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17 Wacky planters you will totally want to copy

Does your front stoop need a little sprucing up this summer? Repurpose one of these common household objects into an offbeat planter for hilarious curb appeal.

Homemade planters are a great way to create eye-catching pieces that no one else has. Spend a weekend scouring garage sales and your local flea market for anything you can hollow out and stick a plant in — which is almost anything. One woman’s trash is another woman’s flower pot!

1. Seashells

Eclectic Landscape

Turn that tacky beach souvenir into a gorgeous sea shell planter, the perfect home for a wee succulent.

2. Rain boots

Mediterranean Spaces by Debbiedoo’s

Finally, a good use for those abandoned, adorable rain boots that always pinched your toes. How great would these look at the start of your garden path?

3. Old fountains

Eclectic Landscape by Hershey PhotographersAmy Renea

Add some kitsch to your front yard with a broken fountain or bird bath filled with your favorite plants.

4. Colanders

Eclectic Deck

Be sure to line your colanders with clear plastic wrap so you don’t get a faceful of (beautifully sifted) dirt and fertilizer.

5. Wheelbarrows

Eclectic Landscape by Hershey PhotographersAmy Renea

An old wheelbarrow filled with flowering plants highlights your style and keeps passersby wondering “accidental or on purpose?”

6. Crates

Modern Spaces

A discarded crate doesn’t make for a very inspiring planter — unless you go vertical, that is. Line your back fence or bring one indoors to freshen up your entryway.

7. Window shutters

Eclectic Landscape by Lila B. Design

For an even wackier way to get plants on the wall, try hanging old window shutters strewn with your favorite vines.

8. Typewriters

Eclectic Patio

A broken typewriter makes the perfect planter for a writer who loves to garden (or a gardener who loves to write).

9. Paint cans

Farmhouse Porch by Columbus PhotographersJulie Ranee Photography

If you are into home improvement, you probably have half a dozen old paint cans kicking around in your shed. Slap a bright coat of paint on them and get to planting!

10. Bathtubs

Eclectic Landscape by Melissa Mascara Design

Upcycle an old claw-footed bathtub into a huge planter — a bold statement piece for any garden.

11. Tires

Eclectic Exterior

You can make a tire planter on the ground, but we far prefer hanging it on the side of your shed, fence or greenhouse.

12. Old plastic toys

Modern Desk Accessories by Upcycled Around Town

Bring out the kid in you with a planter made from a hollowed out, spray-painted toy.

13. Wine bottles

Transitional Indoor Pots And Planters by Beyond The Branch

This wine bottle planter will make an excellent centerpiece at your next dinner party.

14. Copper kettles

Contemporary Outdoor Pots And Planters by Minanda Landscape Design

Use an old kettle, pitcher or cooking pot as a planter to spruce up your kitchen windowsill.

15. Rusty bicycles

Eclectic Outdoor Pots And Planters by Pottery Barn

Let your hipster garden flag fly with an old bicycle draped with plants.

16. Boats

Rustic Products by Design Mix Furniture

This boat-turned-planter has enough in common with a traditional wooden planter that it will blend into any yard’s decor.

17. Drain pipes

Eclectic Spaces by Portland PhotographersWhitney Lyons

Go industrial either indoors or out with an old bit of piping filled with plants.

More on gardening

It’s not a yard, it’s a garden
Garden ideas for small spaces
Seasonal summer plants

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