Author: A N Ronn

Focal points are a great way to draw the eye to the most impressive areas of the garden. Whether your garden is large or small, focal points will help bring your outdoor space together and, most importantly, highlight its most notable features. 

Consider a garden that was just a collection of plants. It’s okay to look at, but where do our eyes land? Which areas are we drawn to? Don’t get us wrong, it’s important that the garden design flows together, but focal points will help each individual area stand out in its own right. Plus, different focal points can help your garden feel much bigger.

But how exactly do you create garden focal points? Which garden accessories should you use? In this guide, we’ll talk you through everything you need to know when enhancing your garden with different points of focus. 

Where should your main focal point be?

The first thing to consider is where your main garden focal point should be, and think about where the most impressive features of your garden are going to be seen. For most people, this will be the sight line down your garden from the house, for example, from your back windows, back door, or patio. 

This makes the end of the garden a perfect place to situate your main focal point, as for most of us, our eyes will be naturally drawn to this area when taking a look outside.

Gardens can come in all different shapes and sizes, so this won’t be the case for every garden. The best thing to do when considering your main focal point is to create a design layout for your whole garden – this can even help you save money with some careful planning.

Control how the garden flows

Using garden focal points is more than just highlighting a couple of garden features, it’s about creating an immersive outdoor experience. By using garden focal points to their advantage, you can help guide the eye through the garden and take people on a journey through your outdoor space.

For example, if you have a garden path that winds through the garden, you might choose to place your focal points at each corner of the curve, helping guide the eye with impressive features at each turn.

With the right focal points, you can help the garden appear wider or longer. A perfect solution for anybody with a narrow, small, or awkwardly shaped garden! 

There are plenty of ways to help your garden tell its story with focal points. This can be used to segment different areas of the garden, for instance, relaxation areas with benches, water features and fire pits, and botanical areas with garden planters.

What makes a good garden focal point?

Essentially, anything with a good solid outline can make a good garden focal point. This can include anything from garden planters, benches, water features, and other garden accessories. These provide something solid for the eyes to rest on, and will really help define each space. 

5 ideas to improve your garden focal points

1. Capture attention with a water feature

Water features make for perfect garden focal points. Their wonderfully calming auras are great for capturing attention and enhancing your outdoor space, with mesmerising flowing water that’s sure to impress anybody admiring the garden. 

Available in a range of shapes and sizes, water features can be used across all different kinds of garden focal points, from walls, corners, or even central spaces. For example, this Corten Steel free-standing pond water wall is designed to fit seamlessly across your garden wall, whereas this Corten Steel water table is made to enhance any kind of focal point, with a versatile design.

Plus, water features aren’t just nice on the eyes, they’re nice on the ears. The gentle sound of running water is sure to bring a sense of peace to any garden. 

2. Impress with garden planters

Garden planters are a staple feature in almost any garden design, particularly for creating focal points. Being outdoors is all about enjoying the serenity of nature, and what better way to enjoy it than with an assortment of your favourite plants and flowers – blooming from a stunning garden planter?

Planters can enhance your focal points by adding height and depth to the garden, particularly when grouping a collection of them together. 

3. Add garden seating areas

If you’re thinking about adding more seating to your garden, make sure you consider where exactly it should go first. A garden seating area can be incredibly inviting, making it a perfect garden focal point. Imagine, you wake up on a bright summer’s morning and take a look down the garden, feeling welcomed to sit outside at your focal seating area.

Even something as simple as garden benches can help really enhance your garden’s focal points.

4. Invite the eye with a fire pit

Fire pits are a fantastic way to draw the eye’s attention. Glowing with warmth, fire pits are a perfect addition to your garden’s focal points – particularly when surrounded by seating areas. There’s nothing better than sitting around the fire with friends or family as the evening closes in, and maybe even enjoy some toasted marshmallows! 

However you enjoy using your fire pit, having it featured in your garden’s focal point will remind you of those great memories each time you admire the view.

5. Create a unique space with garden walls

It’s important to remember that your garden’s focal points don’t have to be stand-alone features, they can actually blend in – all while capturing attention. Garden walls and panels are a perfect example of this. 

Garden walls can be used in a variety of ways, from sprucing up an outer edge of your garden, to creating an entirely new space. 

How many focal points should you have?

The number of focal points you use in the garden will totally depend on your space. This is mainly influenced by the shape and size of the garden. For example, a garden with multiple levels will be able to utilise focal points at different heights, however a more narrow single levelled garden might offer fewer opportunities.

As a guideline, the main aim isn’t to squeeze in as many focal points as you can, it’s about featuring focal points where they make sense.

Garden products from Flora Select

We’re here to help you start bringing your garden focal point ideas to life, with a huge collection of garden products available.

Choose from a wide range of garden planters, retaining walls, garden edging, water features, and other garden accessories to spruce up your outdoor space.

We even offer bespoke planter and garden accessories to suit your design requirements. Get in touch with us to find out more information about our products and services.

Vegetable planters are a useful addition to any garden as they provide you with the perfect designated space to put your vegetables. When buying your vegetable planter, you may be questioning how to grow various vegetables in particular planters. This blog is here to help with instructions on how to plant carrots, peas, kale and butternut squash. If you feel you may need more advice, feel free to email or call us on 01245 422 353.

Carrots

Carrots are perfect vegetables to grow for beginners. Growing carrots is so useful as they are used in many meals, which saves you money from buying them at the supermarket! Due to their size, they do not overtake your garden and can be grown in a variety of vegetable planters. When growing in vegetables planters, shorter or round rooted carrots are best, but if it is a particularly deep planter or a deep patch of soil, long rooted varieties are suitable. When using vegetable planters as raised beds, it gives deeper root space for vegetables to flourish. As well as this, corten steel is a great material for growing vegetables such as carrots, due to being strong, durable and long lasting. Corten steel Vegetable Planters also have gorgeous amber hues, which would be great identifiers for your carrots as they are a similar colour!

Carrot seeds can be bought in most places, in supermarkets, garden centres and others. Carrots love sun and light; therefore, this is key to particularly good growth. The soil should be deep and well drained and benefits from incorporated compost.

When planting your carrot seeds, ensure that you dig and rake your area to avoid any stones or weeds in your soil. Make sure you consult your seed packet to determine when to sow your seeds, but they are typically sowed from April to July. It is only necessary to make a very shallow space for planting your carrot seeds and if you cover them well with soil and water, you will hopefully grow successful carrots! Try to sow thinly and be aware that they may take a while to grow. When planting in containers try to pick one that is about 45cm deep. Our corten steel vegetable planters are perfect for these.

Carrots are typically drought resistant, so only require small amounts of consistent watering! We recommend using a fine-rose watering system so the seeds are not disturbed. This makes them fairly low maintenance but don’t forget to weed them, so they don’t get overcrowded!

After sowing, carrots are typically ready after about 12-16 weeks. If your soil is heavy, make sure you lift the roots carefully with a fork.

Peas

Peas are also perfect for meals, such as using them in curries and salads as well as having them alongside fish or pies! When growing peas, please keep in mind that mangetout and sugar snap peas are typically most successful when grown in gardens.

Peas should typically be sown from March to June but make sure that the soil is not damp and cold. The trench needed to be dug this time is larger than carrots, about 2 inches deep and six inches wide. When sowing the seeds spread them evenly about 3inches apart and cover with a thin layer of soil.

When the peas start to grow, water them when they start to flower and again two weeks after. As peas grow upwards, it is important to tie them to bamboo canes and trellises. This is because they need enough height to grow freely. We recommend using lower vegetable planters such as the 100x100x40cm planter as they will be free to reach as much height as they need. Peas still need enough water as they grow, so please be aware of this.

When you harvest the peas, check the first pea pods and ensure that there are peas inside around a typical size. This will usually be from June to October, just in time for lovely pea soups and to accompany warm winter pies!

Kale

Kale is delicious in omelettes and smoothies, due to its impressive amount of vitamins A and K. Superfood smoothies are becoming increasingly popular, which means growing kale is too! It is also the perfect beginner’s vegetable to grow in a garden or in a container.

The only problem is that kale has is that it does tend to take up a lot of space and takes a while to grow. Therefore, if you would like to grow kale in smaller gardens it may have to be the sole vegetable grown or a separate plot should be made. It may be easier to grow kale in smaller containers to begin with and then transplant your kale into the ground when they grow. We have a range of sizes for our vegetable planters and the larger ones would be perfect for kale due to the space they take up. Our Aluminium Vegetable Planters would suit growing kale, as they are made of thick 3mm aluminium and long lasting, but they can also be colour customised to suit the colours of kale!

With this in mind, sow your kale seeds from March to June in a space where it may get some sun. Afterwards, make sure you rake your soil and weed it, making a space similar to carrots of about 1cm deep. However instead of making a trough like space, make thin lines to spread the seeds. Keep thinning out the seeds as they may surprise you with the space taken up! Apply mulch around the plants to enhance the moisture within the soil and make sure you are watering.

You may have to wait till September onwards to begin harvesting your kale, which may mean removing the younger leaves from the top of the plant. Young leaves are perfect for salads, but ones left throughout the winter can be used for soups and smoothies.

Butternut squash

We love a butternut squash, as they are delicious, a funny shape and a lovely beige colour. We would recommend making a butternut squash risotto, which are typically packed with flavour! Larger vegetables may seem intimidating at the start; but they can be easily grown in the right conditions.

We recommend sowing butternut squash seed in deep 7cm pots of multi-purpose compost in April, transplanting them into larger pots and then either containers or soil in the ground in late May. They then typically grow from late May to early June. Try to keep the plants weed free and make sure you include fertiliser within your soil.

When harvesting your butternut squash try to keep them on the vine so they stay as fresh as possible. However, they should all be picked by the first frost.

There you have it, advice on four tasty vegetables to be grown in your own back garden! Once you have planted them in the appropriate containers the relaxing part is watching them grow. Undeniably vegetables taste a whole lot better when they are homegrown and especially with living expenses going up it may be the best option.

Ponds make a garden a more peaceful place to be, the sound of rippling water with aquatic life is incredibly relaxing. They provide not only visual benefits within the garden but also act as a sanctuary to relax and clear your head space. Ponds also attract a variety of wildlife such as insects, frogs, newts, dragonflies and birds which are lovely to see. Therefore, having ponds supports local wildlife and animal care. Our ponds are high quality. Looking stunning when accessorised with a water wall, but they still remain attractive on their own.

Which size pond should I pick?

Luckily for you we have many different size options. The off the shelf options range from our smallest size 120x80x40cm to our largest being 600x100x60cm. All of our sizes are measured by length x width x height, if you have any questions, please contact us and we can discuss. We also offer bespoke options for our ponds which is pictured in the video above. This was a bespoke order for Gillingham Hospital in Kent where we included the water feature to rest on top of the pond. It was a beautiful design and is the perfect place to sit next to and relax.

Which material would I like?

What is polyurea lining?

Polyurea lining is an elastomer substance, which can be sprayed onto another surface for waterproofing. Luckily, all of our ponds come with polyurea lining already installed and therefore can be used safely by aquatic animals. It is incredibly strong with low permeability, which means it is ideal for long lasting situations. Polyurea lining can also withstand UV lighting which means it is safe to use outside. It is a must for corten steel ponds as it prevents discolouring and degradation of the metal. This will prevent your pond water becoming infiltrated with rust, therefore polyurea lining will keep your water protected.

Can I put fish in my pond?

Of course you can! Unfortunately we do not supply filters and therefore you will need to get the appropriate ones for your fish, but once this is achieved your fish can live healthy, happy lives in our ponds. To keep your fish safe from any predators we recommend putting fish caves at the bottom so there is somewhere for them to hide, or covering the pond with netting. Fish thrive in fairly deep ponds and therefore we would recommend our ponds with the height of 60cm. As well as height, it is also important to keep the right degree of water quality within your pond. Try to keep the ph of the water to 7 so it is not too acidic for the fish!

What will my pond come with?

Your pond will come fully equipped with an overflow pipe. This will ensure there is no flooding over the sides of your pond, which is particularly ideal for areas with heavy rainfall. Furthermore, you will get a choice of whether you would like power inlet and water outlet holes in your pond and where you would like the positioning of these holes to be. These can be stated in an email ([email protected]) or you can call us up on 01245 422353. If you’d like any pond accessories we also sell a free standing water wall and a fixed pond wall with waterfalls, these look beautiful paired with our ponds and create relaxing aquatic sounds. We have an explanation of how to fix these to your ponds at the bottom of this blog.

What is the delivery procedure?

In most cases your corten steel pond will be delivered within 2-3 weeks. They are delivered unrusted and therefore the weathering process. For aluminium ponds, please allow about ten weeks as these are made to order. For bespoke requests, the lead time will be around 10 weeks.

How should I install my pond?

Don’t worry installing the pond is pretty straightforward! Please ensure that when your pond arrives, you unwrap it immediately to prevent any unwanted stains. They are easy to install, by being placed carefully on a solid, level surface.

When installing a wall placed on pond, all the fittings will be provided for you. There will be a clamp that should be bolted to both the wall placed on pond and the pond wall. Hook the clamp provided over the side of the pond wall. Once hooked, loosely tighten the bolts and check it is in the right place. After satisfied with the positioning, tighten the bolts until they clamp against the underside of the pond edge.

The free standing water wall can be either installed onto flat stable foundation below ground level or on a flat stable pavement. Keep in mind that you will need to drill holes in the foundation/pavement and ones that correspond to the locations of the holes at the bottom of the pond wall. After you have done this, use the bolts and plugs to attach the wall to the foundation/pavement. Next, you should lightly put the bolts in and then tighten them to ensure they are in the right places. The hatch in the back of the pond wall is where the water blade should be placed. Before you replace the hatch, connect the water hose to the water blade. Once this is all safely in place, the pond can be filled with water after connecting the pump.

What are the design rules regarding the waterfall?

We have a few recommendations regarding the dimensions of the waterfalls, to make sure they are installed in the right place first time!

Any questions

If you have any other queries or questions please let us know! We have a friendly customer service team and are happy to help!

Sloping gardens can pose a tricky landscaping challenge, but that’s not to say that they can’t look incredible. In fact, sloped gardens often open up a whole new world of design possibilities that levelled gardens could simply never achieve. 

It’s all about using the space to its advantage and bringing the most out of your garden design. Sloped areas are perfect for flower beds, retaining walls, seating areas, water features, and more. 

Take a look at these stunning sloped garden ideas to discover inspiration for your dream outdoor space. 

1. Impress with statement steps

Garden stairs are perfect for any sloped garden space. Not only can they serve a practical purpose and help you get around the garden, they can also serve as the main statement piece. Take these beautiful Corten Steel garden stairs for example. We love the orange tones of the Corten Steel! 

2. Incorporate sloping beds

Flower beds are one of the most common ways to breathe life into your garden space. If your garden has sloped areas, these can be perfect places to put a flower bed. The flowers will help blend the sloping areas of the garden together, giving the landscape a more levelled appearance.

3. Create depth with tiered planters

This is one of our favourite ways to make use of sloped garden spaces. It’s no secret that garden planters can easily uplift any garden design, but they can be especially effective when tiered at different heights. Planters can be grouped together on sloped areas of the garden to blend the area together, whilst adding a modern and contemporary look to the space. Square planters are perfect for this! Plus, this is also a great way to add some colour into the garden, for example with white, black or Corten Steel planter designs. 

4. Add water features

Being in the garden is all about enjoying the outdoors, and with a sloped design, there’s so much opportunity to incorporate features that only make it more enjoyable. 

Water features, such as ponds and fountains, can be used to improve sloped garden landscapes by adding visual interest and helping to control erosion. A pond or fountain at the top of a slope can catch and hold rainwater, which will help to slow the flow of water down the slope. This can help to prevent erosion and soil loss, and it can also help to keep the garden looking attractive.

Adding water features to your sloped garden is also a great way to bring a sense of peace. The gentle sound of running water will help you relax and remind you how great it is to be outdoors. 

5. Create raised seating areas

A sloped garden space can be the perfect place to locate a seating or dining area. You’ll get the perfect view of the full garden, with your own dedicated bench or seating zone to sit back and relax or catch up with friends. You can even use planters to frame the area and create a real sense of zen. 

6. Level out slopes with garden planters

One way that garden planters can improve sloped garden landscapes is by providing a flat surface for plants to grow on. This can help to prevent soil erosion and keep the plants in place, even on steep slopes. This can even be used for growing vegetables. In addition, using garden planters can help to increase the overall aesthetic of a sloped garden landscape.

We love the black zinc garden planters in the image above. For a more rustic design, check out the Saxon Tapered Planters and Troughs.

7. Elevate the garden with retaining walls

One of the most simple but effective design ideas for sloped gardens is to segment the space with retaining walls. This can help the garden feel bigger by creating separate spaces across different levels. Retaining walls come in all different shapes and sizes, so you can create a range of different designs for your garden. 

This is an ideal design option for gardens with steep gradients. Not only does this help separate the sloping sections of your garden, it can be used to integrate seating areas with retaining wall seats. Retaining walls can also help prevent soil erosion by keeping the soil in place. 

8. Display your favourite flowers

If your sloped garden already has steps or walls, you can easily spruce this up with flower displays. All you’ll need to do is find some garden planters, and plants to fill them with – of course! Then, arrange your planters in a way that brings the area together and puts your favourite flowers on display. This is a great way to get conversations started and introduce an interesting feature into your garden.  

9. Customise the space with decking

If you’re looking to make a particular sloped space of the garden stand out, decking is a great way to bring a unique feel to the area. Introducing a different kind of terrain will also help the garden feel bigger and contrast beautifully with the surrounding greenery.

10. Sooth the space with curved features

Slopes provide a whole range of opportunities to add character. Adding curved features will help bring sloped garden landscapes together, soothing the eye with fluid design features. Take these curved retaining walls for example, they work effortlessly to blend areas of the garden together while segmenting the space. One of our personal favourite ways to use curved retaining walls is to create a circular seating area; perfect for socialising and staying snug when the evenings get cooler. 

11. Use garden edging

One way to improve the look of a sloped garden landscape is to use garden edging. Garden edging is a type of landscaping border that can be used to define different areas in a garden, such as a flower bed or vegetable garden. It can also be used to create a visual border between the garden and the surrounding lawn or landscaping.

Garden edging is available in many different materials, including metal, plastic, and wood. It can also be purchased in a variety of styles, including straight edge, curved edge, and zigzag edge. The type and style of garden edging you choose will depend on your personal preferences and the overall look you are trying to achieve.

If you have a sloped garden landscape, using garden edging can help to visually flatten the slope and make it look more attractive. It can also help to keep soil and mulch from slipping down the slope and creating an unsightly mess.

12. Transform your garden with a terrace

Sloped gardens can be turned into terraces by retaining the slope with walls or fences and creating flat areas for planting on the raised soil. This is a great way to make use of a sloped garden, as it allows you to plant more plants in a smaller area. You can also create interesting designs with different levels of terraces.

13. Define your sloped garden with paths

Paths can be used to improve sloped garden designs by creating a level surface on which to walk. This will help to prevent soil erosion and make it easier to navigate the garden. Additionally, paths can be used to define different areas of the garden, making it easier to plan and organise your plants.

Final thoughts

When it comes to sloping gardens, there’s so much you can do in terms of landscaping and design. Many people feel daunted by the idea of redesigning a sloped garden, but there are actually a whole range of easy and simple ways to use the space. 

Garden products from Flora Select

We’re here to help you bring your garden design to life, with a range of garden products to get you started. 

Here at Flora Select, we offer customers a wide selection of garden planters, retaining walls, garden edging, water fountains, and other garden accessories to spruce up your outdoor space. 

We even offer bespoke planter and garden accessories to suit your design requirements. Get in touch with us to find out more information about our products and services.

So you’ve picked and received your garden planter, what now? Your next exciting step is placing your planter in your chosen space and filling it with wonderful foliage. Our planters are perfect for any type of plant and extremely easy to use. Garden planters have a certain duality where they can be used as indoor planters, outdoor, on decking, patios, grass, raised garden beds and more. Therefore, it is important to know each step of how to plant your planter.

Specific advice for Corten Steel Planters

Some garden planters require different kinds of attention, so we’ll take you through how to plant in your gorgeous Corten Steel planter…

Specific advice for Fibreglass, Fibreglass glossy, Aluminium, Galvanised steel and Hardwood planters

These planters can all be planted very similarly, so if you’ve just bought a gorgeous new fibreglass planter or even a sustainable hardwood planter, this next section is for you!

If you need any advice planting your planter or about planters in general, please call on 01245 422353 or email on [email protected]

Plants have the ability to completely transform a space. Whether your garden is small or large, an inner city garden or countryside retreat, using garden planters can have many significant benefits. Besides looking great, they boast practical benefits including improved drainage, avoiding soil-borne disease, weed prevention and portability of plants. 

Garden planters are also extremely versatile; they grow flowers, vegetables, shrubs and even small trees! You must however consider the style of planter used. The type of plant you want to grow will determine which garden planter is best suited to its needs. 

We take a look at the different styles on offer, assessing the pros and cons so you can find the best garden planters for your home!

Materials

Choosing the best garden planter can largely depend on the material it is made from. Different materials will suit different plant types and garden designs more than others.

Zinc Planters

Renowned for their modern, stylish appearance, zinc planters are perfect for affordable outdoor usage. Though particularly fashionable in minimalist and industrial décor, the advantages of zinc planters go far beyond aesthetic appeal. They are lightweight and therefore readily portable. This is key in aiding control over your plants’ moisture, sunlight and temperature levels. 

Due to their lightweight nature, zinc planters are ideal for plants more able to withstand wind. When stability is required, however, heavier zinc planters are available.

In addition to this, zinc planters are extremely durable. Crafted from electroplated zinc and powder-coated for extra protection, their longevity is due to their rigidity, strength, and weather resistance. They exist in various shapes and sizes including cubes, tower planters and window boxes, meaning they can be used in almost any garden. We recommend combining styles to add diversity.
Here at Floraselect, we offer a wide range of planters, including black zinc planters, to modernise any garden!

Corten Steel Planters

Corten steel planters, also known as ‘weathering steel’ or rusted planters, are a great way to bring colour and style to your garden. Their bronze and copper hues add a contemporary yet rustic feel, adding to the natural environment. 

They are extremely long-lasting and low maintenance. Unlike galvanised steel, corten steel undergoes a 9-month weathering process, corroding over time to form a protective layer that prevents further rusting. The layer occurs naturally making every planter unique. The hardwearing property of the material also renders it ideal for landscaping and outdoor construction. Corten steel trough planters are often used to form barriers or create artificial walls when planted with tall plants such as bamboo.

Corten steel has a weathered, bronzed appearance, which contrasts beautifully with plant foliage. The drawback of corten steel planters is that they may attract more heat than other styles of planter, so only use for plants that are able to withstand this.
‘Weathering steel’ planters certainly live up to their name, managing to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing, whatever the weather. We offer a wide variety of corten steel planters including cube planters, vegetable planters and more.

Hardwood Planters

Thanks to their classic appearance, hardwood planters lend themselves well to any garden type. Usually made from hardwoods such as garapa and balau, they offer versatility and adaptability, looking at home anywhere from traditional gardens to modest botanical balconies.

Hardwood is naturally durable and easy to maintain. Rot and weather damage can be easily avoided by treating planters with flaxseed oil. In addition to this, wooden planters are more sustainable than other types. Pollinating carpenter bees are attracted to wooden planters as well as the plants themselves; herbs favoured by bees, such as borage and lavender, are therefore a match made in heaven with hardwood containers.

Hardwood planters provide excellent heat insulation for soil, so their year-round advantages are just as timeless as their design. In addition, hardwood planters’ practical benefits and sophisticated appearance have caused their popularity to skyrocket in restaurants and public areas.

Our hardwood planter range includes cube planters, troughs and more.

Galvanised Steel Planters

Much like their zinc counterparts, galvanised steel planters will age gracefully, all the while adding a contemporary touch to homes and gardens. As well as its durability, galvanised steel is notoriously weather-resistant, and is easy to maintain by occasionally wiping down with a damp cloth. With their cool colour palette and clean lines, galvanised steel planters make stylish additions to minimalist, industrial and contemporary décor, contrasting nicely against other natural materials in the environment, whether it be wood, soil or plant life.

Manufactured at a standard thickness of 4mm, galvanised steel planters available at Floraselect are considerably robust, a quality which accommodates these planters to public gardens, commercial environments as well as your home.

Fibreglass Planters

Fibreglass garden planters have a wide range of benefits when it comes to outdoor planting. Their versatility sets them apart from more traditional planter types such as  stone and clay. They are extremely lightweight and boast many other assets including resilience, durability and weather and UV resistance. This makes fibreglass planters a firm favourite amongst landscapers and gardeners. 

They are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use and can be found in a variety of shapes, sizes, colours and textures. This allows them to seamlessly integrate into any environment or design scheme. For a more traditional feel, opt for a stone or terracotta-look planter. For fans of linear, modern décor, choose a metal-look or matt black fibreglass planter. 
Fibreglass planters are also suitable for a wide range of plant types, especially those that thrive in raised soil. According to the RHS, suitable plants include soft fruits, vegetables, alpines and herbaceous perennials such as daylilies.

Terracotta Planters

Terracotta planters are one of the most traditional and classic planter types. Stylish and inexpensive, they are a staple of most gardens. They are well accustomed to colder climates as their porous walls draw water out of the soil to dry it more quickly. This makes them ideal for dryer soil plants such as cacti and succulents. Be aware that due to the porous walls, other types of plants may need watering more frequently.

In addition to this, terracotta’s muted, earthy colour palette brings a touch of Mediterranean to both indoor and outdoor gardens, ageing handsomely thanks to patina formation. They can be heavier than other styles of garden planter and more prone to breakages however, so try to use them for plants that will not be moved often.

We offer a wide selection of terracotta planters, in a variety of sizes and shapes. From traditional terracotta pots to urn planters, you can find the perfect style to suit your garden.

Aluminium Planters

Aluminium is considered a new smart material; it is lightweight and long-lasting, and extremely resistant to chips, scratches, cracks and breakages. This makes aluminium planters an ideal choice for almost any garden type!

They are rigid and strong thanks to their high strength:weight ratio. They also do not rust making them perfect for both outdoor and indoor use. In addition to this, they are lightweight allowing you to easily move plants in order to control temperature, sunlight and moisture levels. 

The majority of aluminium planters have simple, clean exteriors that complement foliage, looking at home in any garden, public or commercial space. Aluminium planters are versatile enough to match any aesthetic, and are commonly customisable and made-to-order due to short production runs being more cost-effective.

Our selection of aluminium planters contains a wide variety of shapes, sizes and designs, from laser-etched planters to simple and statement pieces.

Shapes

It is not just the material of planters that affects your overall garden design. Different shaped planters can be used to add dimension or even create new spaces.

Square Planters

Square planters give a modern-twist to any garden design. With clean lines and a chic feel, square planters are often used in commercial spaces such as hotels, restaurants and offices. Using them in your garden can help to give it a contemporary look, perfectly contrasting to the natural foliage.

Use square planters of different heights and sizes to create a multi-dimensional, layered design. Alternatively, use single cube planters for standout, statement plants.

Trough Planters

Similar to square planters, trough planters feature clean lines with a modern feel. Rectangular in shape, trough planters can be found in almost any material from zinc to fibreglass. Available from window box size to extra large, they can be used in any space. 

A row of trough planters is the perfect way to create zones within your garden; plant with tall plants to create a natural privacy screen.

Round Planters

Round planters are one of the most versatile planter shapes. At home in both traditional and modern garden designs, they can be used to create a focal point in your garden. Group together as part of a wider design, or position alone to create a statement. 

Choose from traditional materials such as terracotta for a classic feel, or opt for modern materials such as corten steel to give your round planter a contemporary edge.

Flared Planters

Flared planters offer a twist on traditional shapes, starting smaller at the bottom and widening at the top. They are a modern take on traditional garden planters and can be used in combination with other styles to create layers and dimension. From taller, square tower planters to shorter, round designs, we offer flared planters for any space.

FAQ

Which is the best planter for outdoors?

Whilst there is no set ‘best planter for outdoors’, materials such as fibreglass, aluminium and steel are ideal as they are weather resistant, durable and lightweight. This means that they will stay looking great for years to come and can be easily moved around your garden to satisfy your plants needs.

What is the difference between indoor and outdoor planters?

Outdoor planters must generally be able to withstand more extreme temperature and weather conditions than indoor planters. Whilst many outdoor planters can also be used indoors, outdoor planters should also be weather resistant and durable.

What is the best outdoor planter for winter?

Garden planters made from materials such as fibreglass, metals and heavy stone are ideal for winter as they are able to withstand freezing temperatures. Terracotta planters may expand and crack with repeated freezing and thawing. Bear in mind that metal planters lose heat quickly in the winter so plants should also be able to withstand colder environments.

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For every garden, big or small, there is a perfect planting solution! Check out our wide range of garden planters for gardens of all sizes and purposes.

Get in touch for assistance in choosing the perfect planter for you.

There are so many gorgeous pots and planters on the market that it can be hard to know where to begin! On the one hand, it’s amazing to have such a huge variety to choose from but on the other, it makes finding the right planter for you a bit like working through a maze. Look no further, below we have put together a handy, comprehensive guide to assist you in finding the perfect pots for your space.

Black Planters

A great place to start is with Black Planters. Black is a versatile colour as it goes with everything and this is true for planters too. Almost any planter shape, size and style will look stunning in Black and so it is easy to find a Black Planter to suit your space.

For example, a pair of tall, slender black column planters can be used either side of your front door and can be planted with Buxus to create a smart and stylish display, lifting the front of your property. These can then also be paired with Black Window Boxes to allow for colour coordination and further foliage display.

Alternatively, if your garden is overlooked by neighbours and you would like further privacy, Black Barrier Planters can be planted with bamboo to create a natural wall. Thanks to the range of Black Planters available, it is easy to find the right one to suit your space whether that is big, small or somewhere in between.

Large Planters

You might think that Large Planters only suit large gardens but this isn’t strictly true. Whilst you do need enough space to fit the planter itself, sometimes even on a balcony a large planter potted with a small tree can be just the statement you need. If you do have a bigger garden, then you need large planters as smaller ones will just be lost in the landscape.

Having several matching or similar planters dotted through your space can create a good flow of colour, setting off the area and adding new levels to your planting scheme. There is also scope to use Large Planters indoors in office blocks, foyers or courtyards where they can be filled with low maintenance or artificial plants to bring colour and texture into the office environment.

With a range of materials such as fibreglass, hardwood and corten steel to choose from, you can find your ideal planter considering style, finish and cost.

White Planters

In contrast to Black Planters, White Planters cannot be used in such varying locations. Due to the brightness and luminosity of White, it is better suited to a larger and more open spaces where it will not seem overpowering. This can include offices, hotel complexes or large garden spaces.

If you live in property with a dark exterior, a White Planter can elevate the location and create a focal point to draw in the eye. With White Planters available in fibreglass, polystone or aluminium, you can choose the appropriate planter for your setting based on the finish of the planter with gloss or matte and textured options available.

White planters are great for offering such a range of modern and traditional designs. We love the classic design of the Windsor Garden Planters, and for a more contemporary look, these Glossy White Trough Planters.

Contemporary Planters

The world of Contemporary Planters is intrinsically a new and exciting one. With exciting shapes and clean finishes, Contemporary Planters often have an artistic feel. Boasting form and function, these planters are perfect for the modern garden.

Raising a planter off the ground has a number of benefits, not only does added height give added impact, it is also beneficial for planter drainage. Naturally, a Contemporary Planter will not be best suited to a cottage-style garden but will look much more at home in a modern town house, on the balcony of a new-build flat or, when used in and around, a stylish outdoor seating area.

These Planters are fabricated from fashionable materials, a great example of which, is Corten Steel. Corten Steel has taken off in popularity and it’s easy to see why. The gorgeous orange hue which doubles as a self-protecting finish is a stunning addition to any outdoor space. It’s also strong, lightweight and hard-wearing meaning it is the perfect material for a planter with the fantastic colour really setting off plants with dark green foliage.

Round Planters

By their nature, Round Planters give a smooth finish without any sharp angles. This means they tend to appear as softer and less intrusive than their square counterparts. There are a multitude of benefits to this.

Firstly, the muted finish provided by a Round Planter means that you can define the plants as the focal point rather than the planter. This works well when you have a gorgeous or unique plant, shrub or small tree that you would like to showcase. Secondly, because of the understated nature of a Round Planter, you can fit more in a space without them looking overpowering. This feature also means that they can be used in a larger variety of spaces than the more angular versions. Finally, there is a surprising safety aspect that can come into play. Without sharp corners, there is less opportunity for injury when somebody bumps into the planter. This applies to children in a garden or pedestrians if Round Planters are used in a public place. There is a huge and exciting world to explore when it comes to planters but with a little guidance it is easy to work out where to begin. With different colours, styles and shapes you can find the perfect planter to suit any location, big or small and any design style you can imagine.