Key Takeaways

  • Use containers to protect plants from cold weather by moving them indoors.
  • Mix evergreens with decorations to create appealing winter planter ideas.
  • Hang cold-hardy flowers in baskets to add color anytime, anywhere.

Winter is lurking around the corner, but it doesn't mean you have to give up on gardening. One of the best ways to bring color to a winter landscape is with plants. Using containers is a perfect way to protect plants from cold weather because they can always be moved indoors on particularly cold nights.

Creating outdoor winter planters and containers is a simple task, whether you're a beginner or an experienced gardener. Combine cold-hardy winter plants with DIY winter planter ideas help to turn your outdoor spaces into colorful, creative landscapes.

1 Box of Winter Evergreens

Create a wintry look with your garden planters

Evergreen planters in a row
Image credits: Okrasiuk via Shutterstock

Is there anything that resembles a winter forest more than a planter full of fresh-cut evergreens? To create it, go to the woods or your backyard and find the materials yourself. Pick up some logs, pine cones, and branches to bring their woody aesthetic to your yard. You can also feel free to add some ribbon, ornaments, and twigs to make this idea stand out even more!

Creating evergreen outdoor winter planters out of found materials is a fun way to decorate for winter, but you can also consider growing your own small ornamental evergreens in planters and keep them around even longer. Let dwarf evergreen and conifer options inspire your ideas for winter planters.

Boxwood (Buxus L.)

USDA Hardiness Zone 5 to 9

Dwarf boxwood grows well with good drainage and needs only minimal trimming

Dwarf mountain pine (Pinus mugo)

USDA Hardiness Zone 2 to 7

Give this plant well-drained soil and lots of sunlight

Lemon cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa)

USDA Hardiness Zone 7 to 10

Lemon cypress grows well in almost any type of soil, as long as it is well-draining

2 Window Box Planters

Add a pretty detail to your windows

Window box with potted geraniums
Image credits: Susan Law Cain via Shutterstock

No one said that you have to place your outdoor winter planters on the ground! With the right winter plants and supplies, you can hang a window box that will look cute from the outside and smell great from the inside of your house! For the best result, mix some evergreens with red ornaments, such as bells, ribbons, or twigs. Also, depending on the size of your window, choose suitable pots so that the whole idea looks aesthetically pleasing.

Window box planters can be made in a number of different ways and it's fun to experiment with different sides and looks when planning out ideas for winter planters. A series of baskets, pots, a wide box or rectangle, anything can become a window box planter if you get creative with winter planter ideas!

Window box planters can go inside or outside your home.

3 Hanging Baskets Add Color Anywhere

Create a planter in a cinch by hanging it

Hanging pot of flowers outside
Image credits: Paulius Beinaravicius via Shutterstock

It doesn't matter how much space is available or how big your budget is, since you will always be able to find a suitable winter hanging basket! Many cold-hardy flowers will bring color and life to outdoor areas during the winter. Hanging baskets are super easy outdoor winter planters and you can play around with flowers, succulents, and a variety of plants.

Crocus

USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8

Grow crocus in full to partial sunlight

Blooms in winter in shades of blue, purple, pink, white, yellow, and orange

Cyclamen

USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8

Cyclamen grows best with moist soil and indirect light and prefers cooler temperatures

The flowers bloom with white, pink, red, and lavender blossoms

Daffodils (Narcissus spp.)

USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9

Give daffodils full or partial sunlight

Daffodils bloom in late winter and early spring to fill spaces with bright yellow to white blossoms

Pansies (Viola x wittrockiana)

USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 9

Pansies need partial to full sunlight and this flower is particularly cold-hardy, producing more beautiful blossoms in cold weather

Blossoms in shades of blue orange, pink, purple, white, yellow, and red in winter

Winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)

USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 10

Winter jasmine grows well in a variety of soil types and should be planted where it can receive partial to full sunlight

Yellow flowers blossom in late January and February

4 Create a Rustic Planter Design

Recycle old items to make new DIY outdoor winter planters

wheelbarrow garden planters
Image credits: Alexander Tolstykh via Shutterstock

Not every winter planter idea has to be modern and shining. If you live for the rustic feel or want to bring some countryside vibe to your yard, wheelbarrows are a great option. Sand and paint and old wheelbarrow in a bright, eye-catching color and line it with landscaping fabric. Fill it with soil, plant your seeds and you've got a unique rustic planter that will add a fun look to your outdoor spaces. You may have many items around the house and yard that could make a great planter with a coat of paint. Once you start thinking outside the planter box, you will find all sorts of ideas for winter planters!

  • Toy wagons
  • Metal buckets
  • Wooden wash tubs
  • Chests
  • Trash cans
  • Barrels
  • Boots
  • Hollow logs

5 Recycle Old Ties for a Stackable Planter

Bring lots of bright colors to the garden

Old tires painted bright colors and turned into platers
Image credits: Michael Tatman via Shutterstock

Old tires make excellent outdoor winter planters. Use a degreaser and thoroughly clean the tire before covering it with white spray paint. Use a spray paint that combines paint with primer to make the project easier. When the tire is dry, cover it with a bright, vibrant shade of spray paint.

One side of the tire (the one you intend to use as the bottom) should be covered with plastic or plywood. Drill drainage holes in the bottom and your planter will be ready for soil and seeds!

6 Birdcage Planters Are Fun to Play With

Play around with different birdcage and pot designs

Hanging birdcage planters
Image credits: Evgrafova Svetlana via Shutterstock

Birdcages and pots combine in a quick and easy planter DIY that you can have a lot of fun playing around with. Try painting the cage and pot in matching colors or contrasting shades to get a more multicolor look. Birdcages added a fun element to the overall design, and they can be hung up or sit upright on porches, decks, and other outdoor areas. Find a pot that is small enough to fit inside the cage and you've got a quick, pretty DIY outdoor winter planters just like that!

  • Refer to the classic color wheel to get ideas for mining and matching various color schemes.
  • Try using complementary colors to get a multicolor look that is pleasant, or go with contrasting colors to create something visually arresting and interesting.
  • Remember that the plants add another color to the overall scheme you're designing. Consider foliage and flower colors in all seasons when you're thinking of colorful winter planter ideas.

Brighten Up a Winter Landscape

Many people believe that the beginning of freezing temperatures is the end of the gardening season. However, this couldn't be more wrong! With the proper plants and tools, not to mention ideas for winter planters, you can create wonderful planters, highlighting the charms of your garden.

Let your imagination go wild and make your garden stand out this winter!