instead of using your normal flower pot you find in stores, why not use an old toy pickup or dump truck?

toy pickup truck used as a planter

Photo from toytrucktoys.com


Now, the bed of your truck will most likely be shallow, so it's best to plant something with a small root base. Succulents do well in shallow planting. You also need to be sure there's some drainage. Most often the beds of these old toy trucks will have holes in them anyway. If the holes are too big, line the bed with a piece of window screen.

I also like to use mason jars. Surprised? I have my 3 jar planter in my home planted with succulents. I've actually had a couple different plants in the jars over the years. You have to make sure you either don't over water them or place some rocks in the bottom of the jars for proper drainage. Also, the planter needs to be hung where the plants can get adequate sunlight. A lot of my customers use this planter for their herb gardens. And hey, if you don't exactly have a green thumb and the plants don't work out, you can always use the planter as an organizer of cotton balls/Qtips in your bathroom!


Mason jar wall planter from Tickled Pink

Another planter I want to try this year is a boot! I bought a pair of childrens cowboy boots at the Indie Arts and Vintage Marketplace and plan to use them as planters. I'm going look for a plastic tray to fit inside the boots as a liner, but think I'll probably have to buy one that's too big and modify it some so it fits. I don't want the water to soak through the boots. That may not look so great.

Old boots as planters from The Cottage Market

I also use a galvanized tub on my back patio to plant in. Drilling holes in the bottom gives it proper drainage or I've seen some use air packets that are used for mailing placed in the bottom to allow for the drainage. Not sure if they'd eventually pop or not, but you could always use something else, like rocks. 

Galvanized planters from Pottery Barn


Here's some other unique planters I've found on the web:

 
a muffin tin

coffee mugs

recycled tires

 

Use your imagination this spring. Save money you would've paid for standard pots and find unique planters around your home! Happy planting!

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2 comments

You’re such an inspiration, your ideas are energizing.

Luann Haddin

Love your ideas! The Ball jar planters are awesome!

Judy Sipe

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