20 container garden ideas that use pots and planters in creative ways to make the most of large and small gardens

There's no shortage of container garden ideas – even the tiniest spaces can be brought to life with a clever pot-planting scheme.

In fact, many of the best small garden ideas involve some form of container growing. They're a great way to liven up your patio ideas, or refresh a courtyard or balcony.

Whether you're in the market for a veg-growing vessel or a potted flower garden, we've rounded up our favourite container garden ideas that can be applied to almost any outdoor space.

1. Try the thriller, filler, spiller method

The thriller, filler, spiller hanging basket rule is one that freelance content editor Lisa Fazzani always uses to create stunning hanging basket displays, and the same method can be applied to your container garden ideas.

'A well-thought-out container garden often follows the 'thriller, filler, spiller' formula,' says Luke Dejahang, gardening expert and CEO of Crown Pavilions.

'This involves selecting a tall, eye-catching plant as the centrepiece (thriller), surrounding it with medium-height plants to fill the space (fillers), and incorporating trailing plants that cascade over the edges (spillers).'

2. Create a potted Japanese garden

Small Japanese garden ideas are for pots, too – in fact, some of the best plants for a Japanese garden can thrive in containers, if you pick the right varieties.

'Japanese maple trees, also known as acers, are mostly slow-growing, so they're ideal for growing in well-suited pots,' says Patty Willems, PR manager of sustainable plant pot creator elho. 'Choose a pot that is about double the size of the root system so that it has plenty of space to establish.

'They are simple to care for, but make sure the pot has sufficient drainage to avoid root damage, and that the soil doesn't dry out!'

Or, you could opt for one of the best cherry blossom trees for a small garden. Choose containers that are made of neutral, minimalist materials, like this IDEALIST Reinforced Stone Planter from B&Q, to nail the look.

3. Or, opt for a container Mediterranean garden

If Mediterranean garden ideas are more your style, you can involve some of the best plants for a Mediterranean garden in your container garden ideas, too.

'Pelargoniums are one of my all-time favourite container plants,' says gardening expert and author Sarah Raven. 'They look fantastic in a colourful group on a patio, and are perfect for creating a Mediterranean look.'

Olive trees, agapanthus and lavender are also go-to container options for gardeners looking to embrace a holiday vibe. This terracotta pot for pelargoniums from Crocus is the perfect way to give your container garden ideas an authentic Mediterranean feel.

4. Be cohesive with pot choices

Add cohesion to your container garden ideas by sticking to a theme. While identical pots may feel a little drab, you can instead choose one or two aspects of the pots that link them together.

Perhaps they're all made of the same material and are different heights, or maybe they're the same colour and shape. We love the Kubo Ceramic Planter from Nkuku, from £42.99, which is available in two different sizes.

5. Or, mix and match materials

If, on the other hand, you're looking for something with a little more quirk, then mixing and matching your containers is a great idea.

To make this as striking as possible, make sure you choose drastically different designs and textures – perhaps hard, shiny, zinc pots like this Set of 3 Honeycomb Zinc Plant Pots, £15.99 at Thompson & Morgan, alongside a more rustic, rattan weave, like the Verve Beige Rattan Effect Fibreclay Plant Pot, £35 from B&Q.

6. Use shelving for height

A standalone ladder or shelving unit is an easy way to create small container garden ideas or add height and interest to a larger area. Make sure to add in decor, and maybe even solar lighting, so it's not just plant pot after plant pot.

This is a great solution for narrow garden ideas and side return garden ideas, as you'll be keeping the clutter of pots off your limited square footage, but still be able to enjoy all the benefits of container planting.

7. Contain invasive bamboo

Bamboo is often used as a way to naturally create screening in a small garden, but it is, in fact, an invasive species that experts are warning about.

The crux of the matter is that many people don't realise just how fast this plant grows and, as a result, it can easily take over your entire garden. The simplest way to avoid this (besides not including bamboo in your garden scheme) is to plant it in a pot and restrict it from spreading.

8. Upcycle furniture into planters

Upcycled garden ideas are a perennial favourite here at Ideal Home, thanks to their personality, the creativity involved, and the fact that they work well with a tighter budget.

Check out Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace and NextDoor to find tired pieces of furniture which are just begging for a new lease of life as part of your container garden ideas. Just make sure you add drainage holes to avoid making any common container garden mistakes.

9. Create a potted wildflower garden

A lack of space shouldn't stop you from creating a small wildlife garden. There are plenty of wildflower varieties that are well-suited to container garden ideas.

'Embracing wildflower garden ideas is an incredible way to create a beautiful, magical spot in the garden, and if you choose flowering plants loved by pollinators, butterflies and bees are sure to fly into your space,' explains Sarah Raven.

You can buy Seedball Wildlife Mix Seed Bombs for £15.90 from Amazon.

10. Design a potted rose garden

Learning how to grow potted roses will bring an abundance of colour and fragrance to your container garden ideas.

When selecting varieties, opt for patio roses – such as David Austin's 'Flower Power' – that thrive in containers. Ensure your pot has good drainage and add mycorrhizal fungi like Empathy's RHS Endorsed Rootgrow Mycorrhizal Fungi from Amazon to the hole before planting to get your roses off to the best start.

You could even plant climbing roses in a planter with an attached trellis to give your container garden ideas added depth.

11. Include fruit trees

Some of the best fruit trees to grow in pots are a great addition to courtyard gardens, patios or rented properties. There is a wide variety of dwarf fruit trees available that will produce full-sized fruit from a miniature tree.

You could get started with Gardening Express' Mini Orchard Collection, which is currently on sale for just £9.97.

12. Try out raised beds

If you have the space, raised beds are the perfect way to get on board with the grow-your-own revolution. They allow you to create the perfect conditions to cultivate a wide variety of veg so you can enjoy the satisfaction and rich flavours of a homegrown meal.

'There is a wide range of planters, raised beds, table planters, troughs, and plant ladders, which lift the growing area off the ground, making the tending and watering of plants easier,' says Lucie Bradley, gardening and greenhouse expert at Easy Garden Irrigation. 'They are also a great choice if you need to sit, kneel, stand, or use a wheelchair as you garden.'

If you're handy with DIY, you could even build a raised bed using planks of wood and offcuts. Or, you could get started with this large wooden planter, which is £40.99 at B&Q.

13. Welcome wildlife with a container pond

Container garden ideas aren’t just restricted to planting. You can also create a small garden pond to provide a valuable habitat for wildlife and another dimension to your garden landscape.

'Creating a mini pond in your outdoor space is a great way to provide essential water for all kinds of wildlife, and it doesn’t matter if you have a large garden or a small patio – all you need is an old watertight pot and a few additional items!' explains Dani Hawkins from CJ Wildlife.

'If you’d like to make your pond in a pot extra attractive both to humans and to wildlife, add a few water-dwelling plants such as miniature water lily, spearwort or starwort.'

14. Grow carrots and root veg in pots

A deep pot is essential when it comes to growing carrots and other root vegetables as part of container gardening ideas. There are many planters designed explicitly for root vegetables, such as this carrot patio planter from Agriframes. Or, you can grow them in a traditional pot, so long as it is at least 30cm deep.

If you're short on space, perhaps if you're looking for container garden ideas for your balcony, you can plant annual flowers like marigolds in the same pot as root vegetables. Since annuals have a short root structure, they won’t disrupt your root veg and will create a pretty display alongside the vegetable foliage.

15. Give vertical gardening a go

Living walls are a brilliant addition to gardens of any size. Often considered to be the reserve of smaller plots, where space is at a premium, a vertical garden will also draw the eye upwards and create a vignette of interest in a larger space.

Easy to achieve, a simple garden trellis, whether attached to a pot, a small raised bed or a fence, will provide an ideal structure against which you can either grow climbers or hang hooked pots. This Lattice Wooden Garden Planter from Argos is a great choice.

16. Create a container herb garden

Perfect for placing alongside outdoor kitchen ideas, a container herb garden ensures you have delicious fresh herbs to hand when cooking and also helps your hard landscaping to blend into the wider garden, as seen in this space designed by Victoria Wade.

When figuring out how to build an outdoor kitchen, factor spaces for pots into the design – whether this is in the form of a few useful ledges or a vertical herb garden, attached to a trellis that backs onto your outdoor kitchen.

Certain herbs, such as mint, should always be grown in containers due to their invasive growth pattern.

17. Hook pots over railings to dress a front garden or balcony

When it comes to balcony garden ideas, pots are your only option.

'Select pots that hook onto the top of railings or vertically hang onto your balcony and let nature flourish in even the smallest of spaces,' says Patty Willems from elho. 'These types of plant pots also offer a simple way to create a sea of flourishing plants on balconies, that disguise urban surroundings and let nature take centre stage.'

You can buy elho's Vibia Campana Easy Hangers from Amazon for just £8.29.

18. Think beyond pots

Establishing your container garden can, at first, seem like a costly affair. However, this needn't be the case.

So long as the container is able to withstand the weather and has adequate drainage holes, you can transform nearly anything into a quirky planter – whether that's an old tin can, colander, or even a teacup.

19. Dress windows with window boxes

Planting window boxes is a brilliant way to brighten up your home. Not only do they bring a beautiful shot of colour to the exterior of your home, but they can also be enjoyed from indoors.

'Small window boxes and hanging baskets require more attention to keep them looking good as they have very limited space to hold compost, yet will be packed full of plants,' explains Lucie from Easy Garden Irrigation. 'This means that on hot summer days, they will be prone to dry out so quickly that you may need to water them twice a day.'

Make sure you avoid underwatering and other window box mistakes to ensure a successful display.

20. Create a warm welcome with hanging baskets

Hanging baskets can uplift any outdoor space. Help them thrive by learning how to plant a hanging basket properly and avoiding these hanging basket mistakes.

Opting for drought-tolerant hanging basket flowers will increase their resilience and make your floral displays less likely to succumb to drought – one of the leading causes of failing hanging baskets.

Garden containers we love

FAQs

What is the cheapest way to make a container garden?

If you're looking for budget garden ideas and you're hoping to start a container garden, sourcing pre-loved planters from neighbours, Facebook Marketplace and Ebay is a great place to start.

You could also recycle larger containers like tin cans with a bit of DIY know-how. For a larger planter, see if you can get your hands on an old bathtub or sink and consider it a fresh project.

What do you put in the bottom of a container garden?

Adequate drainage is key when it comes to container gardens, and there are several ways to fill the bottom of a large planter, from using broken pots to gravel.

There are a few things you should never use to fill the bottom of a planter, though, like non-permeable pot liners. That could lead to a waterlogged nightmare for your plants!

Have fun playing with these container garden ideas and remember: one of the main benefits of pots is that you can switch them in and out with the seasons or whenever you want a change of view.