ᐅ A planter that invites creativity.

We are redesigning our garden, which is now over 10 years old. This bulky item (pictured by a neighbor who was tired of it) has just been sitting around – I never wanted to commit to a use for it, so it was never filled with soil. Now it’s placed by the terrace. From three sides, it works quite well as a permanent feature. Does anyone have ideas on how to fill it flexibly? Maybe with some herbs on top, and that would be enough.

But how can this be done without turning it into a raised bed? It is a classic planting pot, hollow and with a bottom that has holes. Just very large, about 90cm x 90cm x 90cm (35 inches x 35 inches x 35 inches).

Build a wooden frame (at a height of 70cm (28 inches) above the ground), line it with a membrane, and extend the edges upward. If necessary, add holes to allow excess water to drain. Fill with soil and then plant.

I would find a small, decorative tree (olive tree, Japanese maple, or similar) appropriate.

nordanney schrieb:
Insert wooden frame

We actually had a pallet section in place before, but never planted anything in it. By now, the wood has rotted, but it could still be a possible solution.

@siedler34
The main priority is that we don’t have to fill it up like a raised bed. But a small trunk would fit well, that’s true.

I would clean it, add casters underneath, and place it on the terrace if there’s enough space. With casters, winter protection becomes much easier, and an olive tree might thrive there. They are quite expensive but hardly grow much from the root system anyway.

Otherwise, there are beautiful Japanese maples. We have one on our terrace with drooping branches, fantastic autumn colors, and it can be moved easily on casters or even placed in the garage – which is not necessary for maples.

A datura would also look wonderful inside, but only if you don’t have small children around anymore.

If the south side is an option, a trellis with a grapevine would also work well.

If you don’t want a plant... you could put in pond liner, hang aquatic plants along the edges, and maybe add a nice water feature.

Please let us know what you end up choosing!

ypg schrieb:
We actually had a pallet section installed before, but it was never planted. Meanwhile, the wood has rotted, but it would be a possible solution.

You can also protect the wood, buy suitable wood, and as mentioned, I would definitely install a membrane.