Outdoor Christmas planter ideas? As Mariah Carey puts it — it’s time. Let’s bring some Christmas magic to your porch and garden.
What Plants Can We Use for Christmas Planter Decorations?
Living Plants
If you’re gonna put your Christmas planters outdoors, it’s best to choose greenies that will survive the frost for a while. Of course, evergreens are an absolute must for outdoor Christmas pots – the magic isn’t magicking without the fluffy bushes. Here are some of the cutest evergreens and conifers that will spread outdoors with the warm and cozy Christmas energy.
- Lemon Cypress. This cypress can be grown indoors and outdoors and is distinctive for its fresh lemon scent when you brush up against the leaves. The bright green foliage of this cypress makes it a perfect greenie for Christmas porch planters.
- Norway Spruce. This is a traditional Christmas tree with lots of branches you can hang your decorations on. Plus, it feels better outdoors than indoors!
- Dwarf Balsam Fir. This tiny rounded fir is hardy up to – 40°F and has lush green needles with densely packed branches.
- Chalet Swiss Stone Pine. The small evergreen tree has dense branches and grows in a columnar shape. The long blue-green needles give the greenie a soft look.
- Junipers. Many Juniper varieties are well-fit for below-zero temperatures and aren’t difficult to care for in an outdoor setting. Arcadia, Alpine Carpet, Sutherland, Medora, and many other varieties would look great in your outdoor holiday planters.
- “Emerald Green” Arborvitae. This cold-hardy evergreen comes from Denmark, isn’t fussy about the weather, and has dense green scale-shaped foliage that fans out in a feathery manner.
- Japanese Skimmia. Japanese Skimmia shrubs shine with glossy green foliage and add some color to your yard with pink-red buds that last through the cold season. These plants are hardy up to 5°F (–15°C).
- Boxwood Shrub. Boxwood shrubs are cherished for their dense light-green foliage and compact growth habit. They are hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9.
- Magnolia. Magnolias are strikingly beautiful, but not all of them are fragile and warm-loving. Some of the species that can tolerate winter frost include Star Magnolia, Sweetbay Magnolia, and Cucumber tree.
- Folly. American Folly, with its glossy pointed leaves and bright red berries that appear in October and last through the winter, is a Christmas decoration itself. Dwarf Holly species are lovely shrubs to try on your holiday planter ideas.
- Redtwig Dogwood. These shrubs will make your garden more lively with their bright red branches that become exposed when the leaves drop in fall. Plus, it can withstand very cold conditions.
Faux Plants
If you don’t want to bother with caring for new plants, explore your outdoor Christmas planter ideas with faux plants! A big plus of those is that they certainly won’t die and can be reused next year. Aside from an obvious and popular faux Christmas tree, here is a short list of faux plants you could buy to make Christmas planter decorations.
- Festive Poinsettia. Poinsettias are official Christmas flowers, but they are tropical beauties that can survive only indoors in cold North American winters. If you want to get the colorful Poinsettia outside, you’ve got a wide choice of faux plants.
- Faux Ivy. Ivy vines are lush, stunning, and grow quickly. But if you don’t want to bother (and occasionally let it slip out of control, which often happens), buy a faux plant to make your Christmas pots for outside.
- Artificial Green Cypress. Cypresses are large trees with short feathery needles. Some Cypresses are quite hardy, but if you’re not into any fuss – get a faux decoration.
- Adcock Faux Palm. Want to add an unexpected tropical accent to your winter garden? Adcock Faux Palm thoroughly copies the Areca Palm – a warm-loving, tall, and clumping native of Madagascar.
- Faux Eucalyptus Plant. These well-known Australian plants are only hardy in US zones 8 to 11, but even if you live in the colder areas, you can buy numerous faux Eucalyptus decorations – from whole bushes to lovely wreaths.
- Faux Olive Tree. Mediterranean Olives may not be suitable for colder climates. Even though there are some cold-resistant varieties nowadays, you can buy faux olive tree decorations just to spare yourself some time and effort.
- Faux Rose Plant. There are tons of artificial rose decorations for you to enliven your porch or garden. Roses are never out of place!
What Pots Can Stay Outside in Winter?
Aside from the plants discussed before, many other cold-hardy evergreens and conifers could stay outside during the Christmas holidays. Check the care requirements to learn whether the plant you’d like to take out can survive the cold (you can use PlantIn for that!). Most houseplants are natives of warm regions and have to stay away from the frost.
What Can We Use for a Christmas Planter?
Here are some materials you can use to create original Christmas pots for outside.
- Seed pods
- Willow baskets
- Faux snowman
- Christmas gift wrapping paper
- Dried twigs and branches
- Evergreen twigs and leaves
- Yule logs
- Ceramic vases
- Pinecones
- Rose hips
- Lamp post
- Wooden boxes
Check out our video on Christmas planter ideas DIY:
How to Make Christmas Planters Outdoor?
Creating outdoor planters is a fun and cozy activity for the whole family. You just need to gather all the materials you need, choose your plant (opt for cold-hardy ones!), and do it! Outdoor planter Christmas ideas that follow aren’t complicated and don’t need hard-to-get materials.
List of Outdoor Christmas Planter Ideas
Here are some of the best ideas for your Christmas planter decorations. We’ve got window box decor options, outdoor planter ideas, Christmas urns, front door winter planter ideas, and more!
Window Box Decorations
Window boxes are classic and easy-to-do DIY ventures creating Christmas energy outside.
A Wooden Box with Angel
Materials: wooden box, plants, little white flowers, packing material, and a toy angel.
How To Do:
- Put the plants in the box.
- Fill out the space in between with packing material.
- Put the little white flowers and a toy angel inside.
- You can also put some Christmas ornaments on the box for brighter looks.
Gift Box Plants
Materials: box, filling shredded paper, angel, candle, plants, string lights (optional)
How To Do:
- Open the box and put your plants inside.
- Put the decorative shredded paper inside to fill the empty space.
- Add an angel, a candle, and lights.
Your box is done!
Flower and Plant Pots
Use real plants and flowers to create these fantastic Christmas planter decorations.
Hanging Christmas Basket
Materials:
Basket, plant, string lights, toy Christmas elf, fabric. For additional decorations: bow, toy angels, a tree branch that lights up.
How to do:
- Place the fabric in the basket, and put the plant in the basket.
- Then, wrap string lights around it and insert the tree branch with lights.
- Sit the elf on it, and put the bows and an angel inside.
You’re done! This one reminds me of some little Christmas mystery garden.✨
Dwarf’s Plant
Materials: your cat's scratching tower (or anything else that has a little platform and a little tower next to it, sackcloth, plant, dwarf, and lantern.
How To Do:
- Cover the cat's scratch tower in sackcloth, and use rope or hot glue to secure it in place.
- Place the dwarf next to it and the plant on the top of the scratching tower. Place a lantern next to the dwarf.
- Add some ornaments (optional).
Dwarf Bonfire
Materials: a plant (preferably one that could resemble a bonfire in shape and color), dwarves (or other creatures), red/orange lights, marshmallows on sticks, white tree branches & other green plants.
How To Do:
- Place the dwarves in a circle, and put the plant in the middle.
- Wrap the light around the plant, and cover as much of it as possible.
- Add the tree branches and green plants behind the dwarves and around them.
- To go a little extra - make a roasted marshmallow party by adding the marshmallows on the sticks into their hands.
A Simple Christmas Plant
Materials: plants, fabric
How To Do:
Just wrap the pot in the fabric and add one Christmas ornament to it.
Basket with Plants
Materials: basket, several plants, lights, merry Christmas card, white tree branches.
How To Do:
- Place the basket where you want it in your outside area.
- Put the plants in the basket - a taller plant to the back and a shorter one to the front.
- Wrap the lights around it.
- Add the tree branches behind and a merry Christmas card at the front.
Vintage Christmas Ornaments Tree
Materials: Christmas tree, vintage ornaments (a good place to find those could be a flea market/second-hand store or maybe your parents' attic), old big metal bowl.
How To Do:
- The big old metal bowl will be serving as a planter.
- Put it upside down and place the tree on top.
- Cover the pot with some sackcloth, and put the ornaments on it.
- Add lights.
Simple Christmas Pot
Materials: Plant, string lights, gravel, or other strong material to help the plant stand still in the pot (can be rocks, for example), little blue ornaments, weaved pot.
How to Do:
- Place the plant in the pot.
- Use gravel or stones to secure it in place if needed.
- Hang the string lights & the ornaments.
That’s it!
Snowy Plant Composition
Materials: Several different Christmas plants, fabric, snowy winterberry branches, packing material, and little white flowers.
How To Do:
- Wrap the pot in the fabric, and put the plants inside.
- Add the packing material to fill in the empty spaces.
- Stick in the berry branches and the little white flowers.
Front Porch Pots
These pots create a Christmas warmth right at your doorstep.
Snowman Pot
Materials: metal bucket for an outside pot, plant, toy snowman, a stick, little ball ornament, candy canes.
How to Do:
- Put the plant in the pot.
- Attach the snowman onto the stick to insert it into the pot.
- Put the snowman in the pot.
- Add the ball ornament and the candy canes.
You’re done!
Forest Tree
Materials: plant, forest-related Christmas ornaments & animals, colorful blanket, red berry branch, string lights, outside pot
How To Do:
- Put the blanket in the pot, and place the tree in it afterward.
- Add the squirrel, moose, berry branch & all other ornaments.
- Hang the string lights.
Your magical forest tree is ready!
Lantern Plant
Materials: plant, lantern, string light, green decor branches, an angel.
How To Do:
- Put the lights inside of the lantern, but make sure to leave the battery switch somewhere outside of it, so it’s easy to access when you turn them on and off.
- Insert the plant inside.
- Add the tree branches on the top.
- Put the angel inside (if you want to), and add some “merry Christmas” cards on the top.
You’re done.
Garden Planters / Outdoor Planters
These special decorations will look plantastic in your outdoor garden!
Wooden Angel Planter
Materials: plant, sackcloth, lantern, tree branches, Christmas ornaments, wooden angel.
How To Do:
- Wrap the pot in sackcloth.
- Use rope or hot glue to secure the sackcloth in place.
- Place a lantern in the pot, and add a wooden angel and tree branches.
- Hang some Christmas ornaments, and you’re done!
Christmas Tree with Ornaments
Materials: plant, sackcloth, fake Christmas tree branch with berries, Christmas ornaments, lights.
How To Do:
- Wrap the pot in sackcloth, and wrap the branch around it on the bottom.
- Add your lights and Christmas ornaments to it.
You’re done!
Tree Branches Snowman Planter
Materials: plant, painted tree branches, snowman (or other types of decor), sackcloth, hearts ornaments
How To Do:
- Cut the sackcloth to the correct size and wrap it around the pot.
- Use a string/rope or hot glue to secure it in place.
- Next, place the snowman inside the pot, and add the white tree branches behind.
- Place your Christmas ornaments on top of the tree.
- Add red berry branches to fill out the empty spaces and add more Christmas colors.
Your planter is ready!
Merry Christmas Outdoor Pot
Materials: Outdoor pot, plants, fabric, decorative berry branches, string lights, physalis pot.
How To Do:
- Wrap the pot in fabric, and place the plants inside.
- Next, add string lights around it.
- Insert berry branches, dry wheat branches, and physalis branches
- Add some faux Christmas tree branches and a “Merry Christmas” decoration to the front of the pot.
A Plant in a Christmas Blanket
Materials: plant, lights, ornaments, blanket.
How to Do:
- Wrap the pot in the blanket.
- For an “extra” Christmas tree, add your lights and ornaments. This one has a golden and candy theme.
Little Dwarf & Elf Love Story
Materials: Christmas Tree with Ornaments, a Plant in a Christmas Blanket, an elf, a dwarf, some lights, and a heart.
How To Do:
- Put two plants next to each other; add the elf to one and the dwarf to the other.
- Next, place your plants where you want to put them, and add a heart between the two.
- Wrap the lights around it and go very light (if you want to) on the additional Christmas ornaments. Done!
Sleigh Composition
Materials: sleight, plants, box, dwarf, and Santa, Christmas ornaments, lights, sackcloth, colorful fabric, white tree branches
How To Do:
- Place the sleigh in the place of choice.
- Wrap the cloth around it and put the box onto the sleigh.
- Then, put more cloth on the lower level of the sleigh.
- Add plants to it - one on the shelf and one next to the sleigh.
- Place the tree branches on each side of the sleigh.
- Place the dwarf on top and another one on the side of it.
- Put Santa on the bottom of the decoration, and add some ornaments and lights.
Christmas Ladder
Materials: ladder, branches, sackcloth, lights, berry branches, boxes, Santa, dwarf, little animals
How To Do:
- Cover some of the ladders in sackcloth.
- Then, put boxes on some of the steps and the plants on them.
- Add the dwarf watching over what’s happening on the ladder, Santa climbing it, some elves on the top, and gift boxes on the bottom.
Christmas Urns
Place these Christmas urns on both sides of your walkway to create a classic Xmas look.
Silver Urn
Materials: white urn type pot, lace (or other white material), bows, birds, angles, anything in white/silver theme
How To Do:
- Wrap the pot in fabric, and use a hot glue gun or rope to secure the fabric in place.
- Add some birds, bows, and bells to it.
Your Christmas Urn is done!
Golden Urn
Materials: urn-type pot, plant, fabric, white & golden theme decorations like leaves, angels, white tree branches string lights
How To Do:
- First, you need to prepare the tree branches. Just spray-paint them white and leave to dry.
- Place the plant in the pot, and add the tree branches behind it.
- Next, wrap the pot in the fabric, and secure it with rope or hot glue.
- Wrap the string lights around the pot, and add some angles, bows, birds, or leaves.
You’re done!
Snowman’s Party
Materials: an urn (instructions on making the urn are above), plants, blue ornaments that resemble icicles, and a bunch of snowmans.
How To Do: Place the pot in the urn (check how to make this above in the article), and add the ornaments and snowmen to it!
Snow Themed Urn
Materials: urn, plant, white tree branches, white Christmas ornaments in shape of balls, silver ribbons and bows, white berry branches.
How To Do:
- Follow the instructions above for making the urn.
- Now, add the Christmas white ornaments to the bottom of the plant, put the bows on the top. To even out the composition, add some more balls on the top of the plant.
- Add the white berry branches around the bottom of the urn, and use ribbon or hot glue to secure them in place.
How to Make Outdoor Christmas Pots?
As you can see, making outdoor Christmas arrangements isn’t a big deal! You’ll just need a set of materials, some plants in nice containers, and a little bit of time!
