Many people don’t know what to do with their outdoor spaces in their homes or business premises to make them look more appealing. While others will try to decorate the area, others will see no need. It is no secret what a well thought-out landscape scheme can do. It can change your lifestyle and make your entire property look wonderfully appealing. To achieve this, you will need the services of a Landscape Expert. The Landscape Expert in Orange County, California, is well-experienced in redesigning and beautifying your home or business surrounding and elevating the value of your property by use of planter boxes and planters and many other decorating ideas.

Planter Boxes and Planters for Landscape Design

Several households and businesses use planter boxes and planters to add aesthetic value to their property. These are decorative containers placed outdoors with the main purpose of displaying live plants, small trees, shrubs and/or flowers. Additionally, they can be utilized by growing herbs and other edible plants in them. Planter boxes and planters enable you to bring your little garden right onto your balcony.

What Materials Are Planters Made Of?

Planters and planter boxes are made up with a variety of materials. It is, therefore, up to you to choose the planter material that blends perfectly with your doorway, backyard, front yard, or any other landscape you want to be decorated. You also have to blend with your style and other decoration pieces you have. If you are overwhelmed about the choices, a landscaper will help you to choose the best material.

The material used in making planters and planter boxes affects their durability, frequency of maintenance, versatility, and even the possibilities of design. Planters and planter boxes can be made with either of the following materials.

  1. Fiberglass

Fiberglass gives planters and planter boxes a sophisticated appearance. They can really work well with dull spaces. Furthermore, fiberglass is a lightweight material, making it easy for you to carry your planter box from one place to another in order to allow you to be flexible to design trends. You also won’t have a hard time rearranging your boxes, which helps the spaces to remain fresh.

Another quality of fiberglass is its resistance to weather. This will make your planter ideal for an outdoor scheme. The material will withstand all weather conditions from extreme heat to snow and rainfall. Even better, they require minimum maintenance and are corrosion-free. Colored planters will maintain their brightness as they have a durable finish that resists UV rays. Similarly, fiberglass planters and planter boxes are durable and versatile and maintain their sophisticated look for a lifetime.

  1. Metal

Steel and aluminum metal are the most commonly used. They provide a modern look to indoor designs and a calm ambiance to any given landscape. These sort of metals are durable and won’t crack or break easily. Aluminum planter boxes and planters can be traditionally made so as to fit your design style. Metal planters mostly have six powder-coated finishes which makes them look appealing for a long time. These types of planters and planter boxes resemble a piece of art that easily enhances the aesthetic value of any given space.

Before you choose to go for metal boxes, you should know that they are quite bulky to move them from one place to another and have inadequate insulation. This means that your design won’t be as flexible. They are also prone to direct sunlight which might heat them up making the soil to frequently dry up. Thus, you will need to regularly water them. They also need to have drainage holes since metal is non-porous.

Since aluminum planters are bound to rust more often, you can maintain them by washing with a dish scrubber and water and white vinegar mixed in equal ratios, rinse and dry with a towel. It is worth noting that painted planters do not need scrubbing as you will wear off the paint. You are only required to wash it with slight soap then dry with a lenient towel.

Steel planters and planter boxes have an industrial appearance. They, too, require little maintenance. They are not to be cleaned with a harsh soap solution or a scrubber. You can use metal waxes to keep the surface of these steel planters as new and valuable as you first bought them.

  1. Resin and Plastic

These types of planters are capable of imitating other materials, for instance, terra cotta, stone, and concrete. They are, however, more durable, versatile and lightweight than other materials. Plastic planters’ performance is extraordinary, though they are not as durable as metal. Resin, on the other hand, assumes different colors and shapes making it more versatile to allow you to try out various looks. Maintenance is quite easy. The smaller planters can simply be dipped in a mix of water and mild soap for about 10 minutes while the larger ones will need a little light scrubbing, then detailed rinsing and air drying.

  1. Wood

Redwood, cedar, and Black Locust are the most commonly used materials in making raised garden planters and planter boxes because they are durable and rot-free. These types of wood are pressure-treated first before being used. A wooden planter can be designed to fit depending on where you want it. It also can be painted in any color without rotting. This makes it a durable type of planter. Wood planters can work with a variety of landscape styles. However, you need to thoroughly prepare them before using them to enhance their durability and the health of the plants.

To maintain this kind of planters, apply a roofing cement on the inside part of the planter. This will prevent the wood from being exposed to water, and thus, rot-resistant. You also need to cover the drainage holes with a landscape material to prevent the soil from being washed away. It is also important that you fill your planter with good quality soil.

Waterproofing Your Planter Boxes & Planters – Why It Is Important

Making your planter boxes & planters waterproof is key as it prevents them from being damaged by elements such as rain, sun, or even snow. In addition, these planters leak more often than not, and if they are not treated properly, they can cause harm to your home. This is because as the water leaks and finds its way to the unfinished areas, it creates an environment where dry-rot or mold to grow. These elements can easily damage the planter as well as spreading to cause more damage to the surrounding environment. Because your planter boxes are constantly wet, it is advisable that you make them waterproof. This will reduce the chances of formation of mold and dry-rot.

Not making your planter boxes and planters waterproof could lead to more implications that include a high cost of maintenance. This is because you will need to replace your planter boxes regularly and repair all the other damages. In addition, you have to dispose of the mold, repair the drywall and the frames and incur more landscaping costs. Not just any designer can get your planter waterproofed properly. You need the services of a professional so that you can rest assured that your planter won’t cause any harm.

Tips on How to Create Planter Boxes and Planter Designs

Unlike in the past, picking a few plants or bright flowers for your planters may not make your landscape design stand out. You must first know what entails a stylish landscape before making any choices. Here are some of the factors you should consider:

  1. How do you want your planters’ structured?

When choosing plants for your landscape design, consider the size of your planters or planter boxes and the ultimate height, shape, and growth pattern of the plants. We have either broad, upright or trailing plants and the best planter box appearance will have at least one of each plant form. One upright plant, two broad and mid-height plants, and one or two trailing plant like sweet potato vines will make a good combination.

Alternatively, you can choose to grow just one flamboyant plant in the container. For instance, a thick, upright bunch of bamboo trees. A bunch of ornamental grass also makes an elegant appearance. You could also go for a trailing plant such that your planter is filled with nothing but wine-red sweet potato vines.

  1. What are the growing conditions of the plant?

You have to place your planter or planter box strategically so that the plants you picked get their desired growth conditions. Or rather, first think of where you will place your planter then select plants that can adapt to that area. In addition, it is important that you combine plants with the same moisture requirement. Another key factor is soil preference. Your planter or planter box should be filled with the type of soil that will support the plant you want to grow.

  1. Various leaf textures

Just like color, vegetation is important in designing an attractive landscape. The size and texture of the leaves of the plants you have chosen determines the kind of vegetation you will have. There are a variety of leaf textures and it will be wise that you blend most of them. For instance, we have waxy, prickly, shiny, and velvety leaves. Contrasting vegetation makes a sophisticated landscape.

  1. What colors to choose?

Catchy colors will do the magic. A planter box with a well-composed plantation is as visually stimulating as a well-painted building. Combining complementary colors such as purple and yellow creates energy and excitement. You can also limit yourself to a visually soothing combination of related colors, for example, red and yellow. Choosing color is determined by the color of your house, deck, paver, patio, or anywhere else you will be placing your planter. You can first experiment those dramatic color combinations before coming up with the perfect one to use in your permanent landscape.

Where Can You Decorate Using Planters and Planter Boxes?

Planter boxes and planters give you an opportunity to add different shades of color and ordinary beauty to your surroundings. They also provide a visual interest around your home and your business area. Here are some of the landscape design ideas you would want to consider;

  1. Place your planter or planter box in those empty spaces

Those small areas that you see to have no purpose around your home or business premises could turn into valuable and beautiful sceneries using planters. Such an attractive group of plants welcomes visitors and fills the space with a bright outlook. A landscape expert can implement more ideas on how to design such spaces.

  1. Put planters in your modern office

Planters and planter boxes will fit perfectly in the modern look of your office. When decorating your office with planters, you should consider the following factors which will help you choose what best suits your particular environment.

  1. Planter Shape: Go for planters that have simple but outstanding shapes. This helps to elevate the appearance of your office. They express a motivated, efficient, and glossy look. The shape alone can create a unique landscape design provided you are creative enough to make a few twists;
  2. The color pattern of the planter: Most offices have their own distinctive color arrangement. In most cases, it is usually black and white with a combination of vivacious colors. You can make the components of your planter or planter box blend, or stand unique from office colors. Bright colored planters should have a simple symmetrical shape with no accompaniments. The plants should also be plain;
  3. Planter material and texture: The office environment determines the material of the planter/ planter boxes to use. The material should be either natural, shiny, or metallic. It is even better if the office uses natural properties like wood for overall design since the planters will fit the environment artistically. It is also advisable that you maintain only one or two types of materials.

 

  1. Arrange your planter boxes in a pattern in your room or outdoors

This could be what attracts most about your landscape. Arrange them in a style to create that effect you desire. You can use them to form and demarcate points around your room or outside your house. When you have these with plants flowing over the verge to cover the planter so as it is not seen, the appearance looks artistically.

  1. Use planters to make a sidewalk

Every building must have a sidewalk. Sidewalks give visitors the impression of what the building is all about. Planters are the best choice to make your sidewalk attractive. Planter boxes can be used naturally, artistically, or uniformly to welcome visitors into your home or your business premises. Large, round planter boxes are the best choice. The round planters are believed to be more welcoming than the geometrically shaped and planters with corners.

  1. Make the atmosphere around your pool attractive

Your pool is one of the places you can go to relax after a long day’s work. It will be a nice idea to create an attractive environment by adding attractive planters. However, there are some factors you must consider. For example, you must know how much sun the area is exposed to before buying your plants or flowers. With the right planter box, those ordinary plants can look elegant when displayed in places around your area. Other factors to put in mind are the safety of the people using the pool, the aesthetic value the planters add to the pool, and the design of the pool.

  1. Create the mood for open-air dining

Dining outside the house with family and friends is one of the pleasant moments you can have. Planters help create the dining environment as they are mostly used as design add-ons. To match your planters to the beauty of your home, consider the occasion; For instance, if it is a romance or a festive celebration dinner, blend the colors of your planter and the theme color accordingly.