Wooden Planters for Patios

A patio is a harder place to grow than open ground. There is no soil to draw on, the paving reflects heat, and anything you put down has to be moved, watered and lived with at close quarters. These are the things worth thinking about before you buy, and how our planters handle each of them.

Start with weight and access

A planter that is easy to carry empty can be immovable once filled. Compost weighs roughly a kilogram a litre when wet, so the 80 litre 50 cm square will sit at well over 90 kg planted up. Decide where it is going before you fill it.

Everything we build arrives fully assembled, so the widest external dimension has to pass through your gate or side return. Our comparison table lists that figure for every planter.

Protect the paving

Our planters sit on short feet, which lifts the lowest slat clear of the surface. That does two useful things on a patio: it lets the timber dry out between showers, and it stops a permanent damp ring forming on the slabs. If your patio holds water in one corner, put the planter somewhere else, or pack it up on a pair of thin slabs so water can run away underneath.

Think about drainage

Every planter we make has an open base and a permeable liner, so water runs straight through. On a patio that means the water has to go somewhere. Position planters where run-off drains away rather than towards a doorway, and be aware that compost fines can leave a light stain on pale limestone or porcelain in the first few weeks.

Choosing shape for a patio

Against a wall or fence

The 100 cm trough is only 30 cm front to back, so it gives you a metre of planting without eating into the usable space.

Framing a doorway or steps

A matched pair of 50 cm squares with clipped bay, box or olive is the classic solution and needs very little maintenance.

The middle of an open patio

The 80 cm octagonal is designed to be seen from every angle, which is what you want for something that is walked around rather than looked at from one side.

Screening a seating area

The 45 cm planter with trellis reaches 130 cm overall, so a climber gets you privacy without building anything permanent.

Small spaces and balconies

The 40 cm round barrel is 40 cm across and 11 kg empty, which makes it the easiest to place and the easiest to change your mind about. If you are putting anything on a balcony, check the loading limit first.

Herbs by the back door

The herb planter table stands at 80 cm, so you can cut what you need without crouching, and the slatted lower shelf takes pots and a watering can.

Watering

Containers on a patio dry out faster than anything else in the garden, particularly a south-facing one. Larger planters buy you time simply because there is more compost holding water. Mixing topsoil into the compost helps a great deal, and a mulch of bark or gravel on the surface slows evaporation.

How they will look in a few years

Pressure-treated timber weathers from honey to silver-grey over a season or two. Some people prefer that; if you do not, an exterior oil or stain every couple of years will hold a warmer tone. There is more detail on our timber care guide.

If your patio needs something that is not a standard size, we build to measure. Send us your dimensions and we will quote before you commit.