Container gardens are basically small, self-contained gardens you can make as big or as small as you want to, and with pretty much infinite customization options!

Think about it – almost anything can become a container. Anything from pots, crates, tires, and as we'll see below, even old gutters!

Because you can control exactly how big you want them to be, they are surprisingly easy to manage too, having the potential to become healthy hobbies that look beautiful on your garden, patio, or front porch.

And as a final selling point, they are extremely beginner-friendly – let's see why!

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. – Edith Wharton

1. Gutter Garden

gutter garden
Repurpose an old gutter as a small garden. Source: HGTV

The idea behind this one is recycling (or up-cycling) an old piece of gutter you might have lying around in the garage. This example shows how you can make good use of it by turning into a small garden that can be laid on top of railings, doubling as a beautiful piece of decoration.

You can add to the beauty by using plants that like to stay low and "fall over", like moss. It makes for a great look!

2. Rubber Tire Garden

rubber tire garden
Use an old tire as a small container! Source: Martha Hoover

Almost every American home has at least one old tire stored away, usually gathering dust somewhere in a dark corner of the garage. It's a good idea to store old tires as they might come in handy in emergencies, but assuming you have one to spare (or the one you have is far too old to be used anyway), we can repurpose it as a container garden!

The size of a common tire is usually perfect for a container garden, so all you'd have to do is customize it in some way by painting – which can be done with ease. In fact, depending on your style, you can even leave the tire as it is and still get a great look out of it!

3. Ladder Garden

ladder garden
Ladders are great for displaying lots of containers. Source: Good House Keeping

A ladder garden like this is better suited for displaying several containers – you can create a small garden with baskets, boots, wooden boxes, an assortment of pots, etc. Then, you can use a ladder to bring them all together!

4. Beginner-Friendly Container

beginner friendly container
Almost anything can become a container. Source: Garden Design

This is basically the starter idea for a container garden. You can use any sort of medium-sized container like the one above to kick-start the project and see how it pans out.

It's easy to put together, convenient to move around if necessary (place it under the sun for some natural light, then protect it from harsh weather conditions), and low-commitment too, which might sound like a strange selling point, but it's true.

If you were to actually build a garden and invest a lot of time and effort fertilizing the soil and planting an assortment of different flowers and herbs, it can be frustrating for beginners, for example, to handle everything. Things like clashing plants, problems with shaded areas, pests, etc. All of that can be hard to manage at first.

With a container garden, however, the stakes are very low. You can take your time and experiment, get a feel for how much you need to water your plants, if the soil condition is suitable – all of that without feeling any pressure to succeed.

It's beginner-friendly all the way and you should definitely give it a chance!

5. Boot Planter

boot planter
An adorable idea for a container garden! Source: The Spruce

A simple, yet adorable idea for a container garden. It's the exact same principle from planting on any pot, but instead, you use colored boots for a vibrant look that can also be displayed on a small ladder, as seen above.

Need more help with a landscaping project? Talk to a landscaping expert today and get free quotes in your area!


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