Unusual Planters: Gardening on a Shoe String

It's time to start sprucing up the yard. Whether you have a couple of acres, or a little backyard patio, a few cute containers and plants will make the place seem cozier. The truth is that buying just a couple of planters can be pretty pricey. If you wander through a local department or hardware store, you might set yourself back $50 or more in the blink of an eye.

To save yourself some cash on containers, look around the house and try to come up with some unique planters. Start in the kitchen and try to imagine plants in everything. That chipped casserole dish would be just fine. A plant tucked into a wicker basket would look quite homey. How about those cookie tins taking space up in the cupboard? Just remember that the container will need proper drainage. A few small stones, or holes poked in the bottom will keep your plants looking good.

Head to the hallway closet next and see what you can find there. Do you have any old purses? Fill them up with soil, tuck a plant inside, and you'll really have the neighbors talking. Old boots work great, too. Whether you have old lace up boots, or rubber boots, they can be used for unusual planters. Cut a few holes here and there, and tuck plants into the toes and sides. If you plant perennials, they'll look better and better each year. Leave them outside all year, and you might ever get moss growing on them.

The garage is a great place to find unique planters. If you have old paint cans, scrub them out, and fill them up with soil and plants. These look especially cute if you dribble a little of the paint around the rim, and set them in clusters around the yard. If you have an old hose, you can coil it around in a circle and make a planter out of it. Secure it together with water proof glue. Old toolboxes, wheelbarrows, and wagons make nice planters. Maybe you have an old pail or watering can that has sprung a leak.

In the attic, you might have an old dresser that isn't used anymore. The drawers could be transformed into planters for the yard. You might want to weather proof them with water seal before you put them outside. Old candles that have burned down most of the way can be used for planters. They make unusual planters to sit inside the house, or out on a patio table. Old mailboxes make unique planters, too. A rural type mailbox can be mounted on a pole, or set on a table. A few small plants cascading out the front would add a natural touch to your yard. Mailboxes that hang on the wall can be placed anywhere, and filled with pretty plants. A variety of mailboxes clustered together would make a beautiful addition to your patio or pool area.

If you've been to the beach, you can use natural sea sponges to hold plants. Also, large sea shells turned upside down will hold a little potting soil and a small plant.

If you really can't find anything around your house for unusual planters, check out local thrift stores and yard sales. For pennies, you can pick up some pretty cool containers to use for planters. Let your imagination run wild, and you'll be the envy of the neighborhood.