You don’t need to spend a fortune on a heavy stone planter to get this look in your garden.
With a cheap metal mesh office bin, cement and a bag of decorative pebbles, you can create a surprisingly convincing stone planter at home. The mesh bin works particularly well because the holes give the cement something to grip onto, while also providing a lightweight framework for the finished pot.
The result is a substantial-looking pebble planter that’s perfect for hostas, ferns, ornamental grasses and other statement plants.
What You’ll Need
For this project, you’ll need:
- A metal mesh office wastepaper bin
- General-purpose cement
- Building sand
- Water
- Decorative pebbles or river stones
- A mixing bucket or tub
- A small pointing or plastering trowel
- Protective gloves
- A suitable inner liner or plant pot
- Peat-free compost
- Your chosen plant
Choose a sturdy metal mesh bin rather than a solid plastic one. The open mesh provides a much better key for the cement and helps hold the coating in position while it sets.
Smooth, rounded pebbles work particularly well for the finish. Using a mixture of cream, grey, brown and beige stones gives the planter a more natural appearance.
1. Prepare the Office Bin
Start with a clean metal mesh office bin.
Remove any labels and wipe away dirt, grease or dust. If the bin has previously been used, wash it thoroughly and allow it to dry.
Check that the mesh is rigid and securely attached to the top and bottom rims. Remember that once you’ve added cement and stones, the finished planter will be considerably heavier than the original bin.
Place the bin on a protected outdoor work surface before starting.
2. Mix the Cement
Prepare a workable cement mortar using general-purpose cement, building sand and water.
A useful starting mixture is approximately:
- 1 part cement
- 3 parts building sand
- Enough water to create a thick, workable consistency
Add the water gradually.
You want the mixture to be thick enough to remain on a trowel without running off. If it’s too wet, it will slump through the mesh and make attaching the stones much more difficult.
Wear gloves when handling wet cement, as cement can irritate and burn skin.
3. Apply Cement to the Mesh
Use a small trowel to press the cement mixture firmly onto the outside of the bin.
Work on one manageable section at a time rather than coating the entire bin immediately.
Push some of the mortar slightly through the mesh. This allows it to grip around the metal rather than simply sitting on its surface.
Build up a reasonably thick layer so there’s enough depth to hold the decorative stones securely.
Don’t worry about creating a perfectly smooth finish because most of the cement will eventually be hidden.
4. Press the Pebbles Into the Wet Cement
While the cement is still wet, begin pressing your decorative pebbles firmly into it.
Start near the bottom and work upwards.
Push each stone deeply enough that it’s securely supported, but don’t bury it completely. You want most of the attractive rounded surface to remain visible.
Mix different sizes and colours as you go rather than creating obvious rows.
Small stones are particularly useful for filling awkward gaps between larger pebbles.
Work slowly around the entire bin, adding more cement whenever necessary.
5. Fill the Gaps Between the Stones
Once the main pebbles are attached, inspect the planter for large gaps.
Push additional mortar into these spaces with your finger while wearing waterproof gloves, or use a small pointing tool.
Add smaller pebbles where necessary.
The finished surface should resemble natural pebble masonry, with visible cement joints holding the stones together.
If too much cement gets onto the faces of the stones, gently wipe it away with a damp sponge before it hardens.
Don’t over-clean the joints. A slightly irregular finish makes the planter look much more natural.
6. Finish the Top Edge
The office bin’s upper rim needs particular attention because leaving exposed metal could give away what the planter is made from.
Apply cement carefully around the upper edge and position smaller pebbles beneath or around the rim where practical.
Alternatively, create a smooth cement band around the top.
This can look particularly effective because it gives the planter a defined stone-effect lip while contrasting nicely with the pebbled sides.
7. Leave the Cement to Cure
Once you’ve finished adding the stones, leave the planter somewhere sheltered where it won’t be disturbed.
Don’t immediately fill it with compost.
Cement needs time to harden and cure properly, and exact curing requirements depend on the product and mixture you’ve used.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and protect the planter from heavy rain, frost and excessively rapid drying while it cures.
The finished container will now be substantially heavier, so decide where you want it before filling it.
8. Add an Inner Planting Container
Because you’re starting with an open mesh bin, the easiest approach is to place a separate plastic plant pot or suitable liner inside the finished stone shell.
Make sure the inner container has plenty of drainage holes.
This has several advantages:
- Compost can’t escape through the structure.
- Plant roots aren’t sitting directly against the cement.
- The plant can be removed or replaced easily.
- You don’t need to fill the entire deep planter with compost.
- Drainage is easier to control.
Choose an inner pot that sits just below the upper rim so it disappears once the planter has been filled.
9. Add Your Plants
Fill the inner container with an appropriate peat-free compost and add your chosen plant.
Position the plant at approximately the same depth it was growing in its original pot. Fill around the root ball with fresh compost, gently firm it down and give the plant a thorough watering.
The chunky stone finish works especially well with lush foliage.
Good choices include:
- Hostas
- Ferns
- Heucheras
- Ornamental grasses
- Begonias
- Pelargoniums
- Trailing petunias
- Small evergreen shrubs
A large variegated hosta makes a particularly striking centrepiece, with the green and cream foliage contrasting beautifully against the natural-coloured pebbles.
How to Make the Finished Planter Look More Expensive
The secret is choosing your stones carefully.
Avoid using identical pebbles arranged in perfect rows. Instead, combine different sizes and natural shades, rotating each stone until you find the position where it fits best.
Cream, sandstone, grey, charcoal and warm brown pebbles work particularly well together.
Also keep the cement joints reasonably narrow. Too much exposed grey cement can make the planter look more like a DIY construction project, whereas tightly packed stones create a much more convincing finish.
Final Thoughts
A metal office bin might seem like an unlikely starting point for a garden planter, but its mesh construction actually makes an excellent framework for this project.
Apply a strong cement mortar directly to the mesh, press decorative pebbles into the wet surface and allow everything to cure thoroughly before adding an inner planting pot.
Once planted with a large hosta, fern or ornamental grass, the original office bin is almost completely unrecognisable.
And that’s the best part of this project: you get the chunky appearance of a handmade stone planter without having to build the entire structure from solid concrete.
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