I’ve got a project for you that’s perfect for any number of areas in your garden—it’s a welcoming entryway planting, a vertical accent for those with limited space, and a dramatic focal point for those with endless acreage. What is it? A stackable planter! A triple planter in the footprint of one, and, depending upon the size of pots you use, can accent a corner or fill out a patio. Here’s the finished project:

If you’re like many gardeners, you may already have some of the materials on hand—those stacks of terra cotta pots that are currently unused will come in handy here! First, decide where you want this triple planter to reside, as you won’t be able to move it once it’s planted. Then gather your pots—choose 3 pots of graduating sizes, like these:

It’s important to support the middle pot so it doesn’t sink down into the soil in the bottom container—this is a heavy project. I’ve used one of those sturdy black plastic nursery pots, inverted and placed into the bottom pot for the middle container to rest upon:

Now you can fill the empty space left in the largest pot with potting soil, stopping 4” below the rim. Add your second pot with soil filled up to about 4” from the top, and finish with the smallest pot on top.

It’s time to have fun with the plantings. Collect 4” pots of annual color or succulents, and arrange them in the open rings left at the base of each pot. I really pack these plants in tightly for an instantly full, lush look. The top pot is a perfect spot for a focal plant—like the crowning glory on this planted tower. When all the plants are in, I like to finish up by tucking in some handfuls of Spanish moss in-between the flowers; it completes the planting with an artistic touch, and helps soil moisture to remain constant.

Have fun with this project—I replant mine twice a year with warm-or-cool season annuals on the front porch, and it’s a gorgeous welcome to both visitors and passersby!