Add Curb Appeal to Your Home with Planter Boxes

Filled with lush flowers and greenery, planter boxes add a friendly cottage feel to any home. See our tips and ideas for attractive planter boxes that will add curb appeal to your abode.

How much do planter boxes cost?

The cost ranges from $30 – $120 to build a planter box. Pre-made planter boxes are usually priced between $40 and $200 or more.

But typically, prices will vary widely depending on box size, design, style, and materials.

Should I buy a planter box or make one?

Pre-made options are available at nurseries and home centers. If you’re handy with wood, then you can save money by building your own. Plus, a planter box can usually be made in just a few days.

Home repair expert Bob Vila says, “A long narrow planter can energize smaller outdoor spaces like terraces, balconies, and even the occasional cramped patio—proving that you definitely don’t need a big backyard to surround yourself with nature. And because, as its name suggests, this outdoor installation isn’t much more than a cube without a top, it’s a one-weekend project well worth DIYing.”

Check out the DIY for a stylish wooden planter box at BobVila.com.

What type of wood should I use to make a planter box?

Planter boxes can be made of basic lumber (2×2’s, 1×10 planks, etc.) available at hardware stores or home centers. You can also use scrap lumber.

Most any type of lumber will do as you can paint or stain the finished project. It’s a good idea to apply a wood sealer to your finished planter box for weather resistance.

What style of planter box would look best?

Choose a planter box that complements the exterior design and color of your home. For modern-style homes, a sleek planter box with minimal detailing would complement your exterior.

For a cottage or farmhouse-style home, a planter box painted white with wood detailing will accent your home design.

To make your planter box stand out, paint it a contrasting shade to your exterior paint color. Or, to make a planter box blend in, paint it the same shade as your home.

What flowers and plants grow best in a planter box?

Consider where your planter box will be located before you choose your greenery. Will it receive morning sun, or will it be in the shade most of the day?

Using a planter box is a type of container gardening, so most plants suitable for container growing will grow in a planter box.

Choose small, young plants available in nursery packs to fill your planter box. Below is a list of plants that grow well in planter boxes.

Flowering Annuals

Most annual flowering plants bloom throughout the season, making them a great choice for planter boxes.

• Creeping zinnia (sanvitalia procumbens)
• Ivy-leafed geranium (pelargonium peltatum)
• Moss rose (portulaca grandiflora)
• Pansies (viola x wittrockiana)
• Trailing lantana (lantana montevidensis)
• Tuberous begonias (begonia x tuberhybrida)
• Verbena (verbena x hybrida)

Greenery and Herbs

Some leafy plants and herbs are grown just for their foliage. They accent blooming plants serving as attractive fillers. Culinary herbs grown in planter boxes do triple duty as they look great, smell wonderful, and can be added to recipes.

• Sweet Basil (ocimum basilicum)
• Rosemary (salvia rosmarinus)
• Catmint (nepeta x faassenii)
• Coleus (solenostemon scutellarioides)
• Chamomile (chamaemelum nobile)
• Mints (mentha spicata hybrids)
• Ornamental oregano (origanum laevigatum)
• Silver thyme (thymus vulgaris)

Vegetables

You can also grow small-scale vegetables in a planter box. Young plants should be well watered. Moreover, feed veggie plants twice a month with a liquid fertilizer.

• Cherry tomatoes
• Chili peppers
• Lettuce and other salad greens
• Kale
• Radish
• Green onion
• Garlic
• Kohlrabi
• Bush beans
• Peas

End-of-season Maintenance

When the season for outdoor gardening comes to an end, remove the plants and toss them in a compost pile. Then, scoop out the soil and store it in a heavy-duty garbage bag.

Check lined planter boxes for tears in the lining and replace the liner if needed. Store the planter box and soil in a covered shed or garage until spring.

Build a planter box this weekend, and you’ll enjoy beautiful blooms in even the smallest of spaces.