These beautiful winter porch planters can be easily made for the Christmas holidays and enjoyed all winter long. A mix of artificial and natural materials gives your front porch some attractive curb appeal for months.
It's that time of year when I decorate our porch for the holidays. I have two outdoor planters that flank our front door that I keep even after the flower gardening season is over. This year I wanted to create something that would coordinate with my Christmas Village Wreath now hanging on the front door.
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Supplies
- Tall Flower Planters
- Branches
- Wooden birdhouses (I found some at Dollar Tree)
- Dowel Rods
- Fresh Greenery/Evergreen Foliage
- Artificial Red Berries (or live winterberry branches)
- Large Pinecones
- Artificial Red Cardinals
- Gel Stain
- White Paint
- Glitter
How to Make Winter Porch Planters
Step 1. Paint or rub gel stain on the birdhouses and dowel rods. You could also use relatively straight tree branches instead of dowel rods.
Step 2. Drill a hole for the dowel rods in the bottom of the birdhouse. Place the dowel rod inside the hole and use hot glue to secure it.
Step 3. Dry brush a little white paint on the birdhouse.
Step 4. Paint the roof of the birdhouse white and sprinkle a little glitter on top while the paint is wet.
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Step 5. Place the birdhouse into the planter in the front middle of the pot. Then add in some branches around the sides and back. Then clip on a few artificial red cardinals.
Step 6. Add fresh greenery around the base of the pot. I used juniper and some blue spruce clipping from the yard. However, you can use other evergreen branches such as boxwood, holly, pine branches, or berries. If you don't have any in your yard check the local nurseries who usually have cut greenery for sale this time of year.
Step 7. Add some artificial red berry stems to the mix and a large pinecone in the front. If you have shrubs with berries or seed pods in your landscape use them. They add a nice pop of color to the planter.
Tips for Winter Planters
- Keeping in mind your zone or the climate you live in choose plant material that will last in outdoor winter planters. It gets pretty cold where I live so evergreens are a good choice in combination with artificial florals. However, if you live in a warm climate you may be able to use other items that won't be ruined if they freeze.
- You don't have to follow my planters to a tee. You can use different birds or small bows in the branches you choose. Just keep in mind that they will look best with different textures and a small pop of color.
- I always leave the dirt that I grew my flowers in but if you are using new planters consider filling them with recycled materials from packaging such as cardboard, styrofoam, and other trash instead of using fresh potting soil to fill the pots.
These beautiful winter planters look great as Christmas decor but I think I will leave them there all winter long.
More Porch Planter Ideas
DIY Winter Porch Planters
Equipment
- Electric Drill
- Paint Brush
- Hot glue gun
- Scissors
Materials
- 2 Wooden Bird Houses
- 2 Wooden Dowel Rods
- Gel Stain
- White Craft Paint
- Clear Glitter
- Branches
- Artificial Red Cardinal Birds
- Fresh Greenery - Juniper, Pine branches
- Artificial Red Berry Stems
- 2 Large Pinecones
Instructions
- Paint the bird houses and dowel rods with walnut gel stain.
- Drill a hole in the bottom center of each house.
- Fit a dowel rod into the hole.
- Use hot glue to secure the dowel rod in place.
- Dry brush white paint over the stained birdhouses.
- Paint the roof white.
- Sprinkle glitter on top before the paint dries.
- Place the birdhouse in the front center of each planter.
- Arrange branches around the sides and back.
- Place fresh greenery into the pot below the birdhouse.
- Add red cardinals to the branches.
- Set the red berry branches into the pot.
- Finish with a large pine cone in the front middle of each pot.
Laurie MacDonald
Beautiful !
Patti Estep
Thanks Laurie!