20 Stunning and Creative Planter Ideas Made from Wooden Pallets
On one sunny weekend, I visited my friend Clara’s house for her backyard brunch. Clara, with her skills and love for gardening, can make anything bloom—literally. She waved me through the garden gate, and my eyes landed on a wall of color cascading down what looked like… an old pallet?
I stepped closer. Herbs lined the middle tier, strawberries dangled from the top, and wildflowers spilled from the bottom. She laughed when I gasped and said, “It was leaning behind the shed. Figured I’d give it a second life.”
That afternoon, I left with a belly full of lavender scones and a heart buzzing with inspiration. I rummaged through my own pile of forgotten wood and turned it into a pallet planter the next morning. Since then, they have become one of my favorite ways to bring rustic beauty into small corners, patios, and porches.
And if you’ve got a few extra pallets—or just a craving to create—these 20 creative ideas might spark your own garden magic.
#1. Vibrant Elevated Pallet Flower Garden
I love this one for how it lifts blooms up to eye level—no bending, no backaches, just flowers in your face in the best way.
Picture this: a simple rectangular box made from pallet wood, mounted on four sturdy legs. I filled mine with pink geraniums and trailing white alyssum. When they bloom, they tumble over the edges like a floral waterfall.
It’s perfect for patios or along fences. Add wheels to make it mobile, or line it with landscape fabric to hold moisture longer on hot days.
#2. Delightful Tiered Pallet Flower Shelf
Inspired by a café in the mountains, this tiered pallet shelf brings vertical joy to any garden wall or balcony.
Three staggered rows give each plant its spotlight—pansies on top, petunias in the middle, and snapdragons below. The angled design lets each layer shine without blocking the one beneath.
If you’ve got a blank wall, this shelf turns it into a bouquet. And bonus—kids love picking “their” tier to plant.
#3. Rustic Pallet Trellis Flower Planter
Clara actually gifted me this idea—her favorite corner piece that supports both blooms and climbers.
It’s a rectangular wooden box at the base, filled with soil and marigolds. Rising behind it is a simple trellis made from slats and twine, giving ivy or sweet peas something to reach for.
What I love most is how it transforms as the season unfolds—grounded with bold blooms at the bottom, and airy greenery dancing above.
#4. Vibrant Tiered Pallet Flower Tower
Think of this as a floral pyramid made of dreams (and leftover wood). It stands tall and proud, layers building up in a triangle of color.
Each step up the tower is packed with cheerful blooms—lobelia, calendula, petunias—each one spilling over the edges like a bouquet in motion.
It’s dramatic, yes, but also surprisingly easy to build. Just stack boxes with slightly smaller dimensions as you go, and anchor well to avoid tipping
#5. Lovely Tiered Pallet Herb and Flower Stand
This one lives on my back deck, where morning coffee meets basil-scented air. I built it for herbs, but now I mix in violas and marigolds too.
Three shelves offer planting space without eating up floor space. I keep mint and oregano on top (so they don’t overrun everything), with flowers tucked lower for color.
A tip? Line the inner edges with plastic sheeting or coconut liner to help retain moisture without rotting the wood.
#6. Cozy Pallet Balcony Herb Garden
This was born out of necessity—an apartment balcony, too little soil, and way too much sun. A pallet mounted vertically against the wall holds pocket planters of rosemary, thyme, and chives. Below, a few decorative pots soften the base.
It’s simple but sweet, and best of all—it smells divine every time I open the door.
#7. Lovely Heart-Decorated Pallet Herb Shelf
I saw this one at a local garden fair and couldn’t resist recreating it. Painted white, with three short shelves and a little carved heart in the center—it radiates handmade charm.
The top shelf is home to lavender, the middle holds basil, and the bottom spills over with lemon thyme. It’s as fragrant as it is adorable.
I added tiny hand-painted signs that say “grow,” “love,” and “breathe.” Sometimes that’s exactly what we need to be reminded of.
#8. Charming Corner Pallet Plant Shelf
You know that empty corner on the porch that nothing seems to fit in? This is your solution.
It’s a two-tier shelf that fits snugly into a right angle, with a large trailing fern on top and succulents tucked into the lower nook.
The wood can be sanded smooth or left weathered—it looks lovely either way. I like mine raw and gray, with a single string of fairy lights woven through.
#9. Charming Pallet Bench Flower Bed
I built this when I wanted somewhere to sit and garden in the same spot.
It’s a short bench with a deep flower box instead of a seat back. Zinnias and marigolds bloom where pillows usually go, and honestly—it’s better this way.
A little sign across the back says “dream,” and when I sit here in the early evening, I feel like I’m doing just that.
#10. Classic Pallet Tree-Side Flower Box
Sometimes the simplest things are the most beautiful.
This is just a low, long crate tucked beside our maple tree, filled with soft pink geraniums and alyssum. It hugs the roots gently and adds a delicate ring of color to the base of the tree.
A little mulch, some water, and it quietly thrives. No fuss, just flowers.
#11. Charming Wall-Mounted Pallet Flower Display
I first spotted something like this at a coastal inn—bright blooms cascading from a vertical pallet nailed to a garden wall. I couldn’t stop staring.
When I came home, I built my own version. A simple pallet panel, painted soft sage, with wooden planting boxes attached in staggered rows. I filled them with trailing nasturtiums, mini petunias, and marigolds.
It brings the whole wall to life, especially in late summer when everything’s in full swing. If your garden wall feels dull, this is your fix—it’s like hanging up a living painting.
#12. Clever Vertical Pallet Herb Wall
This was inspired by a tiny urban courtyard I visited in Lyon—everything vertical, everything green.
I built mine with a full-sized pallet turned upright, filled the back with landscape fabric, and added small clay pots through the slats. Basil, thyme, oregano—even lettuce in the lower rows.
It’s practical, yes—but also poetic. The scent alone when you brush by? Worth every nail and screw. I added labels burned into wood slices for a rustic finishing touch.
#13. Adorable Pallet Wall-Mounted Plant Haven
This one’s for the whimsical soul. Shaped like a little house, this pallet piece turned out to be one of my favorite weekend projects.
It now hangs on the brick wall near our back door, filled with tiny pots of succulents and trailing rosemary. I added a mini chalkboard with the word “grow” and tiny ceramic mushrooms tucked between the plants.
Kids love it. Guests always ask. And every season, I change up the plants—so it never gets old.
#14. Simple Raised Pallet Garden Bed
This is the workhorse of my backyard. Not fancy, not fussy—just strong, clean, and endlessly useful.
It’s made from four pallet sides lined with weed barrier fabric, filled with compost and soil. I grow lettuce, radishes, even compact zucchini in it. It’s waist-high, which means no more sore knees, and the slatted sides allow for excellent drainage.
If you’re new to pallet gardening, this is where I’d tell you to start.
#15. Welcoming Pallet Entryway Flower Posts
My sister and I built these as a surprise for our mom one spring—two tall pallet columns with square planters at the base, flanking her front steps.
We filled them with hanging baskets of petunias, and added solar lights on top that glow softly at night. It changed the whole feel of the entrance—warm, welcoming, and alive.
Even in winter, we switch out the flowers for evergreens and fairy lights. It’s become a tradition now, and one of her favorite things.
#16. Whimsical Stacked Pallet Plant Display
There’s a little corner in my garden where the sun hits just right, and this playful piece lives there.
It’s a three-tiered tower of mismatched pallets, stacked slightly off-center for a playful tilt. Each tier is filled with cheerful, low-maintenance plants—succulents, pansies, and creeping Jenny.
The finishing touch? A painted wooden owl perched on the top tier. A little fun never hurts.
#17. Clever Covered Pallet Strawberry Planter
This one came out of necessity. After losing half my strawberries to squirrels one year, I needed a solution.
So I built a raised box from pallets, added chicken wire to the top with hinges, and filled it with soil and strawberry starts. Now I can lift the lid to water and harvest—but the berries stay safe and sweet.
It’s practical, rustic, and makes harvesting feel like uncovering hidden treasure.
#18. Sleek Corner Pallet Succulent Planter
We had an awkward patio corner that always felt bare—until this sleek little planter came along.
Built from triangular pallet pieces, it nestles right into the corner and holds a dozen or more small succulents. I used sanded wood and sealed it with a natural oil finish for a soft, modern look.
It’s now one of my favorite spots to sit beside with morning tea.
#19. Elegant Pallet Wall Planter Box
When my friend Julia moved into her first home, we built this as a housewarming gift. A tall, slim pallet panel paired with a single planter box halfway up.
She filled it with yellow pansies and a potted cedar, and hung a copper watering can on a hook below. The whole piece leans gently against her garden wall like a piece of art.
It’s simple but so beautiful—and she still texts me pictures when something new blooms.
#20. Stylish Pallet Bin-Hiding Garden Box
Let’s be honest: nobody wants to see the garbage bins.
This clever piece hides them beautifully. A long, dark-painted pallet frame with built-in planters on top—overflowing with petunias, oregano, and trailing vines.
From the front, it looks like a designer feature wall. From behind? Just bins. Pure garden magic.
Final Thoughts
Every planters in this list began with a simple pallet and a spark of imagination. What followed was a quiet transformation—of space, of wood, of the way we see what’s possible in a garden.Each one added something not just to the garden—but to the way I experience it.
Working with reclaimed materials is never just about saving money or reducing waste. It’s about creativity, about finding meaning in the overlooked, and about making something truly your own.
For those who have an empty corner, a bare fence, or even a pile of pallets behind the shed—consider it an invitation. You don’t need perfection. You just need to start.
