Gorgeous in gold
Make a dramatic statement by potting up a golden container garden. Gold is bold, so keep your planting understated with a simple fern or cactus. Find a good selection of gilded containers at allmodern.com.
Hanging orbits
This futuristic hanging planter makes a sleek centerpiece on balconies or above outdoor dining tables. $95; Pottedstore.com
Handcrafted color
Handmade in Los Angeles, these one-of-a-kind pots from Esther Studios Pottery are crafted with high-fire clays and glazes for a unique finish.
Circle Pot
Hang this ceramic clay pot from your balcony, awning, or simply lay it flat as a table centerpiece, overflowing with succulents. Pottedstore.com
Vertical glam
Homeowners looking for a contemporary touch can add these powder-coated aluminum planters to backyard walls and fences. $235. Pottedstore.com
Reburbished fixtures
Unwanted light fixtures can become plant vessels with a contemporary edge. Be sure your object can sit upright (flat bottom). Because there’s no drainage hole, we recommend using plants that don’t demand much water. No such containers around your house? Try salvage yards for your own vessel to repurpose.
Vibrant color
This orange pot filled with a Savour Greek basil tree adds a fun vibrance, making it a garden spotlight.
Rustic tones
Who says planters have to be solid tones? Spice up the garden with colorful pots that come with a little artistic wear. Potsby.com
Mix and match
Highly individualized, we love the rustic finish paired with the modern shape of these ceramic containers. Not to mention the soft green color pairs perfectly alongside the unglazed clay pot.
Design: Daniel Nolan, Flora Grubb Gardens (floragrubb.com)
Metal chic
This 14-inch zinc container allows the variegated Aloe arborescens to set deep roots as the Sedum ‘Lemon Coral’ overflows, flashing its yellow leaves across the pot's neutral canvas.
Design: Zeterre Landscape Architecture, Los Altos, CA; zeterre.com
Vintage chicken feeders
Costa Mesa garden designer Molly Wood fills vintage metal chicken feeders with tiny succulents for a rustic centerpiece. Hen and chickens (Sempervivums), echeverias, and a dainty stonecrop grow in cactus mix in a 4 1/2-inch-deep trough. Find similar ones at flea markets or on mollywoodgardendesign.com.
Design: Molly Wood Garden Design, Costa Mesa, CA
Clean and contemporary
These clean, white ceramic pots allow each plant's bold, structural shape to shine.