Large planters, lightweight or heavy?

[WreckItRalphsDM]

Hi, Home someone can help, I am looking to buy 2 large tall cube planters for either side of our patio doors (outside), does anyone know if the galvanised lightweight planters or fibreglass are any good or should I go for the heavy duty ones? I am looking to put topiary in them so assuming I go lightweight I might need to weigh it down more?

Any thoughts and experiences appreciated as well as ideas of where best to buy! THANK YOU!

They look really nice. I like the tall ones best and should be fine. iIwould quarter fill it with some shingle or agricultural grit to give good drainage and add some weight to it. I would also use one part sand to 2 parts potting compost as most topiary plants like sandy loam.

As to where to buy i would look in my local garden centre.

Fibreglass is better than zinc. Metal planters heat up too much in the sun and you can end up effectively cooking the roots.

I have some metal planters, but never pot directly into them, but put the plant in another pot, and line the planter with cardboard to avoid the root cooking effect. Even then I put it in a shady place, but this IS Australia.:o
TBH, I'm slowly getting rid of them as they rust at the bottom.

I'd go for fibreglass.

Thanks for the help and tip on fibreglass, never thought of overcooking especially as our garden is south west facing, but are topiary plants going to completely fizzle? any suggestions on large plants to go in those planters that can deal with sun? All help appreciated, green fingers I'm not!! thanks

Convolvulus cneorum could work. If you put box plants (I'm assuming that's what you're aiming for when you say topiary plants) in containers they require endless watering and prefer not to be in full sun.

I'd still avoid the metal containers though, and go for the fibreglass.

Agree with the fibreglass rather metal and I wouldn't go for anything heavy duty. I was given large wood troughs which are really hard to move when full.

Yesterday I was looking at a 150 year old olive tree in a large container outside our local garden centre. Think this will depend where you are in the country though. I'm very fond of going out to get a leaf or two from my bay tree someone gave me. Figs do well in pots if you can train them up the wall.

Or seeing as it's by the back door, what about doing herbs ? A fair few are Mediterranean so like sun and well draining soil. You can get rosemary plants that are round balls on a stem which would leave you space underneath for others and lavender can come like this too. Sage and thyme come in different colours which can look pretty if you have a look in the garden centre. Then there's oregano, chives, dill, tarragon. Could look, smell and taste good.