Stacked Plant Pot Arrangements

Pile up your planters to create your own eye-catching tower of foliage

Got a shed full of boring, samey looking plant pots? Don’t despair – even the most plain and pedestrian pot can be given a whole new lease of life when displayed with a little imagination and creativity.

By stacking pots on top of one another, you can house complementary or contrasting plants together yet apart – call it a living sculpture.

Stacking your plants vertically is also a great way to display multiple plants without taking up too much precious shelf space – great if you have a small empty space or balcony.

stacked pots

How to make a stacked plant pot display

Making a stacked plant pot arrangement is pretty simple. If you want your pots at a jaunty angle, all you need is a length of steel reinforcing bar, according to how high you want your structure – or more importantly, how many pots you have.

First, drill a hole into the bottom of each pot – just bigger than the diameter of the bar. Plastic pots are ideal for this. Push the bar into the soil, then thread the first pot onto the bar.

Place the pot flat and fill with soil. Thread the next pot onto the bar and tilt at an angle. Repeat with the next pot, placing at an angle in the opposite direction. Keep layering until you reach the top of the bar.

For a more eye-catching look, paint the pots in colours of your choice first.

Selecting your plants

When it comes to choosing plants, there are no rules. Opt for flowering plants in one colour, or a different colour for each pot. Trailing plants, such as ivy, can also work well in planter stacks creating a waterfall effect, or try succulents for an easy to care for display.

Be sure to consider the watering needs of each plant you use in your stack. Place plants with similar needs in the same pots and if you have drainage holes in your pots place those which require more water at the bottom to ensure that the water travels downwards with gravity giving them what they need without overwatering the other plants. 

stacked pots

Home sweet home

A planter stack can also make a great doorway display. Stack three terracotta pots, a large one (at the bottom), a medium one, and a small one (at the top). Paint the word ‘home’ on the top and bottom pots, and ‘sweet’ on the middle pot.

Buy a ready-made stack

If DIY isn’t your thing and you’d prefer to spend your spare time gardening, not building, you could always cheat by buying a stacked planter. There are a wide variety of styles available online, see here for some inspiration!