From Upcycled to Unusual: 18 Garden Planter Ideas That Are the Current Craze in Outdoor Decor!

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Creative and unique garden planters are taking over container gardening , and these 18 whimsical and upcycled ideas will inspire you to elevate your outdoor space like never before!

Container gardening is a popular way to add color and greenery to your outdoor space. Garden centers are full of pots and containers in any size and color, but it is much more fun to come up with some creative outdoor planter ideas that make use of what you already have and that can be reimagined into a new use as a planter.

Background image of a vintage bicycle with a flowering plant in the basket. Text overlay: 19 original garden planter ideas that are fun and cheap.

To get you started here are some fun ideas for creative planter pots. See how you can upcycle trash and treasures into planting containers for your outdoor space, as we share the best ideas for flower planters for your garden or deck.

Suitcases

Vintage suitcases make great planters. Line them with a water-resistant material, make some drainage holes and your fun planter is ready.

Toolbox Planter

Old wooden or metal toolboxes can be converted into a planter box quite easily. This wooden toolbox got un upgrade with some white painted bark. See the Toolbox to Planter Makeover here.

Ladder Planters

To add height and dimension to your patio you can use all kinds of old finds as a way to give any old regular planter an upgrade with a pedestal. Old stepladders can be converted into a Ladder Plant Stand with a little DIY effort

Baskets

Baskets are a dime a dozen at thrift stores. A woven basket adds a nice rustic element to your garden and is an easy way to hide the plastic containers around your plants.

Crates and Boxes

Vintage crates add a lovely rustic character to your garden display. If you can’t find a vintage crate to repurpose into a planter, a wooden box is quickly made from some leftover scrap wood. Find many more Crate Planter Box Ideas here.

Old Rain Boots

Old rainboots are a fun and unexpected container for some flowering garden plants. Especially the colorful children’s boots with lovely patterns can be perfectly color-coordinated with the blooms.

Wood Log Planter

Rummage through your firewood pile for a nice log to turn into a Wood Log Succulent Planter. Wood logs are perfect for a natural-looking planter that will age beautifully in a garden.

Vintage Teapot

Don’t throw away your old teapot when it starts to leak. In fact, add a couple more drainage holes and you have the perfect planter for some flowering plants. With the handle, an old teapot can be converted into a creative hanging planter easily.

Birdcages

Vintage birdcages can be quickly converted into a planter. They are especially suited for hanging plants whose branches can weave through the open metal of the cage.

Kitchen Tools

Metal cups and old funnels are fun little kitchen tools that can be upcycled into planters. Their small size makes them perfect for little plants like succulents.

Leftover Rain Gutter

A piece of discarded rain gutter can be upcycled into a creative planter for the backyard. The long narrow shape makes it perfect for placement on top of a garden wall or along a narrow pathway.

Watering Cans

Any gardener has an array of watering cans, left outside during the winter they often freeze and become leaky. What better way to repurpose those no-longer-useful watering cans into fun containers for a few pretty garden plants.

Old Shoes

Old shoes tell the tale of past adventures. Repurposing them into garden planters adds a bit of whimsy and unexpected fun to your garden design.

Chandeliers

Chandeliers make delightful hanging flower planters. You can turn the chandelier into a planter by attaching dishes, bowls, or teacups, and spray paint it in a color that coordinates well with your blooms. This lovely chandelier planter was made by the talented Roeshel from DIY Show Off.

Chairs

Broken and old chairs are a fun way to add a little height to your planter. Use them as a plant stand or embed the plant pot into the seat of the chair for a bit of vintage and rustic fun.

Wheelbarrow Planter

Wheelbarrows are another staple tool for any gardener. When they have run out of their usefulness they can be upcycled into a fun planter that can be wheeled to whatever spot in the garden that needs a bit of extra color.

Vintage Bicycle

A bicycle can easily be fitted with some baskets and boxes to be used as planters. A vintage bicycle leaning against a wall with colorful flowering plants is a great way to add another movable planter to your garden.

Pots and Pans

Every garage sale or thrift store is filled with old pots and pans that have been discarded. The sturdy metal makes for a long-lasting plant container that can be a fun upcycled show element in the garden. The handles even make it easy to turn them into hanging planters.

Bathtub

If you are the lucky owner of an old bathtub, you have a ready-made raised garden bed that adds a bit of extra fun to the mix. Add drainage holes and some filler material and your bathtub-garden bed is ready for planting.