Pots are a versatile and essential element for any garden or landscape. Whether you’re looking for a classic terracotta pot, a modern fiberglass planter, or a statement-making cast-iron urn, the right pot can elevate your plants and complement your outdoor or indoor space.
With so many materials, sizes, and shapes to choose from, finding the perfect pot might seem overwhelming. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to help you understand different types of pots and how to use them effectively in your garden or landscape.
First off, materials:
Pots come in quite a few different materials. Terracotta pots are popular and come glazed and unglazed. There are also cast-iron urns and sugar kettles made of iron that rust for an effect that many people like. Concrete pots can come in different washes and shades and are very heavy. Then there are fiberglass and fiber clay pots which are made to be lightweight and can be painted different colors. Read below for a guide on uses for different pot materials.
Uses:

Terracotta pots are great for growing herbs and succulents in because they allow the soil to dry out in between watering.
Fiber clay pots are great for indoor uses, as well as for when you need a larger pot for larger plants.

Shapes:
Pots come in different shapes but can be classified into a few distinct categories. Olive jars remind us of Provence and are great just on their own in the garden or with a low plant spilling over. Urns are classic and can be in a few different shapes. They are a TPG favorite because they are flattering for pretty much any plant shape that you could use. Plant shape, you say?! What does that mean? Well, by that we mean a short, round boxwood globe would look just as great as a tall, tropical looking plant. If you want a pot shape that will be classic, work with any architecture, and always look great, urns are your best friend. Below are a few examples of the urn.


Then there are the more modern shapes. These are usually cubes or rectangular shaped pots. They lend themselves better to a round shape because the opposites shapes complement each other. This would be a great shape for a cone topiary or a round boxwood. These are also better pots for a home or space with a more modern architecture.


Though there are many more shapes, the last main category is the “trough” style shaped planter. Trough style planters are great for putting screening plants together if your planter is larger or for putting lower sized plants in. The trough styles planters are great for putting multiple plants in and creating a great container arrangement. Below are some examples of the trough planter.



These are some of our favorite styles of pots, which we use frequently in our landscape design services and in our homes. We hope you enjoyed our basic guide to pots. If you have any other questions, be sure to comment on social media or contact us here.
As always, thanks for stopping by and reading!