Tall Planter Ideas – What to Plant in Tall Outdoor Planters
Tall planters can completely change the look of a porch, patio, or garden space. They add height, help frame an entrance, and make container gardens feel more intentional. A tall planter can also solve awkward spots where a short pot just disappears into the landscape.
This post shares tall planter ideas using real examples, including front porch planters, privacy planters, repurposed containers, and creative ways to make planters look taller. If you’re wondering what to plant in tall planters, you’ll also find flower and foliage ideas that work well in outdoor containers.
If you would like a simple tutorial what to plant, please take a look at the tutorial showing How to Plant a Flower Pot. For ideas and inspiration about what plants to put in your container, take a peek at this post about Front Porch Planter Ideas.
Why tall planters work so well outdoors
Tall outdoor planters do more than hold flowers. They help create structure in a space. They can make a front porch feel balanced, add privacy on a patio, and bring the eye upward in areas that need more height.
They are also useful when you want planters to stand out instead of blending into the background. In a large yard or around a wide entryway, small pots can look lost. A taller planter has enough presence to hold its own.
Tall planters are especially helpful for:
- front porch or front door styling
- patio corners that need height
- screening or soft privacy
- adding interest to a blank wall or fence
- showing off dramatic foliage or trailing flowers
- repurposed container gardens with character
Tall planter ideas for front porches and entryways
If you want a planter to make a statement, the front porch is one of the best places to use a tall container. Tall planters help frame a doorway, add color near the entrance, and make the space look more finished.
This is also where matching or coordinating containers can look especially good. A pair of tall planters near the front door can create symmetry, but a single large planter can work too if the area is smaller or the door placement is off-center.
When choosing tall planters for a front porch, think about both the container and what you plant in it. A dramatic planter shape helps, but so does a planting combination with height, fullness, and something that spills softly over the edge.
Good plants for front porch tall planters include ornamental grasses, coleus, geraniums, begonias, petunias, and trailing vines.
What to plant in tall outdoor planters
One of the biggest questions with tall planters is what actually looks good in them. The best plant combinations usually include some height, some fullness, and a plant that softens the edges.
Tall planters often look best when you follow a simple thriller, filler, and spiller approach.
Good thriller plants for tall planters
These are the plants that add height and help the planter feel scaled correctly.
Purple fountain grass adds dramatic height and movement.
King Tut grass works well when you want an upright, architectural look.
Coleus can create height too, especially larger varieties with bold leaves.
Geraniums add structure and color and can hold their own in a larger container.
Good filler plants for tall planters
Filler plants make the planter look full and colorful.
Begonias work especially well in part shade or bright shade.
Impatiens are useful for softer color in shadier spots.
Coleus can also work as a filler when used in groups.
Petunias help fill sunny planters quickly.
Good spiller plants for tall planters
Spillers help soften the hard edges of a tall container.
Trailing petunias are a classic choice.
Sweet potato vine works well when you want more leaf contrast.
Other trailing annuals can also work depending on sun conditions.
The best planting choices depend on where the planter sits. A sunny front porch needs different plants than a shaded patio corner. But in general, tall planters look best when the plants feel scaled to the height of the container.
Tall planter ideas for privacy and screening
Tall planters can also be used to create privacy. This works especially well on patios, near sitting areas, or along a deck where you want to block a view without building something permanent.
Rectangular or grouped tall planters are especially useful for this. Even when the planter itself is not extremely high, the combination of a raised container and upright plant material can create enough visual screening to make a space feel more tucked in.
This is where grasses, arborvitae, or other upright plants can be useful. You do not always need a dense hedge. Sometimes just a row of taller containers and plants is enough to define the space.
If you already have tall planters in a line, that is a great visual example to keep because it gives this post a practical use beyond decoration.
Creative repurposed tall planter ideas
This is the section that makes the post different.
A lot of tall planter posts online show store-bought containers only. Those can be beautiful, but repurposed planters often have more personality and make a garden feel more original.
Old sinks, chimney flues, tub stands, plant stands, raised containers, and unusual salvaged pieces can all become tall planters. Sometimes the height comes from the container itself. Other times the planter is elevated by the base, pedestal, or stand underneath it.
Repurposed tall planters work especially well when you want your garden to look collected rather than overly matched. They can also be more budget-friendly if you already have pieces on hand.
This is one of the strongest angles in your original post because it shows real creativity rather than generic planter advice.
Vintage sink planter
A vintage sink makes a wonderful tall planter because it already has structure, depth, and a built-in focal point. The sink bowl holds the planting, and the base adds height without needing a separate stand.
Raised tub or stand planter
A tub on a stand creates the same effect. The elevated base makes the planting easier to see and gives the arrangement more presence in the garden.
Chimney flue planter
A chimney flue is another interesting tall planter option. It gives strong vertical shape and works especially well for upright plants or bold seasonal arrangements.
Stump or base-lifted planter
Sometimes the planter itself is not especially tall, but placing it on a stump, pedestal, or sturdy base creates the same visual effect. This is a simple trick that can make an ordinary planter feel much more dramatic.
How to make a planter look taller
You do not always need to buy an extra tall planter to get the same effect. Sometimes the easiest solution is to make the planter look taller.
One way to do that is by placing a container on a sturdy stand, pedestal, stump, or other raised surface. This lifts the whole arrangement and gives it more presence.
Another way is through plant choice. Upright grasses, larger coleus, and strong vertical foliage can make a planter read as taller, even if the actual pot is fairly average in size.
Color and shape matter too. A narrower or more vertical planter shape naturally feels taller than a short, wide bowl. Pairing that shape with upright plants gives the strongest effect.
This is especially helpful if you already have containers you like but want them to show up better in the landscape.
Best flowers and plants for tall planters
If you want quick ideas, these are some of the best plants for tall outdoor planters based on the examples in this post.
For sunny tall planters
Purple fountain grass
Geraniums
Petunias
Sweet potato vine
For part shade tall planters
Coleus
Begonias
Impatiens
Trailing foliage plants
For a more dramatic architectural look
King Tut grass
Tall upright foliage plants
Grasses with movement
If the planter is going on a front porch, I would focus on plants that keep their shape and still look good from a distance. If it is going near a seating area or patio, softer trailing plants can be more effective because they are seen up close.
Tips for planting tall containers
Tall planters can be beautiful, but they do have a few practical issues.
They can dry out faster if they are placed in full sun or exposed to wind. This is especially true on porches, patios, or open deck areas.
Very deep containers may not need to be filled completely with potting soil, depending on what you are planting. In some cases, lightweight filler in the lower portion can help reduce soil use and make the container easier to move.
Drainage is important. Any repurposed planter needs a way for excess water to escape.
It also helps to match the plant size to the scale of the pot. Small plants in a very tall container can look underwhelming at first. A larger thriller plant or fuller filler plant usually looks more balanced.
FAQs about tall outdoor planters
Tall outdoor planters usually look best with a combination of height, fullness, and trailing plants. Ornamental grasses, coleus, begonias, petunias, geraniums, and trailing vines are all good options depending on sun exposure.
Plants with strong shape or height usually look best in tall planters. Purple fountain grass, King Tut grass, coleus, begonias, impatiens, and geraniums are all good choices.
Yes. Tall planters can help create privacy on a patio, deck, or porch, especially when grouped together or planted with upright grasses or evergreen material.
You can make a planter look taller by raising it on a stump, stand, pedestal, or other sturdy base. Upright plants also help create more visual height.
Tall planter ideas does not mean having to buy oversized matching containers from the store. Some of the best tall planters come from creative repurposing, snart plant choices, and using height in a way that makes the whole space feel more intentional.
Whether you want front porch tall planter ideas, privacy planters, or ideas for what to plant in tall outdoor planters, the best results usually come from combining strong container shapes with plants that fit the scale of the space.
