22 Planter Box Ideas That Look Professionally Done

A planter box looks professionally done when the box, the plants and the spot suit each other: a material that holds up in your climate, enough soil for the roots, drainage that works, and plants matched to the light.

Below are 22 planter box ideas, with what each material and style needs to last and look good. Start with the basics, because they decide whether any planter thrives.

Planter basics

Drainage first

Every planter needs drainage holes. A layer of gravel or broken pots in the bottom doesn’t help; UC Master Gardeners note that it actually slows drainage and keeps the soil above it wetter.

Use potting mix, not garden soil

Containers drain less well than the ground, so University of Georgia Extension recommends a more porous mix than garden soil. A commercial potting mix is the simplest choice.

Go bigger

Larger containers hold more soil, dry out more slowly and need watering less often. A small box in full sun can need water every day in summer.

Check weight and wood safety

Wet soil is heavy, so make sure balconies, decks and wall brackets can carry a full planter. For food crops, avoid old painted wood, which may contain lead, and pressure-treated lumber made before EPA’s phase-out of CCA treatment for residential use at the end of 2003.

The 22 planters at a glance

Planter	Suits	Plant ideas	Watch for
Cedar	Most garden styles	Herbs, perennials, trailers	Sapwood rots faster
Corten steel	Modern, naturalistic	Grasses, lavender	Rust stains on paving
White painted wood	Cottage, farmhouse, coastal	Lavender, petunias	Paint upkeep
Concrete	Modern, minimalist	Succulents, grasses, topiary	Weight
Window box	House fronts	Thriller, filler, spiller mix	Secure brackets; fast drying
Tiered	Small spaces	Herbs, strawberries	Top tier dries first
Vertical wall	Fences, walls	Herbs, succulents	Moisture against the wall
Black metal	Formal entries	Boxwood, bay, grasses	Root heat in sun
Pallet	Budget projects	Trailing annuals	Treatment stamp
Stone and brick	Permanent beds	Perennials, shrubs	Drainage through the walls
Hanging	Porches, pergolas	Trailing flowers	Weight on hooks
Privacy planter	Patios, balconies	Grasses, columnar evergreens	Wind; running bamboo
On legs	Patios, easy access	Lettuce, herbs	Shallow soil dries fast
Farmhouse	Porches, cottage gardens	Seasonal flowers, herbs	Old painted wood
Minimalist	Modern houses	One specimen plant	Hardiness in pots
Built into a deck	Decks	Herbs, trailing plants	Moisture on framing
Bold painted color	Any	Contrasting plants	Fading
Half barrel	Patios, entries	Shrubs, dwarf trees	Drainage holes; weight
Herb box	Kitchen doors	Culinary herbs	Mint spreading
Cascading flowers	Entries	Calibrachoa, petunias, bacopa	Regular feeding
Trough	Formal settings	Alpines, small bulbs	Sharp drainage
Galvanized metal	Farmhouse, kitchen gardens	Vegetables, herbs	Drainage holes; heat

1. Cedar Wood Raised Planter Box

Cedar is a classic planter wood: light, easy to work and naturally decay resistant. A plain rectangular box with simple framed corners suits both traditional and modern gardens. Left unfinished, cedar weathers to silver-gray; an exterior oil keeps the warm color longer. Plant it with perennials, herbs or trailing plants.

Good to know: only the heartwood is naturally decay resistant, according to the USDA Forest Products Laboratory, so choose boards with little pale sapwood, and lift the box on feet so the base can dry.

2. Corten Steel Planter Box

Weathering steel, often sold as Corten, forms a stable rust-colored surface layer that protects the steel beneath. Its warm brown and orange tones contrast well with green foliage and suit modern and naturalistic gardens. A long, low trough planted with ornamental grasses and lavender along a path or driveway makes a strong, simple line.

Good to know: rust runoff stains concrete and stone while the patina forms, so set the planter on gravel or protect the paving below. AISC notes the protective layer develops through repeated wetting and drying, so make sure the planter drains.

3. White Painted Wooden Planter

A white painted box suits cottage, farmhouse and coastal houses and sets off flower color. What makes it look professional is the woodwork: tight corners, even panel spacing and a smooth finish. Short feet lift it off the ground for drainage and a neater outline. Plant lavender in full sun, or trailing white petunias.

Good to know: prime and paint every outside surface with exterior-grade products, and seal cut ends; bare edges soak up water, and that’s where paint peels first.

4. Concrete Planter Box

Concrete planters bring weight and permanence, and their plain surface suits modern and minimalist gardens. Smooth, polished and board-formed finishes each give a different texture. Plant them with architectural succulents, structural grasses or clipped topiary. Glass-fiber-reinforced concrete (GFRC) can be cast with much thinner walls, so it weighs far less than solid concrete and suits balconies better.

Good to know: a filled concrete planter is very heavy, so decide its spot before planting, and check the load limit with the building manager or a structural engineer before using one on a balcony or roof.

5. Window Box Planter

A planted window box adds color to the front of the house at eye level. Match plants to the light: geraniums, petunias and calibrachoa in full sun; impatiens, begonias and ferns in shade. A common design approach combines a tall “thriller,” mounding “fillers” and trailing “spillers” that hang over the front edge.

Good to know: skip English ivy as a spiller: NC State Extension lists it as invasive and toxic to people and pets. Window boxes are heavy when wet, so fasten the brackets into the wall framing, not just the siding.

6. Tiered Planter Box

A tiered planter stacks two to four levels in a small footprint, which suits patios, steps and corners. Each tier can hold a different herb, strawberries or small succulents without crowding, and trailing plants on the upper levels spill toward the lower ones. A three-tier stand by the front door or at the end of a path makes a compact focal point.

Good to know: the top tier dries out first, so put drought-tolerant herbs like thyme up top and thirstier plants, such as mint, lower down.

7. Vertical Wall Planter Box

A grid of wall-mounted boxes turns a bare fence or wall into a planted surface. Painted timber, powder-coated metal and ceramic pockets each set a different style, from rustic to modern. Use plants with varied leaf color and texture across the grid, and put the most drought-tolerant plants in the top rows, which dry out fastest.

Good to know: leave an air gap behind the boxes so the wall can dry, and use a drip system on a timer; it’s the easiest way to keep many small pockets evenly watered.

8. Black Metal Planter Box

Black metal planters frame green foliage sharply and suit formal entries as well as modern patios. Tall rectangular boxes on each side of the front door or a gate make a strong, symmetrical entrance. Clipped boxwood, bay laurel or ornamental grasses all work, though bay laurel needs to come indoors for winter in areas colder than zone 8b, according to NC State Extension.

Good to know: University of Illinois Extension warns that dark containers in full summer sun can get hot enough to damage roots, so in hot, sunny spots use an inner pot or let trailing plants shade the sides.

9. Recycled Pallet Planter Box

A pallet stood upright, lined with landscape fabric and filled with potting mix makes a low-cost vertical planter. Sand the wood smooth, paint or stain it in one consistent color, and add a simple frame around the edges so it looks finished. Trailing plants that spill out of each pocket hide the slats as they grow.

Good to know: check the stamp before you use a pallet: HT means heat-treated, which extension sources consider fine for food crops, while MB means methyl bromide fumigation, which they advise against for growing food. Skip unmarked pallets and ones stained by spills.

10. Stone and Brick Planter Box

A built planter of stone or brick becomes a permanent part of the garden, especially when it lines a path, flanks steps or forms part of a patio. Its walls can be any shape or height, and a low, wide planter with a flat cap doubles as seating. Plant it with perennials, shrubs or ornamental grasses to soften the masonry.

Good to know: build it on a proper footing, leave weep holes near the base so water can drain out, and don’t build a soil-filled planter against the house, where it can hold moisture against the foundation and siding.

11. Hanging Planter Box

Hanging planters from a porch ceiling, pergola beam or wall bracket bring plants up to eye level. Trailing plants make the effect: petunias, calibrachoa, bacopa, verbena and trailing lobelia all spill well. A self-watering insert evens out moisture, and a matching pair on either side of a porch or gate gives a balanced welcome.

Good to know: hanging planters dry out fastest and often need water daily in summer, and they’re heavy when wet, so screw hooks into solid framing rated for the load.

12. Long Rectangular Privacy Planter

A long, tall planter filled with dense plants makes a living screen for a patio or balcony. Choose plants that hold their height most of the year, such as columnar evergreens or Karl Foerster feather reed grass, which grows 3 to 5 feet tall and stays upright through winter. Corten, powder-coated aluminum and hardwood boxes have the weight to match the planting.

Good to know: avoid running bamboo even in planters: NC State Extension lists golden bamboo as invasive and notes it tends to escape even hardscape containment. Tall planters also catch the wind, so secure them on balconies.

13. Elevated Planter Box on Legs

A planter on legs raises the soil to working height, so you can plant, weed and harvest without bending or kneeling, which suits patios, decks and gardeners with limited mobility. Cedar, hardwood and powder-coated steel all work, and slim, tapered legs keep a large box looking light.

Good to know: the shallow soil in most planters on legs dries out quickly and suits shallow-rooted crops such as lettuce, herbs and radishes better than tomatoes or squash.

14. Farmhouse Style Planter Box

A farmhouse planter uses rough-sawn or reclaimed boards, simple joinery and perhaps a coat of white or muted gray paint, for a relaxed look that suits porches and cottage gardens. Fill it with overflowing seasonal flowers or kitchen herbs, and add simple details such as black metal corner brackets or plant labels.

Good to know: be careful with reclaimed wood: paint from buildings made before 1978 may contain lead, so follow EPA’s lead-safe practices instead of dry-sanding it, and don’t use old pressure-treated lumber for edibles.

15. Modern Minimalist Planter Box

A minimalist planter is one material in one finish, with clean lines and no trim: powder-coated aluminum, smooth fiber cement, polished concrete or composite. Because the box is so simple, the planting carries the design, and one specimen per planter often works best: a single grass, a clipped topiary ball, an olive tree or a large succulent.

Good to know: olive trees are hardy outdoors only in about zones 8 to 10, according to NC State Extension, so in colder areas plan to move the planter under cover for winter or choose a hardier specimen.

16. Built-in Deck Planter Box

A planter built into the deck, at the corners, along the railing or as a divider between zones, makes planting part of the structure. Using the same boards and finish as the deck gives a unified look. Plant fragrant herbs near an outdoor kitchen, or trailing plants to soften the deck edges.

Good to know: wet soil is heavy and keeps wood damp, so have a builder confirm the framing can carry the load, line the planter, and make sure water drains away from the framing rather than onto it.

17. Colorful Painted Planter Box

A planter painted a strong color, such as cobalt blue against white siding, forest green against brick or terracotta orange beside gray, adds personality and ties into the house colors. Complementary colors make plants stand out, while related tones look calmer. A group of three in one color and different sizes looks deliberate.

Good to know: use exterior paint suited to the planter material, and expect bright colors to fade in full sun, so plan on repainting from time to time.

18. Half Barrel Planter

An oak half barrel, usually a retired wine or whiskey barrel, gives a deep, wide root zone for a shrub, dwarf fruit tree or large mixed planting, with a rustic look that suits country and farmhouse gardens. Place it on a patio, beside the door or at the center of an herb garden.

Good to know: drill several drainage holes in the base, raise it on feet or blocks so the bottom can dry, and put it in its final spot before filling, since a full barrel is too heavy to move easily.

19. Herb Garden Planter Box

An herb box near the kitchen door keeps cooking herbs within reach. A wide, shallow box with simple wooden dividers gives each herb its own section and keeps the planting tidy. Mix textures: feathery dill, curly parsley, needle-like rosemary, soft basil and low thyme. Labels for each herb make it easy for everyone to pick the right one.

Good to know: most culinary herbs need at least six hours of direct sun a day, according to Iowa State University Extension, and mint spreads aggressively by underground runners, so give it a pot of its own.

20. Cascading Flower Planter Box

A box planted to overflow uses trailing and mounding flowers that spill over the edges: bacopa, calibrachoa (million bells), trailing petunias, lobelia and sweet alyssum. Plant more densely than you would in the ground, with trailers along the edges and mounding plants in the center for height. A matching pair at a doorway or gate makes a generous welcome.

Good to know: container flowers use up nutrients quickly, so feed with a liquid fertilizer every two to three weeks in the growing season or use a slow-release fertilizer, following the label.

21. Trough Planter Box

A trough is a long, low planter whose horizontal shape echoes paths, steps and walls, which suits formal settings. Stone, cast iron, painted timber and galvanized metal each give a different character. A pair at the base of steps looks formal, and a single long trough along a wall makes a planted line. Shallow troughs suit low alpines, small bulbs and trailing herbs.

Good to know: alpines and small bulbs need sharp drainage, so use a gritty mix and make sure the trough has holes; old stone troughs without them need holes drilled before planting.

22. Galvanized Metal Planter Box

Galvanized metal has a farm and utility look that works in farmhouse, industrial and kitchen gardens. Its bright finish dulls to a matte gray within months to a couple of years as a protective zinc patina forms, according to the American Galvanizers Association. Group several sizes on a patio, or plant them with vegetables, herbs and edible flowers.

Good to know: if a tub or trough has no drainage holes, drill several before planting, and in hot sun shade its sides, since metal heats the soil inside.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Planting in a container with no drainage holes, or adding a gravel layer instead.
• Filling planters with garden soil instead of potting mix.
• Choosing a box too small for the plant, so it dries out every day.
• Leaving dark metal planters in full sun without shading the roots.
• Using MB-stamped pallets or old painted or treated wood for food crops.
• Planting invasive species such as English ivy or running bamboo.

Planter box FAQs

What is the best material for an outdoor planter box?

It depends on budget and style. Cedar is light and decay resistant, weathering steel and concrete last a long time but are heavy, and GFRC and fiberglass are lighter options. All need drainage holes.

How deep should a planter box be?

Deep enough for the roots of what you grow. Shallow boxes suit herbs, lettuce and alpines, while shrubs and small trees need a large, deep container such as a half barrel. Bigger containers also need watering less often.

Should I line a wooden planter?

A liner with drainage holes keeps wet soil off the wood and slows rot. Avoid liners that block drainage.

Is pressure-treated wood safe for planters?

EPA’s phase-out ended CCA treatment for most residential lumber at the end of 2003, so avoid older treated wood for food crops. For newer treated lumber, follow the manufacturer’s guidance for ground contact and food gardens.