For those who want to grow an orderly garden filled with flowers, herbs, and plant life, having planters may be ideal to create a variety in the garden. You can have a focal point if you are able to either creatively assemble your ceramic planters or create a magnificent display with hanging planters.

Even your house can become decorated, since some planters are stylish and can even serve as decorative indoor planters. There is also a type that is known as window boxes, which can give a countryside feel to your home. For those who want to focus on the outdoors can choose from a wide array of materials for planters. There is ceramic, resin, wood, plastic, steel, and hanging—the possibilities are endless.

Use this simple guide on the different garden planter types to know which would suit the set up of your house.

Hanging planters

For a space-saving solution and a unique way to design your garden, go with hanging planters, so you can have flowers and vines hanging from windowsill or suspended areas in your house. However, remember that you still have to water those plants, so you might want to hang them at a reachable distance.

Hanging planters are usually made of plastic, wicker, or fiber, so they can promote a natural ambience for your garden.

Window boxes

Used oftentimes as mounted planters on windowsills, porch railings, or balconies, window boxes allow a cascade of plant life or flower designs, since they are usually hanging about the mounted structures. With window boxes, even your home becomes part of the scheme design because it grants your house an old-fashioned finish even if some window boxes are made of plastic, metal, or wood.

Steel window boxes are also available, but you have to consider the weight since these will be hanging. The lightweight ones are made of aluminum, while heavier ones are made of wrought iron and may come in amazingly detailed designs. However, coat these with zinc primer or any liquid solutions to make them rust-resistant.

They are a favorite because like hanging planters, window boxes are space efficient, making them perfect for smaller gardens with less area to play around with.

Terra cotta planters

One of the favorite planters used are the terracotta and ceramic planters. They usually have a deep brown or reddish auburn finish, which gives them neutrality for potted plants or perfect base for colored flower plants. They are aesthetically pleasing because they come in unique designs and styles.

Households even use them as decorative pieces without plants. Minimalist designers can opt to use terracotta planters and place tall twigs or young bamboo offshoots.

However, if you are living in an area with cold climate, it is best to avoid using terracotta and ceramic, as they can crack under extreme coldness and harsh weathers. If you need to use these planters, there are plastic imitations that are cheaper gardening accessories, and can withstand harsher environmental conditions.

A tip for using terracotta planters is that you have to sterilize them before putting any plants in them. This applies to both terracotta and wooden planters made of porous wood.

Cedar wood planters

If you are looking for a type of stand alone planter, then wood garden planters or cedar wood planters would be your best bet. Since these are made of wood, they already have that natural finish that can fit into various garden styles and decorations. In fact, these can fit either as minimalist gardening accessories or neutral bases for colorful plants. There are even a wide array of vines and flowers that you can use to spruce up cedar wood planters.

Since wood can rot when exposed to varieties of elements, you have to make sure to seal it, to keep water and insects away and give it a longer shelf life.

Those who want to personalize their cedar wood planters can opt to paint them instead of keeping the natural wooden finish because they are so easy and enjoyable to paint. Cedar wood is a lot more durable than other wood planters, because they can be exposed to moisture without rotting away.

Resin planters

The good thing about resin planters is that they have very similar properties to plastic planters. Resin planters have the advantage of being very durable, very lightweight, and very affordable, so for those who are just starting out with their gardens can experiment with their styles without spending huge sums of money.

Since they are made from synthetic materials, resin planters can have several shapes and sizes, which may not be available in other types of planters. Another advantage is you can easily transport entire potted plants around your garden.

Those with pools can even try finding resin planters that can float, so you can decorate your garden’s pond or pool with these planters and a few crawling vines or flowers.

They have become one of the favorite types for their usefulness and affordability. One good tip to remember is to go with the lighter shades of resin planters, because during hot weathers, the darker colored ones would absorb all the heat and roast the roots inside.

Garden urns

For larger plants and more ornate vases, it is best to use garden urns, because they are durable and are made for longer-stemmed or larger plants. You can decorate the pathway to your garden or even line up a few urns along the inside of your house for an elegant finish.

However, since most are made of terracotta or even ceramic, most garden urns will be very hard to transport to places. For gardening enthusiasts, a good solution would be to go with resin garden urns, which can be shaped, colored, and made in sizes similar to terracotta garden urns.

Planters have a variety of styles and types, which have unique features for different weathers and situations. While some people may have to adapt to their living conditions, there are cheaper alternatives that can still allow enthusiasts to have their way with their gardens.