Pots and containers are without doubt on of the best ways to create truly portable, temporary garden displays. Available in a wide range of sizes and a choice of terracotta, ceramic and plastic, there is, quite literally, a pot to suit just about every plant available.

Everyone uses pots, but it is possible to make your creations truly unique by using alternative planting containers such as…

Old sinks or baths – sinks are great for succulents and alpines, and baths for larger displays or ‘mini gardens’ such as a herb garden.

Barrels and tins – cut down barrels and recycled tins offer great potential for quirkiness and creativity, paint them to add consistency or contrast, or just use them ‘raw’!

Wheelbarrows – don’t ditch your old barrow, simply recycle it into a beautiful, portable container!

Wooden crates and boxes – use these in varying sizes and heights to create stunning displays for the patio.

Shoes and boots – we all have these, and now you never need to throw an old pair away!

Don’t forget… whatever you choose to use as your unique planting container, you’ll need to make sure that there is something to contain the soil (if it isn’t solid sided), that there are drainage holes in the bottom, and that these are covered with drainage material (crocks or gravel) so that the holes don’t get blocked.

There are lots of ordinary, everyday objects which would make beautiful, interesting and most unusual planters and now you’ve seen just a few of our ideas – so it’s over to you to think ‘outside the pot’ and get creative – the only limit is your imagination!