52 Best Pots and Planters for Every Style and Budget

If you're lucky enough to have two green thumbs, a home and a yard filled with plants and posies aplenty, it's only fair to show them off in pots and planters that match their beauty. That said, picking out the perfect planter for your prized blooms can be trickier (and pricier) than you think.

Below, we break down seven unique pot and planter styles and explain how to best use each type in your space. The best part? We take the guesswork out of your garden planning with hand-picked selections for each style category. Keep scrolling to shop the best pots and planters for this year.

Best Patinaed Stone, Cement + Terra-Cotta Planters

A fail-proof technique to infuse your new-build’s back patio or porch with storied character and garden charm? Patina, baby — the more, the merrier. Pre-weathered stone and cement planters and patinaed terra-cotta pots are keys for cultivating a luxurious, Old World appeal in otherwise new and lacking outdoor spaces. White-washed terra cotta, moss-stained cement and barnacle-clad stone will work overtime to house plants while adding eye-catching texture and historic allure around every corner of your outdoor space.

And, yes, patinaed pots and planters look equally lovely when used to complement older homes and gardens, too.

Best Wall-Mounted Planters

Take your gardening pursuits to new heights with a space-saving wall-mounted planter. These compact planters are perfect for balconies and empty patio walls alike. Select a sleek, matte-black wall planter to bring crisp contrast to your modern outdoor design, and choose an aged stone or metal wall planter to infuse your garden with storied charm.

Best Hanging Planters

Drape your covered porch in a blanket of lush, vibrant greenery with hanging pots and planters. Hanging planters come in all shapes, sizes and styles to suit modern and traditional designs. Make a show-stopping statement by framing your back door with a pair of pretty hanging planters complete with lively ferns or blooms. Another idea? Scoop up a double- or triple-pot hanging planter and suspend it from the ceiling in the sun-drenched corner of your kitchen.

Best Rectangular Planters

Rectangular planters are a must-have for anyone who craves privacy on their back deck or patio. Nestle a rectangular planter against your deck railing and fill with blooms and herbs of your choosing. Because they are more broad than tall, this planter style provides maximum privacy from neighbors without obstructing views beyond the railing. Love the look but working with limited space? Achieve similar results with a deck railing planter or windowsill box. Fill the pint-sized alternatives with trailing greenery to create a blanket of foliage that blocks your deck from view.

Best Urn Planters

When in doubt, keep it classic. Neoclassical, to be exact. Urn-style pots and planters feature a timeless silhouette inspired by ancient Grecian and Roman pottery. Invest in a pair of elegant urn planters to flank your front door or bring symmetry to your back deck.

Best Tall Planters

Anchor your exterior doors with a pair of tall and handsome planters. Placing a pair of tall planters on each side of your entry will bring visual balance and height to your exterior design. Fill the planters with lush palms, overflowing blooms or trailing ivy to blend in with your surroundings. Pro tip: Use the direction of the sun as your guide to picking the perfect plants for your tall porch planters to ensure lasting, lively beauty.

Best Ceramic Planters

Add some high-gloss shine throughout your patio or alfresco entertainment space with tried-and-true ceramic planters. Glossy and gorgeous, ceramic planters come in every shape and style imaginable and make fail-proof additions for contemporary, modern, eclectic and transitional designs alike. And, looks aside, ceramic planters are our top pick for tropical plants (looking at you, fiddle leaf figs!) as they retain soil moisture longer than terra cotta counterparts.