Craft a Cottage-Inspired Topiary Globe From Old Hanging Baskets

Follow our instructions to upcycle inexpensive metal hanging planters into a gorgeous, cottage-style topiary base for your favorite climbing vine or flower.

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April 29, 2021

DIY Upcycled Topiary Planter

Photo by: Cassidy Garcia, Styling by Chelsea Faulkner

Cassidy Garcia, Styling by Chelsea Faulkner

By: Chelsea Faulkner

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Materials Needed

urn-style planter
white spray paint
sanding block or sandpaper
(4) smooth, heavy garden stones
moisture-control potting mix

(2) metal hanging baskets
flexible wire
black electrical or duct tape
climbing vine or flower (we used ivy)
Spanish moss

Buy It

Prep Planter

To keep the price tag of this project low, shop local yard sale sites for a used fiberglass urn planter. (You can also purchase this exact one here). Next, spray paint the urn bright white (Image 1). Once dry, add a distressed look by lightly sanding the "high spots" of the planter (the places that stick out and are more prone to natural wear), allowing the original color to peek through (Image 2). Add a few heavy garden stones in the bottom of the planter to keep it from tipping over once the topiary is installed (Image 3). Lastly, fill with a well-draining potting mix (Image 4).

Cassidy Garcia, Styling by Chelsea Faulkner

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia, Styling by Chelsea Faulkner

Deconstruct Hanging Baskets

Remove the cocoa liner from baskets (Image 1), then unclip and remove all chains and fasteners (Image 2). Pro tip: This project works best with baskets that are perfectly round (as shown). This project can also be done with lipped or oblong baskets, but the resulting shape will not be a perfect globe.

Cassidy Garcia, Styling by Chelsea Faulkner

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia, Styling by Chelsea Faulkner

Combine Baskets

Fit two hanging baskets together to create a globe, lining up the holes where the chains once were. Loop 28-gauge floral wire (or any flexible wire you have on hand) through the holes (Image 1), then wrap tightly around the lip of each planter multiple times, wiring them together. Twist the ends of the wire to secure. Repeat on remaining chain holes. Disguise the wire and add extra security by wrapping black electrical or duct tape around the exposed wire (Image 2).

Cassidy Garcia, Styling by Chelsea Faulkner

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia, Styling by Chelsea Faulkner

Plant Flowers & Ivy

Plant your favorite climbing vine (like English ivy) around the outside edge of the planter (Image 1), then fill the middle with a pretty container-loving flower (Image 2). We used sweet alyssum but would recommend a more shade-tolerant plant long-term. You can also fill the middle with more ivy or another climbing plant.

Cassidy Garcia, Styling by Chelsea Faulkner

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia, Styling by Chelsea Faulkner

READ MORE: 14 Easy-Growing Annual Vines

Install Topiary Ball

Gently place the metal globe in the center of the planter, navigating around flower stems and being careful not to crush any blooms (Image 1). Once the globe and the plants are situated, place one or two garden stones at the base of the globe (beneath the plants) to hold it in place (Image 2). Use Spanish moss to fill in gaps and decorate around the edge of the planter (Image 3). Finally, wrap a few of the longest stems of the climbing vine up and around the spindles of the globe, leaving some stems to spill down the sides (Image 4). This will train the plant to continue to grow in this direction. Eventually, the globe will be mostly covered in climbing vines.

Cassidy Garcia, Styling by Chelsea Faulkner

DIY Upcycled Topiary

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia, Styling by Chelsea Faulkner

Decorate & Enjoy

Place your new topiary in the garden or pair it with your favorite outdoor accessories for a stylish front porch vignette. Pro tip: The metal globe heats up fast in the sun. To keep the vines from getting burned, place this planter in a mostly shady area.