25 Creative Container Garden Ideas to Enhance Your Outdoor Space Potted plants give your landscape visual interest and dimension. Close Credit: Jacky Parker Photography / Getty Images Whether you have a sprawling backyard or a small patio, a container garden is an easy way to elevate any outdoor space—and is a great method for every level of gardener. From easy-to-cultivate herbs to a mini citrus garden, simply choose the plants that align with your gardening skills and style and get growing. If you're looking for some inspiration, we've rounded up a variety of creative container garden ideas you can use for your next horticultural endeavor. 01 of 25 Moss Gardens Credit: Paul Costello The woodland near Martha's home in Maine is lush with mosses, lichens, and ferns, which she pots in decorative faux bois containers. After filling her pots, she brings everything back outdoors to display on her property. 02 of 25 Chimney Flues If you want to enhance your curb appeal, chimney flues filled with plants are a stately way to do so. Choose antique pieces and place a plastic liner inside each. We filled ours with purple cordylines, silver tradescantia, and rex begonia vine. Consider using a plastic liner inside antique chimney flue containers to prevent water damage and prolong their life while maintaining aesthetic appeal. 03 of 25 Vertical Garden Credit: Naomi Rahim / GETTY IMAGES Potted plants don't have to take up a lot of space in your yard. Instead, go vertical by placing small plants in containers and nestling them inside slots on an out-of-the way rack. Vertical Gardens Are the Ideal Small-Space Solution—Here Are 12 Ideas to Get Started 04 of 25 Upcycled China Credit: Ashley Poskin Whether you'd like to make use of your mother's favorite china patterns or simply enjoy a unique DIY project, create a small container garden with multiple up-cycled planters, like these. 05 of 25 Pumpkin Planters Credit: Janelle Jones This simple DIY will look beautiful in your container garden during fall. Fill small pumpkins with succulent potting mix and your favorite succulents for a fun display. Get the Succulent Planter Pumpkins How-To 06 of 25 Herb Garden Credit: Shaiith / Getty Images Growing herbs is one of the easiest ways to start an edible garden. Situate basil, parsley, thyme, and other low-maintenance herbs in small containers in a sunny spot near the kitchen for easy snipping. 07 of 25 Succulent Garden Credit: Bryan Gardner Succulents are ideal for container planting because they have shallow root systems that can thrive in compact environments. The arid plants are also great if you live in an area prone to drought, as they only need to be watered once a week. 9 Succulent Garden Ideas That Will Add Sculptural Dimension to Your Landscape 08 of 25 Mediterranean Plants Credit: Jacky Parker Photography / Getty Images Mediterranean plants are low water, making them a perfect addition to container gardens, which dry out quickly. Fill them with lavender, rosemary, bay laurel, and more varieties. 09 of 25 Window Boxes Credit: Getty / Grace Cary Window boxes are big enough to grow all sorts of plants, from perennials and annuals to herbs and vegetables. The low-maintenance style of gardening is a great way to add curb appeal to your home. The Best Types of Flowers for Your Window Boxes 10 of 25 Citrus Garden Credit: Catherine Falls Commercial / GETTY IMAGES Turn your backyard or home into a tropical oasis by planting a citrus tree (or group of trees) in containers. Position your potted trees beside a south-facing window with good airflow and water regularly without making the soil overly moist. When it's warm out, move your trees into the fresh air. How to Grow and Care for Indoor Citrus Trees 11 of 25 Ivy Topiaries Create an ivy topiary—which just requires filling containers with soil and ivy and pruning the plant into topiary forms—for a structured garden masterpiece. 12 of 25 Vegetable Garden Credit: Getty Images Create a thriving vegetable garden in containers, which is a great option if you have limited backyard space. Make sure to plant different vegetables in each pot so they don't compete for nutrients. 12 Vegetables That Thrive in Containers, So You Can Grow Produce Almost Anywhere 13 of 25 Herb Tower Get creative with your herb garden by growing different varieties in multiple containers piled on top of one another. In this potted plant display, rosemary, sage, parsley, thyme, oregano, basil, and chives are grown in separate, stackable pots. If you want to grow mint, plant it on its own in the top pot, since it can overwhelm other herbs. 14 of 25 Hanging Baskets Credit: John Dolan Hanging baskets are an easy way to display plants without taking up square footage. Martha recommends filling yours with rhipsalis, sedums, staghorn ferns, and senecios, which all do well grown in containers. 15 of 25 Cacti in Containers Credit: GETTY IMAGES If you live in a dry climate or want to reduce your water use, growing cacti in containers in the way to go. Just make sure your pot has holes in the bottom so they can drain easily when they do get a drink. 10 Xeriscape Ideas for a Beautiful, Water-Wise Garden 16 of 25 Plants With Visual Interest Credit: Getty / revjake If you're looking for a potted plant idea that will bring style to your backyard, choose varieties with pops of color—like the polka dot plant (Hypoestes Phyllostachya). This houseplant comes in red, white, and pink hues for an eye-catching display. 17 of 25 Terra Cotta Garden Credit: ADDIE JUELL Terra cotta pots are porous, so they're ideal for plants that need well-draining soil. Elevate your display by using painters' tape to design patterns on your terra cotta containers. Get the Terra Cotta Garden How-To 18 of 25 Potted Ferns Credit: Carol Yepes / GETTY IMAGES Ferns are low-maintenance plants that thrive on humidity. Our pro tip? Add colorful pebbles to the bottom of a decorative planter and place the pot on top of the stones to increase the humidity level. 19 of 25 Raised Garden Bed Credit: Courtesy of Gardeners For those looking to grow multiple varieties of their favorite flowers, a large raised garden bed is a great way to create a container garden without limiting yourself to just one or two plants. Raised Bed Gardening Will Keep the Weeds and Pests Away—Here's How to Get Started 20 of 25 Vining Plants Credit: Johnny Fogg Take advantage of hanging planters by showing off your favorite vining plants. Placed near adequate sunlight, varieties like English ivy, pothos, and string of pearls are sure to wow. 21 of 25 Water Garden Credit: Xavi Talleda/Getty Images A water garden instantly gives aquatic plants, like water lilies, an artistic flair. These plants need sun, but they don't require soil because they get their nutrients from water. How to Create a Water Garden, a Soothing Backyard Feature 22 of 25 Stock Tank Garden Credit: Janis Christie / GETTY IMAGES Repurpose an old stock tank for a unique container display that has a vintage feel. Drill drainage holes into the bottom so water doesn't get trapped, then fill the tank with your favorite flowers. 23 of 25 Coral Bells Container Credit: peplow / GETTY IMAGES Coral bells are a beautiful addition to a container garden and can be grown on their own or to add interest to an existing pot This plant can be semi-evergreen, so it provides interest across multiple seasons. 24 of 25 Pollinator-Friendly Containers Credit: Ordasi Tatyjana / GETTY IMAGES Welcome pollinators, like bees and butterflies, to your garden by filling containers with flowers that attract wildlife. Some examples include asters, columbine, coneflower, bee balm, and goldenrod. 16 Pollinator Plants That Will Attract Birds, Bees, and Butterflies to Your Garden 25 of 25 Collection of African Violets Credit: Noe Dewitt African violets have vibrant blooms that look beautiful in containers—here a collection sits on the windowsill in Martha's servery where they get plenty of sunlight. "They're not happy someplace where you don't look at them all the time," she says. Explore more: Garden Container Garden Ideas