The best outdoor plant pots don’t just give your favourite house plants, shrubs and trees room to flourish, they’re decorative features in their own right, which is great news. After all, if you’re already decorating your garden with flowers and foliage, why not go one better and find them a stylish home to shine from?
Once you've chosen a favourite plant pot design, check out our sourcebook of garden suppliers for more garden shopping options. Then, for more advice and inspiration, see our garden hub page.
What is the best outdoor plant pot?
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In our opinion, the best outdoor plant pot currently available comes in the form of the . With its own, built-in, trellis, this planter allows plants to flourish and could even be used to disguise some ugly fencing.
If you’d rather not (or cannot, in the case of those of us who rent) drill a trellis to a fence or shed, this trellis planter is an excellent, low-maintenance alternative. It makes an attractive home for climbing plants, and is large enough to accommodate deep-rooting varieties with a rustic, self-built look that’ll fit into a range of garden styles.
How to buy the best outdoor plant pot
When it comes to buying the best outdoor plant pots, there are a few factors worth considering, particularly if you're looking to achieve a specific outcome in your outdoor space. These include:
Material
When selecting pots for outdoors, the first thing to think about is the material the pot is made from, as a handsome pot that quickly turns your beautiful plants brown and limp because it doesn’t offer protection from frost and biting winds can have the opposite of the desired effect.
Size
The size of your plant pot will determine the extent to which your greenery grows. If you're looking to keep things on the small size, don't opt for a plant pot that's too much bigger, as the likelihood is that your plant will grow to fit the size of the pot.
The best outdoor plant pots
A planter with its very own built in trellis is the definition of horticultural multi-tasking, and this has the appealing design to back up the functionality, too.
If you’d rather not (or cannot, in the case of those of us who rent) drill a trellis to a fence or shed, this trellis planter is an excellent, low-maintenance alternative. It makes an attractive home for climbing plants, and is large enough to accommodate deep-rooting varieties with a rustic, self-built look that’ll fit into a range of garden styles.
Shop more pots and planters at Wayfair
Their animated namesake might have espoused the benefits of the bare necessities, but these s are far from basic. With a super on-trend faceted construction and bold, block colours, they look decidedly futuristic; new neutral gunmetal grey creates a non-shouty backdrop against which to place the brightest blooms, while trendy teal creates a brilliant contrast with pinks and oranges.
The material is pretty of-the-moment too, with these plant pots eschewing ceramic in favour of Fibrestone, a lightweight, weatherproof and very strong compound that’s perfect for outdoor planters.
Shop more plant pots and planters at Made.com
Cox & Cox have been coming up trumps with some wonderful options for outdoor living lately, and these are the latest in a long line. In an attractive ball shape, they make an interesting alternative to the usual square-bottomed or cylindrical fare for those looking to make a statement with their shrubbery, and the natural rattan weave adds beautiful texture to rooms or outside spaces.
There’s a discreet waterproof plastic liner pot hiding just inside, low-key enough not to disturb the rustic look of the planter, but capable enough to stop that over-zealous watering leaking through to the hall carpet.
Buy more planters at Cox & Cox
Container gardening is huge news for owners of not-so-huge gardens, but all enthusiastic plant-owners run out of room sooner or later. If you constantly find yourself tripping over pots of lovingly divided perennials, why not make the most of the vertical space available to you with a ladder planter like this .
A gorgeous decorative feature in its own right, even if you’re not starved for space, its attractive slatted shelves provide a home for every pot that doesn’t have one, and you can position it in whatever aspect you need, sunny or shady, to give those little seedlings the best chance. Also makes a great home for garden tools.
With the look of a classic garden trug, only handleless, this sturdy is perfect for vegetables. Don’t have the room for raised beds but always wanted to grow your own? You’re in luck. Growing vegetables in containers is perfectly possible, as this specifically engineered option shows.
It has a purpose-built fitted membrane to ensure your prospective produce has all the ventilation and drainage it needs, and also stands at the ideal height for comfortable tending and harvesting, so it won’t exacerbate sore backs.
Shop more pots and planters at Robert Dyas
Looking to make a real statement with your planting? This should do the trick. Made from resin to give a gorgeously textured volcanic rock-like effect, but in a pared-back dark grey tone, it’s a standout without being outrageously difficult to mix with other pots.
Despite its pumice-like looks, it’s actually made from resin, a material ideal for outdoor planters thanks to its non-porous, non-staining, weatherproof and durable characteristics.
Buy more pots and planters at Next
Looking for more plant advice and inspiration?
- Boost your mood with our pick of the best indoor plants both real and faux
- Here’s everything you need to know about house plants
- How to create an indoor garden
- You've got the planters covered, now choose plants for your garden