British-made metal planters and garden containers, designed and manufactured in our UK workshop in Corten, galvanised and powder-coated steel. Choose a standard size or commission a bespoke planter made to order. Every outdoor planter is covered by a 5-year structural warranty and delivered across mainland UK.
Choosing the right metal planter material
The material shapes the look, the maintenance and the lifespan of your planter, so it’s worth a quick comparison.
Corten steel develops a warm, rust-orange patina over the first 3 to 6 months that then protects the steel beneath. It’s the most popular choice for contemporary and architectural gardens, designer projects and naturalistic planting. Once weathered, it needs no maintenance.
Galvanised steel has an industrial silver-grey finish that softens over time. The zinc coating gives excellent corrosion resistance, ideal for modern, industrial or coastal gardens.
Powder-coated steel gives you a smooth painted finish in any RAL colour, perfect when you need to match a scheme or want a clean, polished look that doesn’t change. Wipes clean with mild soapy water.
Mild steel is raw, dark steel that ages naturally and rusts freely. It suits industrial or vintage looks where weathering is part of the appeal.
If you’re not sure, Corten is the safe bet for residential gardens; powder-coated is the right answer when you need a specific colour.
What size metal planter do I need?
The most common mistake is going too small. As a rough guide:
- Herbs and small annuals: 200 to 300mm depth
- Perennials and shrubs: 400 to 500mm depth
- Small trees and large shrubs: 600 to 800mm depth
- Mature and specimen trees: 900mm and above
Bigger metal planters also dissipate heat better, protecting roots in summer, and lose moisture more slowly so they need watering less. For screening or boundary use, a trough at least 1m long and 500mm tall gives proper visual presence.
Caring for your metal planter
All our standard metal planters come with drainage holes (or order bottomless for raised beds). Line the inside with a permeable membrane to slow corrosion and stop fine soil washing out, and elevate slightly so water drains freely.
Corten weathers naturally over 3 to 6 months: the surface darkens first, patches of orange develop, then it settles into a consistent rust tone. Runoff during weathering can stain porous paving, so site Corten on grass, gravel or stone you don’t mind colouring, or pre-weather on a tarp.
Galvanised steel needs no maintenance. Powder-coated finishes only need an occasional wipe with mild soapy water; avoid abrasive cleaners and wire brushes.
Bespoke metal planters made to your size
If our standard ranges don’t fit, we make bespoke metal planters to almost any size, shape and finish in our UK workshop:
- Tell us what you need. Dimensions, a sketch or a photo. For unusual shapes (tapered, L-shaped, stepped, with cut-outs) we’ll advise on what’s possible.
- We quote and confirm. Fixed price, lead time and CAD drawing for sign-off before anything is cut.
- We make and deliver. Fully welded, finished and shipped on a pallet to mainland UK.
No minimum order. We’ve made everything from single window boxes to large commercial schemes for hotels, developers and public spaces.
Metal planters made in Britain
Every planter we sell is designed, cut, welded and finished by our team in the UK. That gives us full control over quality, lets us back every planter with a 5-year structural warranty, and means short, predictable lead times with a real person at the end of the phone.
We’re a member of Made in Britain and have built our Trustpilot rating over years of work for homeowners, garden designers, landscape architects and commercial clients across the UK.
Metal Planter FAQs
A permeable membrane liner slows corrosion at the soil contact zone and stops fine soil washing out through the drainage holes. Avoid sealed plastic liners, which trap water and can cause root rot. See our guide to planting your garden container for the full set up.
Around 3 to 6 months in normal UK conditions. Darkening shows within a few weeks, patchy orange tones develop next, and the planter settles into a consistent rust colour by month six. We’ve covered the full timeline and what to expect over years in our Corten steel lifespan guide.
Runoff during weathering can leave orange marks on porous paving. Site it on grass, gravel or stone you don’t mind colouring, or stand it on a tarp until weathering completes. We go into more detail, including how to seal paving against marks, in our guide to preventing Corten steel staining.
Yes, you can choose whether or not to include drainage holes in your planter when ordering.
Yes. Both galvanised and Corten steel are safe for edible planting; trace amounts of zinc or iron in soil are well within food-safe levels. We’ve written up the science in is Corten steel good for plants? and compared the two main raised bed options in metal vs wood raised garden beds.