Looking for something unique and inexpensive to brighten up your garden while providing a fun focal point?
Why not turn everyday objects into fascinating and functional planters? Almost anything – from old tires to coffee bags – can be used to grow flowers and herbs. The possibilities for repurposing your old ‘junk’ are endless.
To give you some ideas, here are 40 of the best DIY and upcycled garden planters out there:
1. Floppy Disk Planters
Have a lot of old floppy disks lying around? These cute garden planters are the perfect way to use them! Simply glue the disks together to form a cube and add a liner on the inside.
2. Hardcover Book Planter
Hardcover books filled with flora make for a beautiful feature planter. This easy project – with video tutorial – requires just a few simple tools and some supplies from a hardware store or garden center.
3. Old Boots Planter
Repurpose your old boots into this unique and whimsical planter which beautifully contrasts tough, worn leather with delicate leaves and petals.
4. Watering Can
A different take on using a watering can in the garden, this cute planter even features crystals at the spout to create faux water droplets!
5. Recycled Tire Garden Planter
Looking for inspiration to upcycle your old tires while de-cluttering your garage? Try grouping neon-painted tires of different types and sizes for a truly eye-catching and eco-friendly garden planter.
6. Colander Planter
It seems like colanders were made for planting in! They’re durable, perfectly sized and come with ready-made drainage holes. Simply add soil and flowers and it’s good to go.
7. Custom Concrete Planter
Make a uniquely shaped concrete planter with molds, cooking oil, a paintbrush and cement for truly one-of-a-kind garden décor.
8. Upside Down Planters
Add a quirky and intriguing vibe to your porch or garden with a few upside down hanging planters. Best of all, they’re a great way to re-use a variety of leftover food containers and soda bottles.
9. Handmade Clay Planters
For a pretty and thoughtful gift, whip up a batch of these handmade clay pots using templates and oven bake clay.
10. Altoids Tin Mini Planter
Aside from an empty tin, all you need to make this mini garden planter are pebbles, soil and a hardy succulent.
11. Broken Pot Fairy Garden
Put your broken terracotta pots (and your imagination) to good use by making these delightful fairy garden planters!
12. Log Planter
This hollowed out log planter is pretty straightforward to make (although it requires a bit of strength) and easily lasts at least five years.
13. Topsy Turvey Herb Planter
Keep your favorite culinary and medicinal herbs close by with this cute herb garden. It’s super easy to create and can be done for about $40, including the herb plants.
14. Fall Candle Planter
Make the most of those long fall evenings with this planter which doubles as a candle holder.
15. Hanging Wine Bottle Planter
Once you cut the base off wine bottles, these planters practically make themselves. Simply fill with peat or moss and your plant of choice and suspend from trees or beams.
16. Hedgehog Garden Planter
If you can’t attract real hedgehogs to your garden, try these funny hedgehog planters instead – made from plastic bottles covered with jute.
17. Pram Planter
What better way to upcycle a vintage baby pram than in the garden, filled with trailing vines and bright blooms?
18. Coffee Bag Planter
Coffee bags make fantastic planters – they’re recyclable, biodegradable, weather resistant, lightweight and flexible. Even better, they take just 30 minutes to put together!
19. Recycled Wood Chevron Planter
Take some mismatched scrap wood and upcycle it into a fantastic wooden planter complete with colorful chevron pattern.
20. Mason Jar Herb Planters
This eye-catching herb garden is made with reclaimed wood, painted mason jars and decorative hanging chalkboards – the perfect way to house all manner of tasty and healing herbs. (Here are 23 more ways to use mason jars in the garden.)
21. Tree Stump Planters
Breathe new life into those old tree stumps at the bottom of the garden by turning them into colorful flower planters so they can blossom once more.
22. Garbage Can Planter
Trash cans have never looked so good thanks to this easy DIY project.
23. Shabby Picnic Basket Planter
Made from an old picnic basket that has been ‘antiqued’, this shabby chic planter can be made for under $10!
24. Rocking Chair Planter
Spruce up your outdoor living space with this cheery planter made from a dilapidated old rocking chair.
25. Dresser Planter
Dress up your plants in an old dresser, revamped with bright paint and colorful embellishments.
26. Driftwood Garden Planter
No nautical themed garden is complete without this rustic driftwood planter – although it would look good just about anywhere!
27. Teacup and Saucer Planter
Teacups turned planters are a charming way to display flowers and make a great centerpiece for outdoor luncheons. Keep an eye out in thrift stores, where you can find vintage cups for mere cents.
28. Choo-Choo Train Planter
For a unique garden project that the kids will just love, check out this train planter! It’s surprisingly easy to make and just requires a couple of logs, a hammer and chisel, and some cute flowering plants.
29. Vintage Car and Skate Planter Duo
This unlikely combination gives a truly retro vibe to the garden, although any random collection of vintage toys would work well here.
30. Teacup Tire Planter
Resembling a fairground ride, these teacup planters are actually made from old tires! There’s plenty of room inside to grow all of your favorite flowers and then some.
31. Hanging Tire Planter
Yet another way to upcycle tires in the garden. Who knew old tires would look so good with just a few trailing vines inside?
32. Soda Bottle Vertical Wall
Start collecting those old plastic soda bottles because you’re going to need all you can get for this vertical planter wall. Perfect for an endless supply of homegrown herbs and spices!
33. Oil Drum Planters
Transform empty oil or kerosene drums into a cute Mr. and Mrs. Planter combo – complete with umbrellas to protect delicate blossoms from wind and rain.
34. Bicycle Planter
Eye-catching bicycle planters are one of the more popular planter ideas around, adorning the doorways of stores and restaurants everywhere. However much we see them though, we can’t deny that they look absolutely fantastic!
35. Kettle Planter
This brightly ornamented kettle would look great next to a few matching tea cup planters.
36. Birdcage Succulent Planter
Put old empty bird cages to better use by filling them with plants instead of creatures. It makes for a low maintenance yet stunning focal point in any garden.
37. Tiered Wine Barrel Planter
Wine barrels make fantastic planters as they last season after season, and this tiered version is an interesting take on the ordinary half barrel planter. Choose a combination of trailing vines and upright plants for added texture.
38. Basketball Planter
Cracked or burst basketballs can be repurposed into sporty planters – ideal for hanging from a treehouse or garden shed.
39. Old Drawer Porch Planter
After a kitchen remodel, hang onto your old drawers. With some wooden beams for legs and a few plants they can take on a new lease of life and brighten up your porch or patio.
40. PVC Pipe Strawberry Planter
One for the strawberry lovers – a vertical strawberry planter made from a plastic pipe which gives easy access to tend to the vines.
Looking for even more garden planter ideas? Make sure to check out our list of these 40 Unique and Fun Container Garden Ideas.