The Simple Planter Upgrade That'll Add Some Color To Your Boring Patio

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Adding potted plants to your patio is one way to grow an eclectic assortment of flowers, herbs, or small trees even if your garden space is limited. You can even grow fruit trees in pots on limited patio space. Just outlining the perimeter of your patio with potted plants doesn't necessarily make it interesting, however. Black plastic or terra cotta plant pots can be, well, boring. But the beauty of plant pots is there's absolutely no reason to go with standard or boring options. Upgrade the vibe with pops of color, pattern, or design to create a fun, enjoyable environment that suits the seasonal time you spend outdoors. Whether you make them or buy them, choose one vibrant color or many, this simple change will bring life and vibrancy to your deck, patio, or other outdoor space.

You can visit your favorite garden center to pick their most visually interesting plant pots, but that could also end up costing a fortune. To save money on the project, check out thrift stores and yard sales for the perfect pots for your yard. Another option that makes things even more fun is to add the color yourself. Just about any plant pot material can be painted with an outdoor-worthy acrylic or spray paint, such as Krylon Fusion All-in-One which works on multiple surfaces, including plastic. You can even paint clouds, flowers, or detailed patterns. Or if you're feeling particularly jaunty, search for "abstract rainbow head planters" on Amazon, and you'll land on something truly creative like the U Wonderful abstract hand-painted Picasso (inspired) flower pot.

The beauty of updating your plant pots with color is that you can take things in just about any direction you like, visually. Coordinate plant-pot colors with the plants that will be in them for one approach; for instance, red, purple, and white pansies could look stunning in a yellow or sky blue pot. Orange marigolds would look great in a rich turquoise pot, a la Taylor Swift's "Life of a Showgirl" album. 

For another approach, pick a single color in different shades, on pots that are different sizes and shapes. Mix textured pots in for more depth of style, or upgrade them yourself with this satisfying and stylish Dollar Tree planter DIY. If most of your plant pots are the same size, turn old nursery pots into plant stands to bring a little height to the ones toward the back of your plant-pot groupings. You can paint those in similar or complimentary colors as well.

Consider creating a plant pot rainbow. You can get a 10-pack of 6-inch Versatile metal flower pots in a range of pastel colors at Home Depot. Plant with different succulents or pansies for a coordinated look. Or for a cohesive look, play off of the color scheme found in your patio furniture, using an orange pot to carry the color of orange cushions across the entire view, for instance. Cohesiveness is one of the ways to make your outdoor spaces look elegant on a budget.