Plant Decorating Ideas: The Different Types of Planters Explained

Plants are becoming the ultimate décor pieces that everyone wants for their interior and exterior design. They are an easy way to freshen up your home, from the garden to the kitchen and bathroom. Besides using them for décor purposes, plants have many other health benefits, such as improving the quality of indoor air, improving your attention and productivity, and reducing stress.

Planters are an important aspect of the plant decorating game. They can instantly change the look of the plant and add a visual element to the room. There are so many different types and designs of planters so you can find one that perfectly fits your needs. No matter if you need it for indoor or outdoor use, the perfect planter needs to be easy to maintain and suitable for the type of plant that you want to grow in it.

Besides the usual planters that can be kept on the ground or on any other surface, there are several more unique types of planters that you should consider for your home.

Self-Watering Planters for Trouble-Free Watering

This type of planters, as their name suggests, water the plants by themselves. They are an excellent choice if you’re just beginning to take care of plants and you’re scared that you’ll do something wrong. Even if you know how to look after your plants, due to the busy lifestyle most of us lead, watering our plants can be the last thing on our minds. 

With self watering planters, you wouldn’t have to worry about keeping your plants alive. They’re a valuable addition to your home and many manufacturers offer a wide array of quality plastic self watering planters to complement any design. These can look like ordinary pots for plants but they have a reservoir on the bottom where water is stored. This is convenient because plants absorb water through their roots even though we usually water them from above. 

With a sufficient water supply, the plant draws water as needed and nourishes itself. So, you don’t need to think about whether you’re overwatering or under-watering your plant. However, even though self watering pots are able to water the plant themselves, you don’t have to use this feature when you don’t need to. They offer a practical and flexible design that allows you to water your plant the way you want to.

If the planter is exposed to rain, the plant will be naturally watered and won’t need an additional water supply. If you want to, you can still water your plants just like you would with a standard planter using a watering can, drip system, or hosepipe. The reservoir can be manually filled with water via the fill point or you can install a hose to fill it in.

Many plastic self watering planters come with a water indicator that shows the water level in the reservoir. This way, you’ll be reminded if you need to fill it in so your plants can stay healthy. Also, they don’t leak which makes these units suitable for indoor use as well.

Hanging Planters as the Best Off-the-Ground Solution

If floor space is a problem for keeping your favourite plants in the house, you can always turn to hanging planters for help. They’re the first choice of many because they allow for easy décor without making the floor look cluttered with too many items.

hanging planters
source: familyhandyman.com

These planters need a hook on which they’ll be placed in order to hang down. They consist of ropes or chains that hold the pot where the plant is planted. They come in a wide range of designs, materials, and colours. You can go for a simple white planter with a beautiful macramé hanger or you can choose metal hanging planters for a modern vibe.

You can hang them inside or outside, in your living room, kitchen, on the porch or in the garden. They’re suitable for smaller plants and just look so good with plants that dangle down from the pot. Hanging planters protect your plant from kids and pets because they’re out of their reach.

Mounted and Shelf Planters for Wall Aesthetics

wall mounted planters
source: architecturaldigest.com

Another solution for keeping plants off the floor is to install wall-mounted planters. They are specifically designed for this purpose and depending on the mechanism they use, there are different ways to hang them. These planters are the perfect way to decorate unused wall space and breathe life into the room. 

You can display a number of smaller wall planters and make a gallery or you can choose one or two bigger planters for making a statement. They can be arranged in one or more lines or you can create an interesting pattern on the wall.

Shelf planters look like ordinary shelves but for holding plants. Some of them may have integrated pots for the plants and others can consist of planks with holes in them so you can place any kind of pot that you want. They are a great solution if you have more plants to hang. 

These planters come in various designs. More planks can be arranged vertically with a rope or chain on both sides that go through them or you can go for standard shelving mounted on the wall with brackets.

Which Materials Are Used for Making Planters?

Plastic Planters 

They are very affordable, lightweight, and come in different colours and shapes. But they aren’t very porous so they need holes at the bottom. In this way, there won’t be any excess water in the pot that can damage your plant.

Ceramic Pots 

These are some of the most popular planters used for keeping plants. Since they come in a variety of designs, you can find a ceramic pot suitable for every style. Ceramic planters are porous, which means that the plant will get enough air and water, and they are strong enough to hold large plants.

Concrete Planters 

These planters are made of concrete and are very durable. They insulate and protect the plant from extreme temperatures. They’re heavyweight, so it’s harder to move them around. If it’s a larger planter, you might want to decide on a place and keep it there.

plastic planters
source: resource-recycling.com

Terracotta Pots

These are made from clay and have a reddish-brown colour. They’re permeable, inexpensive, and come in numerous sizes and shapes but may crack if exposed to cold weather. So, they’re more suitable for a warmer climate and need to be brought inside during the colder months.

Wooden Planters

Although not as light as the plastic ones, this planter is pretty lightweight so the plant can be easily relocated. It’s available in different colours and types of wood so you can pick the one that you find most appealing. Some woods are resistant to rot but others need to be painted in order to last.