Greetings all and happy weekend!  I’ll be spending the next three days at our Alma Project house sprucing up a few rooms, it’s a lot of work but I can’t wait to get it all done with the help of a small crew of volunteers!  Also, next week I’m co-teaching a gardening workshop in partnership with the Home Depot in Roseville, California on Thursday evening – be sure to come if you’re local!  I’m assigned the task of inspiring the participants with a few creative ideas for container gardening, so it was time to work some magic with some ordinary stuff found at my local HD store.

This planter project is one of the few ideas I’m preparing for the workshop and I thought I’d share it with you all today.  It’s a plain window box that I dressed up with painted wood shims that were trimmed to fit the dimensions of the box to form a one-of-a-kind planter.  Here’s the quick step-by-step to make your own version in less than two hours.

First, gather up some supplies which include: a wood planter box (I chose this one), several dozen wood shims (I used approximately 40 shims), wood glue, craft paint or paint samples from the paint department, small paintbrushes, miter box or compound miter saw (not shown), spray primer (optional), hot glue gun (optional).

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One of my favorite things to do each growing season is fill the several planters on the front porch and around the yard.  I have a few that are larger in scale and lend themselves well to a grouping of plants in a single pot.  Just as decorative objects on display in the home look better in odd numbers, plants arranged in a trio look equally beautiful.  In container gardening, the technique is called the “thriller, filler, spiller” and its application never fails to create an interesting yet harmonious container.

The showy centerpiece or “thriller” grows tall and proud, the “filler” flowers up next to it provide fullness and complement the main attraction, and the “spiller” creeps out of the pot towards the ground to create one full and lush container.

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I was visiting my friend the other day and noticed an old cottage screen door sitting by the side of her house.  I said, “Whatcha gonna do with that?”  and she said “Don’t know, doesn’t fit our doorway.” and I said “It’s really cool, can I do something with it for you?” and she said, “Go for it.”  So I decided to turn it into an architectural planter rack for some herb containers. 

I also made her some cute paint can planters too – I snapped a few pics of the door turned planter rack in my yard, but it’s headed back to her house where her hub will attach it to the side of their house.  But I have to say, I’m totally smitten with this door, the pale blue paint is all chipped and crackled and old and awesome and the arched panes on top had me at hello.  I will miss it when it goes so I’ll have to visit my friend as an excuse to stare at the transformed screen door that I love so much. 

For the rosemary, basil, spearmint, cilantro and dill, I made these paint can planters with the same technique I used three years ago for these gallon size paint can planters. 

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Hey everyone, thanks for all the thoughtful comments on the purpose filled home post, I’ve read every one, I really appreciate your fantastic insight!  I finally got that patch of sun I was waiting for all weekend long, so I was able to get my hands dirty with some new plantings for the front porch. 

I replaced the dying Italian cypress with these pretty blue Potato Bush topiary trees and some ‘Glamorama’ pansies.  Out of storage came the outdoor medallion pillows I’ve had for two summer seasons (found at a local garden department).  The striped ones are these Esther pillows found on sale at Joss & Main.

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