close up of succulent plants in coca cola glasses

Container Garden Ideas

by / 44 Comments / 7428 View / May 25, 2010

 

 

Many of my container gardens are made from repurposed materials, plant cuttings, anything that strikes my fancy at the moment.

Here’s a little “eye candy” and design ideas  for the container garden enthusiast!


 

succulents planted in mini Coke glasses and gravel

Create a vignette using inexpensive “Coca Cola” glasses from the dollar store, filled with gravel, sand and succulent cuttings.

The mosaic bottle unifies the look.

 

 

A repurposed  muffin pan filled with moss makes a creative container display for succulent cuttings.

 

 

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Orange tumbled glass adds color to my bromeliad while I wait for it to bloom!

 

 

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Metal Figure Model + Common Annuals= Uncommon Combo!

 

 

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“Sacred Succulent Gardens” add sculptures or figurines to your pots

 

 

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“Simply Sorbet!” Don’t be afraid to add containers within containers.

Contrasting colors are striking.

 

 

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Earthy Textures and Statuary for Your “Meditation Garden”

An art statement!

 

 

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Zinc Planter Trio- “A Garden Within a Garden”

 

 

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Just add the bunny and make this simple planting combination, special!

 

 

Design Tips

Use statuary and garden decor in your containers to add personality or to create a mini-themed garden.

Stack contrasting colored pots or pots of the same color for added dimension and drama

Use colored recycled glass as a mulch for your container plants for year-round color.

Anything that can hold up to water without rotting or leaching toxic chemicals into your container can be used as a decorative figurine.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and add your personal style to your garden!


This blog post is part the Garden Designer’s RoundTable group blog event today.

Please visit these other talented designers for more inspiration!

Please feel free to join in with a comment here, on our Facebook Page, or on the individual blogs themselves; your thoughts and experiences add to the conversation in such a nice way (and we like to know you’re there!)

 

Enjoy.

 

This month’s bloggers!

Christina Salwitz : Personal Garden Coach : Renton, WA Debbie Roberts : A Garden of Possibilities : Stamford, CT Jenny Petersen: J Petersen Garden Design : Austin TX Jocelyn Chilvers : The Art Garden : Denver, CO Laura Livengood Schaub : Interleafings : San Jose, CA Rebecca Sweet : Gossip In the Garden : Los Altos, CA Rochelle Greayer : Studio “G” : Boston, MA Lesley Hegarty & Robert Webber : Hegarty Webber Partnership : Bristol, UK Scott Hokunson : Blue Heron Landscapes : Granby, CT

44 Comment

  1. I want to create my own meditation garden like the one on the picture in the post with Buddha and fake grass. Not sure where to buy it tho. Get so many ideas from this blog cant wait until the summer is here so I can fix my backyard.

  2. Lovely containers… Look at the landscape, they are also so lovely! I can’t choose for the best, they are all beautiful!!

  3. […] planters that needed some pruning but I was in a creative mood. I was itching to produce a work of garden art from my refuse […]

  4. Love, love, LOVE the succulent container gardens!

  5. I absolutely love some of these ideas for pots, some of which could very easily be also used for <a href="http://www.gardeningfocus.com/bonsai-containers/">bonsai containers</a> as well as on your patio or balcony.

    Thanks again for a really informative blog entry, Mary.

  6. I love the buddah and your use of unusual items that make such wonderful additions to container gardens. Your use of color and texture is amazing!
    Thanks!!
    Alissa
    http://www.plantwithme.com

    Check out: Container Gardens

  7. Thanks for the compliment.

  8. Very cool. Thanks for the great ideas, your vision and artistic eye are incredible!

  9. I love container gardening in general. The dress form was a stellar idea. Beautiful!

  10. Love the ideas! I especially enjoyed the dress form. Thanks for the info

  11. Do it! Thanks for commenting. I find container gardening to be a great opportunity for out of the box creativity. Shirley

  12. With only a balcony for a garden I feel a bit constrained doing container gardening – but you show so many good container ideas. I must try and take my containers to the next level! 🙂

  13. I love the bunny rabbit. What a neat idea.
    Suzanne

  14. Thanks Scott. I appreciate the visit, especially from you who are so busy!
    Shirley

  15. Hi Shirley! What great mini gardens you have created here. Great ideas to add containers to containers, it adds so much interest. A wonderful “mini” tutorial! Great post.

  16. […] Shirley Bovshow : Eden Makers : Los Angeles, CA […]

  17. Hi Jenny,
    How nice to see you here! Thanks for your compliment.
    Shirley

  18. HI Ivette,
    Thanks so much. I like my bromeliad as well. It is colorful year round and perks up the living room.
    See you later.
    Shirley

  19. I am IN LOVE with the tumbled glass/bromeliad container!!! If only I could keep anything other than succulents alive in containers, I’d copy you!

    Great post Shirley! OF COURSE!!!

  20. […] Shirley Bovshow : Eden Makers : Los Angeles, CA […]

  21. HI Shirley! I LOVE your addition of non-plant material in your container plantings. I’ve been starting to experiment with that as well–you really have an eye for that!

  22. My pleasure Jocelyn. Thanks for visiting.
    Shirley

  23. Hi Laura,
    Glad you liked the blog post. See you over at your blog!
    SHirley

  24. Hi Christina,
    Thanks for the compliment and for taking the time to create such a comprehensive and inspiring blog post on container gardens. Great job.
    Shirley

  25. HI Pam,
    Great seeing you here at EdenMakers. Thanks for visiting and commenting!
    Shirley

  26. Thanks Sweet Rebecca for visiting and commenting. I enjoyed your blog post as well.
    Shirley

  27. I am safer using my muffin pan in the garden, if you know what I mean!
    Shirley

  28. Hi Robert,
    Thanks for your compliment. I guess you can say “out of the box” is my mantra in life. Please visit Eden Makers again.
    Shirley

  29. Yes, I do love color Debra. Thanks for visiting me at Eden Makers and commenting. Hope to see you again soon!
    Shirley

  30. Love the zinc containers (I have several, myself)! But I never thought about stacking them like that – genius!! Leave it to YOU to think of something so clever….

  31. I adore that zinc planter trio, Shirley. I may have to copy that look one day!

  32. Of course all of Shirley’s container photos would be SO stylin, like the fashionista that she is! I love them, they are SO uniquely YOU, Shirley.
    You really inspired me to try the container in container idea again, haven’t done it in a while. SO cute!

  33. […] Shirley Bovshow : Eden Makers : Los Angeles, CA   Comments (10) […]

  34. Shirely,

    I love your creativity and use of color. The muffin tin garden and the metal figurine are simply fantastic. Thanks for the inspiration!

  35. […] Shirley Bovshow : Eden Makers : Los Angeles, CA […]

  36. […] Shirley Bovshow : Eden Makers : Los Angeles, CA […]

  37. I second that, what a great idea to combine containers (great use for those matching smaller ones that might get lost on their own). I love putting the sculptures in too, the Buddha is especially nice. Thanks, Shirley!

  38. LOVE the muffin tin garden! Now THAT is a good use for a muffin tin. (I hate baking)

  39. Hi, Shirley — Great photos and ideas. I love the way you add personality to your pots with topdressings and figurines that are appealing but not excessively cute or kitschy. The stacked pots are intriguing, too. But best of all? Color! You love it, like I do.

  40. Real outside the box thinking and some great colour combos there!
    Respect!
    Best Wishes
    Robert

  41. Love your sculptural approach to container garden design, especially the “pot within a pot” look! Thanks for the fresh ideas, Shirley.

  42. […] Shirley Bovshow : Eden Makers : Los Angeles, CA […]

  43. […] Shirley Bovshow: Eden Maker’s Bog: Southern California […]

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