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If you’re still spending the final months of winter shoveling snow off your driveway and staying inside most of the time, you’re in good company. While life might seem dreary right now, you can beat the winter blues by dreaming about all the gardening you will do in spring and summer! If your dream is to create French Country gardens for your home, start planning the types of French Country outdoor planters before the cold weather wanes. To make the search easy for you, I’ve rounded up French Country outdoor planters to help you create a sophisticated decor setting, as well as ideas on the colors, materials, types of plants, and placements to try! Let’s get into it.
1. On Both Sides of Your Front Door
Display 2 or 4 French Country planters next to your entrance door for an entryway look that is welcoming and elegant! Almost anything goes, depending on the style of your house. Tall topiaries would be very classy, while herbs like lavender would be so charming.
For groupings, place one smaller planter in front of a larger one for a more organized look. Or if you want a collected look with visual interest, mix planters in different shapes and sizes.
2. Next to Your Swimming Pool
Do you have a pool? What better way to spruce up the surrounding area than with beautiful French Country planters?
You could either place them close to the edge of the pool or next to your pool stairs for a classy look. As you enter or exit the pool, you’ll feel like you’re at a villa in France. Not to mention you’ll love the sweet smell of flowers as you take an afternoon dip.
3. On Your Porch or Patio
No matter where your house is located in the United States, when French Country outdoor planters are put on the stairs of a front porch or on your back patio, they make any house look like a vintage French countryside retreat!
4. On a Retaining Wall
Do you have a retaining wall or stairs leading to your home? If you have a bare platform, take advantage of this space and place decorative objects on it like French planters.
This is a great way to heighten the visual interest of your home. Plus, the planters will add some formal French elegance to the exterior.
5. Next to an Outdoor Bench
Make your maison look like the Versailles gardens by placing French Country planters next to benches. Not only will this create a beautiful seating vignette, but it will make your bench an extra pleasant place to unwind or read a book with a glass of sparkling water.
Related: How to Get an Authentic European Exterior
6. Outside a Front Gate
Channel the look of French garden aesthetics by decorating your outdoor gate with planters. Not only will these add a charming touch to the exterior of your home, but these plants are guaranteed to lift your mood every time you enter your gate. Don’t have a gate? Place planters next to your garage instead!
7. Along the House
Countryside homes in southeastern France typically feature planters along the house. A planter box is also placed right outside the windowsill to make the view extra delightful and homely.
8. Next to Lounge Chairs or Lounging Areas
Give your backyard some French Country charm by placing 19th-century-styled planters next to your lounge chairs. For a professionally decorated look, scatter these planters instead of lining them up in a row. They will make afternoon breaks outside even more special!
9. In Flower Beds
Whatever the size of your flower bed, adding outdoor flower planter containers is a great way of making it beyond beautiful. The planter box can act as the focal point in your flower bed too.
10. On a Balcony
Inject some French romance on your balconies with French Country outdoor planters. Whether you choose decorative metal container planters or artisan-made glazed pots, these planters will add the perfect formal and feminine finish to your balcony!
Plants To Place in Your French Country Outdoor Planters
Not sure what plants will thrive in French Country outdoor planters? Pick your favorites from this list of plants that are a must-have for your French outdoor planters.
Boxwood Bush: This year-round shrub is a perfect match for biot-style jars. Their vibrant foliage will brighten your entryway or courtyard and provide charm to your garden. Another benefit is this shrub can be trimmed into whimsical shapes.
Rosemary: Who can resist the pleasant aroma of this herb? Not to mention the ease of growing it yourself if you’re an avid cook. This herb does very well in French Country outdoor planters, most notably Anduze urn planters.
Basil: The next herb commonly found in French Country gardens is basil. This plant is fragrant and so beautiful in floral arrangements! Lavender is another great pick that looks charming in containers.
Citrus Trees: If you have the climate for it, citrus trees add a vacation holiday feel to your home. Kumquat, lemon, and lime grow well in Anduze urns. These colorful plants look extra sophisticated when placed in Anduze urns glazed in terracotta, green, and yellow glazes.
Moss: Unglazed terracotta planters are perfect for growing moss. Vines can also add some interest and charm.
Characteristics of French Country Outdoor Planters
Timeless and Elegant Shapes: I’m sure you’re drawn to this style for the classical shapes of French country outdoor planters. The shape that characterizes these planters the most is the bell shape. Anduze urns and Medici Urns are all crafted in this iconic shape.
Stunning Accents: French country planters, particularly, Anduze urns, are usually decorated with faces of ancient gods or garlands.
Handcrafted: Centuries-old techniques are used to create the finest planters. For instance, Biot Jars are handcrafted by using timber and rope to mold. This method dates back to the Neolithic period.
Named After Cities and Villages: French Planters styles have the most elegant-sounding names, Why? Because some are named after towns, cities, communes, or villages where the tradition of crafting ceramics originated. For example, Biot jars are named after their town of origin Biot, France. It is a small village in the South of France that is popular for creating planters.
Weathered Finishes: The hallmark of French Country designs is distressed finishes. The French don’t prefer their designs to be too perfect; hence why they go for planters that patina beautifully over time. You’ll find that not all of their planters have a glazed finish because they want them to be exposed to the natural elements.
Nature-inspired Palettes: You’ll also notice that the color palette of French Country outdoor planters incorporates natural hues. For instance, shades of green, grey, yellow, pastel blue, and soft brick red make frequent appearances on French outdoor planters.
Now that you’re armed with information, it’s time to pick out your pots! Check out these beautiful finds below. (click on the icon to shop)
Collecting French Country outdoor planters is the perfect way to beat the winter blues. Even though spring is still a few months away, it doesn’t hurt to gear up for the warmer months with some planter shopping!
To see a ranch home that I turned into a French Country exterior, keep reading: My French Country Cottage Inspired Exterior Reveal
