Stylish outdoor planters and pots to start your container garden
Whatever size of garden you have, whether it’s a small garden with just enough room for a bistro set, or a sprawling country garden with a generous patio, you’re going to want some outdoor planters. You can grow practically anything in them, from eye-catching displays of spring bulbs to vegetables or even small trees. You can start with just a few in a compact arrangement, or work up to a full container garden full of different types of plants. These container gardens work best when pots of varying heights are used as it takes the eye on a journey and offers a sense of depth. Try mixing up textures too. A terracotta pot looks more impactful when sat next to a zinc planter, or colourful plant box.
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Where to buy outdoor planters
All the very best garden furniture shops will carry a range of outdoor planters. If you can’t find the right pot in our gallery below, we recommend perusing a combination of garden centres and furniture shops. For affordable terracotta, look no further than Rowen and Wren. They have a range of sizes and shapes, from the ornate to the simple. Other high street favourites, like Cox & Cox, Habitat, Graham and Green, OKA and Amara are great places to look too. For more garden focussed retailers, try Jennifer Newman, Posh Shed Company, Raj Tent Club, Garden Trading, Bramblecrest, Dobie’s and Gaze Burvill.
Best outdoor planters 2025
What is the best planter for outdoors?
There’s a huge range of outdoor planters to choose from: troughs and window-boxes perfect for a few flowers, readymade raised beds for growing vegetables and cutting flowers, classic terracotta pots waiting to be filled with colour and life, and sculptural tall pots for planting trees and grasses. If you’re looking for something smaller and more decorative, have a look out our shopping guide to plant pots.
What is the most durable material for outdoor planters?
As with most things in life, the more you pay, the better quality you will get in return. More affordable materials will rust quickly and general show wear and tear from long period spent outdoors. Better quality garden pots and planter boxes, such as aluminium, galvanised steel and terracotta pots will all last longer and be more durable.
What is the difference between indoor and outdoor planters?
One of the main ways outdoor planters differ from indoors ones are the presence of drainage holes. Garden planters will have them, allowing water to seep out and drain slowly. Indoor plants will not have these, for obvious reasons.
