The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?

Best outdoor planters for all gardens: Self-watering and stylish containers

These decorative planters could be the final flourish for your outdoor space

Tamara Hinson
Tuesday 18 July 2023 12:37 BST
<p>We considered the planters’ rigidity and drainage capabilities  </p>

We considered the planters’ rigidity and drainage capabilities

Our Top Picks

Newsflash: there’s more to finding the perfect planter than you might initially think. One of the most important topics is size. Take the time to look at not only the dimensions of the planter but to think about how much the plant you’re putting in it will grow.

Choose a planter which is too small and you risk restricting its growth. On the other hand, choosing a planter which is too large can result in the plant struggling to absorb enough water and plant food. It’s worth remembering that plants struggle to absorb nutrients from soil when there’s too much of it.

Instead, as a guide, choose a planter which has a diameter two inches wider than your plant’s diameter, and be prepared to repot the plant as it grows. It’s also important to ensure your planter has a design which allows for drainage. If moisture can’t escape and the soil stays damp for long periods of time, problems such as root rot can arise.

Plants with lots of foliage – such as shrubs, decorative plants and herbs – need deeper planters as they’ve got longer roots. Plants such as cacti and succulents, which have very short roots, can be placed in much shallower planters.

A final tip? Choose a planter which is easy on the eye. In winter, when even the lushest of gardens can look somewhat sparse, brightly coloured planters can add a splash of much-needed colour.

How we tested

Our gardening skills might not quite be at Alan Titchmarsh levels, but in recent years we’ve worked hard to create a garden filled with a variety of plants, all of which have different needs. We’re now the proud owners of everything from apple trees and herbs (we’re particularly proud of our potted mint plant), and so had no shortage of plants for this particular testing session.

We considered multiple aspects, potting and re-potting plants to evaluate the ease with which we could do so, and taking into consideration factors such as weight, rigidity, drainage capabilities and sustainability. In short? You’ll struggle to find homes more worthy of your greenery than these planters.

The best garden planters for 2023 are:

  • Best overall – A Place for Everything zinc wall planter: £21.50, Aplaceforeverything.co.uk
  • Best self-watering planter – Lechuza pila colour stick: £34.19, Lechuza.co.uk
  • Best for kids – Lechuza ozo playmobil head planter: £25.55, Amazon.co.uk
  • Best classic style – Cornishware coronation planter: £75, Cornishware.co.uk
  • Best for ease of use –Lechuza pila colour stick: £34.19, Lechuza.co.uk

A Place for Everything zinc wall planter

best planters outdoor containers
  • Best: Overall
  • Depth: 29cm
  • Diameter: 30cm

For a rustic look, it’s hard to beat this circular planter, which has a burnished exterior teamed with a smooth rear to ensure you can hang it against surfaces such as wood without risking damage. The thick (and incredibly tough) cord meant it was easy to suspend the planter from nails and hooks, and although we were initially concerned that the design would make it hard to access, the surprising depth of this planter meant there was more than enough room for small-to-medium plants.

Back to top

Vivo next square planter

best planters outdoor containers
  • Best: For practicality
  • Depth: 29cm
  • Diameter: 30cm

We never thought one of our favourite planters (ever) would be a simple square-shaped one. But then again, there’s much more to this planter than meets the eye, starting with the concealed wheels in the base. These are tucked out of sight, but make it easy to move, whether it was to ensure our gladioli was in the sunniest spot, or simply when we needed to top up the soil. It’s also proof that plastic planters can be classy, too – we loved the textured look which, at first glance, resembled marble. A built-in reservoir made for great drainage, too.

  1. £43 from Elho.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

Lechuza ozo playmobil head planter

best planters outdoor containers
  • Best: For kids
  • Depth: 16cm
  • Diameter: 21cm

It was love at first sight with this planter. And, although it’s the result of a collaboration between planting pros Lechuza and children’s toy brand Playmobil, it’s a planter which will definitely appeal to adults, as well as children flexing their green fingers for the first time. It’s not just a pretty face, either – there’s a stick irrigation system and the moving eyes double as water level indicators (when the eyes are blue, the planter has sufficient water).

  1. £25 from Amazon.co.uk
Prices may vary
Back to top

Cornishware coronation planter

best planters outdoor containers
  • Best: Classic style
  • Depth: 21cm
  • Diameter: 21cm

Yes, £75 is a lot to spend on a planter but this isn’t just any planter. It’s a lovingly crafted ceramic pot guaranteed to give your garden an instant upgrade. We also loved the large hole in the bottom – all too often drainage holes in planters can be too small (we’ve lost count of the times we’ve had to drill our own), risking excess moisture build-up which can in turn lead to horticultural headaches such as leaf rot. It ranks highly when it comes to the feel good factor, too – £2.50 from every purchase goes to Woodland Heritage, a charity which supports British woodland.

Back to top

Primeur sonata slate plain square plant pot

best planters outdoor containers
  • Best: For sustainability
  • Depth: 33cm
  • Diameter: 30cm

Our favourite thing about this planter? Despite its jet-black finish, which has a slate-like look, it’s made from recycled rubber, so it scores brilliantly in the sustainability stakes. A fun fact? Rubber is a great insulator, so this planter does a great job of protecting plant roots from temperature fluctuations. The planter is incredibly versatile, too – a self-draining base means it’s incredibly low-maintenance, but we also loved the presence of a removable plug, which allows it to be used inside and out.

  1. £26 from Diy.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

Wilko green welly planter

best planters outdoor containers
  • Best: For simplicity
  • Depth: 16cm
  • Diameter: 12cm

What garden is complete without a welly-shaped planter? We love the high-gloss finish on this quirky plant pot, which costs just £10 and consists of a single chamber. Its rugged construction gives it an unexpectedly sturdy feel, and the deep central chamber provides more than enough room for long-rooted plants. We suggest placing it on your patio, ideally using it for plants with trailing foliage which will help turn this planter into a focal point.

  1. £10 from Wilko.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

Sazy motley planter in red

best planters outdoor containers
  • Best: Retro elegance
  • Depth: 44cm
  • Diameter: 12cm

We absolutely love this lightweight planter’s retro look, and our initial fears that it would be ridiculously high maintenance proved unfounded – it’s crafted from zinc galvanized iron sheet, which means there’s little this planter can’t cope with, whether it’s inclement weather or accidental knocks. The central bucket can be removed for easy access, and we loved the way you can pair the planter with colour-coordinating items from the same range – we recommend the watering can (£21, Sazy.com).

  1. £14 from Sazy.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

Town and Co tiered planters

best planters outdoor containers
  • Best: For versatility
  • Depth: 39cm
  • Diameter: 15cm

Full disclosure. We weren’t entirely convinced about these planters at first, but we’re converts. The grey plastic brings to mind Roman urns you’d expect to find in an ancient palazzo’s gardens, and we loved the way multiple planters could be stacked together (courtesy of an interlocking system) to create different looks. We recommend using them for plants with trailing foliage, or mixing things up by potting different plants in each of the sections.

  1. £5 from Townandco.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

Lechuza pila colour stick

best planters outdoor containers
  • Best: Self-watering planter
  • Depth: 17cm
  • Diameter: 35cm

This planter is somehow both hi-tech and low maintenance – a removable inner planter makes repotting a breeze, and it’s easy to fine-tune moisture levels, thanks to the self-watering function, aided by a built-in water reservoir and a drain plug which allows excess rainwater to escape. A supply shaft can be used to top up water or add fertiliser, and a water level indicator took the guesswork out of caring for our plants (which was a godsend, given our ability to kill most types of flora).

Back to top

Dunelm metal plant stand with gold pot

best planters outdoor containers
  • Best: For small plants
  • Depth: 70cm
  • Diameter: 30cm

This is another planter with a dash of retro style – one which cries out to be displayed front and centre, thanks to its beautiful gold pot and elegant side bars. We love the additional stand at the bottom – this can be used as a base for a second plant pot, although we found it came in rather handy as a makeshift table for glasses and cups when dining al fresco.

  1. £40 from Dunelm.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

The verdict: Garden planters

A Place for Everything’s zinc wall planter looks absolutely stunning, but it’s clearly designed with practicality in mind too, whether it’s the wall-friendly polished rear, which won’t scratch delicate walls, or the deep chamber for easy accessibility. The Vivo next square planter bags the second spot for its brilliantly innovative design (we particularly love the concealed wheels) while the Lechuza ozo playmobil head planter is a fantastic, kid-friendly planter which will have plenty of appeal to seasoned horticulturalists, too.

Looking to spruce up your garden? These are the online garden furniture shops to know

Voucher Codes

TUI Discount Code
£100 off all bookings over £1000 - TUI discount code
ASOS Discount Code
20% off everything with this ASOS app discount code
Travelodge Discount Code
5% off all bookings with this Travelodge discount code
The Body Shop Discount Code
20% off everything with The Body Shop discount code
The Perfume Shop Discount Code
15% of all orders with The Perfume Shop birthday discount
Cult Beauty Discount Code
Up to 20% off all orders over £40 - Cult Beauty discount code

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in