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Gardening in Containers

Unusual Containers and Pots to Help You Design Your Container Gardens

By Marie Iannotti, About.com

With so many plant containers and pots to choose from, it's hard not to buy them all. Container gardening lets you experiment with different styles and gardening techniques. Here are some unusual plant containers and pots to help you design your container gardens.

1. Cortina Planter

Colorful Cortina Flower Pots.Photo: Courtesy of PriceGrabber. Used with Permission.
Even a natural materials lover has to appreciate the the light-weight ease of the new polymer planters. These Cortina Planters are made of shatterproof polypropylene masquerading as aged ceramic pottery and they're pretty convincing. Unlike ceramic, these pots have internal 1-gallon water reservoirs that are filled by an accessible funnel. There's a 16" size and a 20". Comes in 7 muted colors. Dimensions: 16" diameter pot is 12-1/4" (H) and holds 14 qts. of soil; 20" dia. pot is 14-3/4" (H) and holds 30 qts. of soil.
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2. Garden Wagon

Flower Display Wagon.Photo: Courtesy of PriceGrabber. Used with Permission.
I can never quite make up my mind whether I like those old fashioned wagons that people fill with plants and use as decorations. I think it depends on the style of house and plants used. I do like this wagon, which is made of stained cedar. The green color is subtle and the style isn't too cutsey. I'd put pots of plants in it, myself, instead of filling it with soil and plants, but I'm sure you could have some fun playing with it. There is some assembly required. Dimensions: 47" (L) x 18" (W) x 20" (H).
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3. Mackinaw Flower Box

Rustic Mackinaw Flower Box.Photo: Courtesy of PriceGrabber. Used with Permission.
Looking for something a little more rustic? This knotty red pine looks a little like a feed trough, but it's built for plants. It comes unstained and assembly is required, but that should just add to its rustic charm.
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4. Tomato Success Kit with Wood Enclosure

It's designed with growing tomatoes in mind, but I think it would make a nice addition to any deck or roof top garden. This "ki" part is a self-watering plastic planter, with a 4 gallon reservoir. There's also a stacking tomato cage, a pound of organic tomato fertilizer and a sheet of red plastic much. They also toss in 40 quarts of potting soil. So it really is ready to go - except for the tomato plants. But the wooden box covering is actually very nice, with clean, classic lines. You could grow just about anything in there, even a small formal topiary. Dimensions: Plastic Planter: 26" (L) x 19-3/4" (W) x 10-1/2" (H); Wooden Enclosure is 28" (L) x 21" (W) x 14" (H)

5. Willow Window Box

Natural Willow Window Box.Photo: Courtesy of PriceGrabber. Used with Permission.
Window boxes shouldn't draw the focus away from the plants and this is about as natural as you can get. Hand wrapped willow branches are strengthened by an inside metal frame. The exterior is stained a weathered gray, which always makes green leaves look greener. Brackets for hanging are included. Dimensions: 17.75" (W) x 7.25" (D) x 6.25" (H)
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