Garden Design - Spring Garden Planter Ideas

Instead of getting rid of tree stumps, why not turn them into natural wooden planters? They nourish plants with additional nutrients as the wood decays over time and can leave a spot in your garden looking less sappy.

You'll need: 

A sharp instrument such as an ax or a mattock (if you're feeling extra handy, you can also use a chainsaw)

A drill

Some gravel

Some compost

Flowers or seeds

A tree stump!

1. Choose your borders, we would recommend about 2-3 inches around the parameter but you alter it to a smaller planting hole if you like.

2. Make sure you're wearing safety glasses and start to chip away at the center of the stump, slowly working towards the edges as the hole gets bigger.

3. Although this isn't crucial, we suggest creating a few draining holes at the side using a drill. This helps your stump last longer and prevents issues with root rot!

4. At this stage, you can choose to keep it oak-naturale or spruce it up with some paint

5. Fill the hole with gravel (opt for a funky colour if you like!) and layer a mix of 30% compost and 70% potting soil on top.

6. Now you're set to fill it with flowers and watch it bloom!

This portable planter is easy to move into the sunshine... so why not make the most of its rustic charm and have a center piece in your garden that wheely stands out?

You'll need:

A wheelbarrow 

Some anti rust primer (unless you're going for the rustic look of course...)

A power drill

Some wire mesh screen

A garden trowel

Some vegetable or fruit seeds of your choice

1. This step is optional, but you can start by coating the wheelbarrow in anti rust primer to keep it looking dandy all summer!

2. Flip the wheelbarrow over (so the wheels are facing up) and drill 3/4-inch drainage holes in the bottom, keeping each hole 3-6 inches apart. (This part is crucial for drainage!)

3. Cut a piece of wire mesh screen to fit the bottom of the wheelbarrow, making sure you line the screen over the holes so that no soil can fall through.

4. Fill the wheelbarrow to about 1 inch from the top with soil (or you can create a lighter mixture of compost and sand to make it easier to move it around your garden) and plant your seeds!

Is there a leek in your sink? There could be...

You'll need:

A sink (it can be as vintage as you want or brand new)

A wire mesh screen

Some gravel

Vegetable or fruit seeds of your choice

1. Choose where to plant your sink, and dig under the drainage hole to prevent clogging.

2. Place some wire mesh screen in the bottom of the sink, ensuring that it is covering the drainage hole and cover with gravel.

3. Fill your sink with good quality potting soil (such as one with a slow release fertilizer and moisture retaining particles)

4. Plant either flowers from a hanging planter or with new seeds.

Everyone loves a good bit of garden fern-a-chair

You'll need:

An old chair (wooden is better!)

A Screwdriver

A jigsaw

A drill

Paint (optional, of course)

Vegetable or fruit seeds of your choice

1. Remove the seat by loosening the screws with a screwdriver.

2. In the center of the seat, draw a circle of the same diameter of your chosen pot, once done, cut out the circle with the help of a jigsaw.

3. This is the creative part! Go crazy with your paints taking note of the style of your garden and the colour of the plants which you'll plant.

4. Once dried, fill your pot with your favourite plants (we love upright plants as they climb up the chair!) and push it into the hole in the chair.

If you feel like your indoor plant pots need a bit of love then coat them in your very own chalk paint!