Here’s how to choose a stylish garden planter, plus six made-in-Canada planters to try | Canada Voices

In the spring, the garden at the side of Rosie Daykin’s Vancouver house is overflowing with greenery, much of it thriving in planter boxes of various shapes and sizes. There are concrete vases, old watering cans and raised wooden beds for vegetables. She even has a few woven baskets for “texture,” though, as she notes, “they aren’t weatherproof and will start to break down after a couple of years in the rain.”

Daykin, a bestselling cookbook author, drew inspiration for her latest book, The Side Gardener, from her own flourishing garden. She often gives the this advice to those seeking planters: “If you find one you like, buy it! Attractive planters, in my opinion, are hard to come by.”

Daykin prefers the patina of vintage vessels. “I hunt down and buy a lot of antique ones,” she says, noting that Facebook Marketplace is a go-to source. “Old stone or concrete planters, with their chips and mossy sides – if you’re very lucky – come preloaded with more character and substance than any of the mass-produced ones on the market today.”

For Joel Loblaw, an award-winning landscape architect and former HGTV host, the right planter is one that suits its space. “A modern house needs a modern planter,” he says. “A traditional house needs something more appropriate.”

Loblaw’s personal tastes lean toward clean-lined, subtle designs – planters that serve as background players rather than scene-stealers. “Planters should be a vessel for the plant matter,” he says. “I like simple and minimal – black or neutral tones, square or rectangular. That way, the vegetation really stands out.”

The material of Loblaw’s planters varies. “You can find good planters in steel, iron, concrete – anything,” he says. “But there’s a technical side to planters, especially when it comes to surviving the extremes of our Canadian climate.”

He points out that insulation is crucial for protecting plant roots from the freeze-thaw cycle. While some planters come preinsulated, homeowners can add their own insulation easily as needed. “All you have to do is line the planter with one-inch sheets of the pink or blue rigid insulation boards you find at any hardware store,” he explains. “It really makes a difference for the longevity of the plants.”

Drainage is also key. “Without proper drainage, many plants might drown,” he warns. “A few drainage holes at the bottom of the planter can make all the difference.”

Ben Cullen, a gardening expert and journalist, adds that elevating the planter can help ensure that as the water drains out, the vessel and the roots within don’t sit in standing water. “Too often we see water-logged container plants, which are hard to recover once they start to rot,” he says.

Beyond drainage, Cullen points to size as an important consideration, as all plants will need a certain amount of space to grow. “A good rule of thumb for smaller planters is that the diameter of the container should exceed the root ball by one to two inches, and three to four inches for larger plants,” he says.

Beyond the technical specs, Loblaw encourages people to have fun with planters. “They are a great way to add variety to any garden,” he says. “I love planting them with flowers that burst with colour in the spring – exactly when we all need colour the most.”

Six buys to try

When shopping for planters this spring, look for the right style to suit your garden. Here are six made-in-Canada options