Quote:
Originally Posted by Uptown Girl
If I may ask,
Is your preference of material due to weight concerns? Being able to move it?
Have you decided what you will be planting? (shrubs, flowers, a fruit tree?)
There is a way to plant ceramic pots to lighten their load, if the plant material is not going to be massive.
You can pack the bottom third or half with styrofoam noodles, covered with landscaping cloth- then plant. There are also new 'pot feet' out there that are basically inexpensive 3" round teflon discs you can stick to the bottom of the pot. (I bought mine at Home Depot)
The discs will allow easy sliding, rotating of pot (if desired) and also lift the pot a few inches to allow for drainage and air flow underneath.
If it is heat absorption you are concerned with, or protection from cold in winter, I have lined larger ceramic pots with styrofoam sheets before planting and have been successful with that method.
I also have larger double-walled fiberglass type/composite planters that I bought through Hayneedle (online) and I REALLY like them... easy-peasy and no styrofoam to add but keep them more in shade on the lanai, to keep the color of the pots from fading in full sun over time.
(Mine are black-contemporary style) I'm one who likes to see before I buy, too.... but Hayneedle gives you a true picture you can enlarge and measurements online and will take it back if you don't like it. They offer a huge selection, as well. (Urns, too.)
Glazed ceramic holds up like a champ in our climate- no color change, easy to hose off, no mildew or mold -that's why you see so many at the garden stores. 
Happy gardening! |
Thanks for all of your suggestions, including Hayneedle. We had not seen this web site before, and spent about a half hour and only managed to see about half of the 900 planter\urns they offer. I suspect if you can't find what you're looking for here, they probably don't make it. When we have more time, we'll go back to Hayneedle to view more.
As far as our intentions, we're looking to add color to the lanai, so we were thinking of Croton, or Coleus. We're not sophisticated gardeners and really haven't thought a lot about what we might plant over time but it wouldn't be shrubs or trees.
The Teflon discs you mention also make sense. We've seen nylon trolleys both with and without wheels but the discs seem like they would meet our needs.