There are many ways to build a garden, and you don’t need an acre of space, tonnes of soil, or green grass to do so. Several carefully selected pots, troughs, planters, window boxes and raised beds quickly turn bland spaces into mini oasis or productive vegetable patches. And if you live in a property for rent, you can bring them all with you when you leave.
Browse our entire range of containers and plant pots for more inspiration.
Raised metal bed
Metal bed planters are perfect for flowers and herbs
Image: Metal Rised Bed from T&M
With the choice of colour and the vintage feel, these corrugated flat pack metal vegetable beds are quick and easy to assemble. A clever modular design means you can set it up as a square or rectangular planter to suit your space. Use them on a variety of flowers, fruits and vegetables. For more inspiration, check out our top tips on how to grow plants in raised beds.
Advantages: Specially completed steel is weather resistant and durable. Specific tip: There is no base, so use liners when placing your bed on a patio or deck. If you are placing it directly on the globe, make sure it is at a level and add a base layer of gravel to improve drainage and protect the bottom of the bed. Best for growth: shallow root herbs, flowers and fruits such as alpine, strawberry, and parsley are perfect. If you want to grow root crops, choose a short or round variety.
Twin Wall Recycled Plastic Raised Bed
Easy to cut sections from the garden or plot in a planter
Image: Build-a-bed Raised Veg Planter from T&M
These recycled plastic lift beds are extremely flexible and very easy to set up. The construction of twin walls means that the soil is insulated and good growth conditions arise, but recycled plastics are weather resistant, rust-free and UV-protected. Check out our top 10 crops in pots to plant ideas.
Benefits: While adding an extension kit allows you to make the bed taller or longer, the unique “lock” system means it’s very stable. Specific tip: Changing the bed height allows you to grow a variety of crops. Choose deep beds for perennial fruit bushes like blueberries, or shallow beds for lettuce and herbs. It is most suitable for growth. These will warm up quickly and are perfect for early salad crops and first strawberries.
Wooden planter and trough
Wooden planters are a versatile container option
Image: T&M Wooden Planter
Available as a rectangular trough or square planter, these containers are fully assembled. They are made from dry pine wood, and the planters have colored stains, providing something for any style of garden. The legs and gaps between the baseboards mean that the soil can drain.
Advantages: These attractive planters and troughs do not require construction. Specific tip: If you order a liner, drill some holes to help with drainage. Add some casters under the feet so that you can move the planter. Best for growth: Choose your annual flowers and vegetables or small perennial plants. For inspiration, see our Plant article for more information about containers. (https://www.thompson-morgan.com/plants-for-containers)
Raised wooden planter
Raised wooden threads are perfect for flowers and vegetables.
Image: Large wooden planter in garden gear from T&M
Our grown wooden planters are easy to move, making them ideal for people and gardeners with limited space in rental accommodation. They are made from strong and durable fir trees. Easy to build and comes with complete instructions and liner.
Benefits: The height of these planters makes it easier to manage gardeners with mobility issues. Specific Tips: Add twin twin covers and frames to convert raised planters into mini greenhouses and protect crops. Handle planter lifespans every year. It is most suitable for growth. These are perfect for strawberries. Because plants can trail past the edges and protect the fruit from the soil. Raising them also helps protect them from slugs and snails.
Planter with climbing trellis
Use a planter that provides vertical growth space for climbers
Image: T&M’s Garden Gear Trellis Planter
This space-saving design combines a versatile wooden planter with a tall trellis that can be used to add privacy or split from the area. Made from durable fir trees, trellis can be used to train climbing flowers and vegetables. It is treated with water-resistant paint, but if you want to make a difference, simply give it a coat of another color.
Benefits: Two-in-one design makes the most of the available space and builds to ensure no further fixation is required. Specific Tip: For best growth conditions, add a drainage layer of gravel using a liner before filling the planter with compost. Perfect for Growth: This planter is perfect for annual climbing vegetables such as beans, neat squash, small squash, and annual flowers such as ipomoa and nasturtium. Perennials, including short climbing roses and clematis, also look great. Check out top tips for successful container gardening.
Lightweight patio pots and containers
These modern pots are attractive and budget friendly
Image: Garden Gear Lightweight Plant Pot from T&M
Made from a new lightweight and sturdy mix of recycled polypropylene plastic and stone powder, these patio containers are a way to pay to add style to your garden. Available in marble, concrete, ceramic, wood, terracotta, granite or metal finishes. These are suitable for traditional and modern garden designs. Furthermore, they are weather resistant, frost resistant, and retain moisture.
Advantages: It’s easier to move around and much cheaper than marble, metal or ceramic. Specific tip: Try grouping several pots of the same style. Perfect for Growth: These are suitable for permanent small shrubs or seasonal annual displays. For more ideas, check out our top tips for pot perennials.
Vigoroot Fabric Pot
Fabric planters offer enormous convenience
Image: T&M’s Vigoroot Planter
These versatile fabrics are made from a unique Vigoroot™ fabric that helps the roots of “airpurun” to stop the plants from being tied to the pot. Suitable for vegetables, flowers, herbs and fruits, these reusable pots contribute to stronger and productive plants.
Advantages: These clever fabric pots fold flat for easy storage when not in use. They can easily move around the garden to make the most of the light, warmth and space. Specific tips: Put your planted pot in a greenhouse and try out early crops. Both strawberries and potatoes are good. Perfect for Growth: These are great for crops that are difficult to harvest completely from the ground, such as potatoes. Other great choices are tomatoes, herbs and kale.
Window Box
Use all available spaces to grow
Image: T&M’s Cerland Horizon Window Box
Window boxes are the perfect way to grow in the absence of a garden and are a versatile way to make the most of your often unused space. Our window boxes are made of pressure treated pine wood and come with felt liner.
Advantages: The window box is compact, easy to manage and extremely portable. Perfect for people without gardens or for rental accommodations. Specific tips: Keep an eye on watering, especially if the window box is in a sunny location. It incorporates water-absorbing crystals that help to stop the compost from drying out. Perfect for growth: small fruits and vegetables, including strawberries, herbs, salad leaves. It is also suitable for offering the charm of small perennials and colorful curbs with seasonal displays.
Hope this will help you choose the best container for your garden. For more information and advice on patio gardening, check out our dedicated advice hub for ideas.
Mandy Bradshaw, a member of the Cotswolds-based Garden Media Guild, is also known as the Chat Gardener. Passionate about gardening and writing, she begins with a soccer report for her primary school, and a Mesembrintemum planting with her mother. The 2018 Property Press Award winner of the Garden Journalist of the Year, she writes not only her blog, but also newspapers, magazines and other sites.
Finalists of the 2022 Garden Media Guild Awards – Category: “Blog or vlog of the Year”
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