Are you looking to add to the beauty of your garden without running into too much work? Gabion planters are your best friend. A gabion planter is a basket created out of wire or any other holding material, filled with stones that hold flower pots, plants, and trees. The places where you can have gabion planters are limitless. You can use a gabion planter for garden ponds, plants, fences, the pillars of sink or taps, benches, and even fire pits. However, it would be best if you asked yourself a very crucial question. Is setting up gabion planters as decoration worth the effort, or are there better alternatives out there?
Let’s go over why you would be better off using gabion planters for decoration and some innovative ideas you can try in your garden.
Is Using Gabion Planters Worth it?
A gabion planter can be a good addition to most gardens and surroundings, but it depends on your preference. As stones make a gabion planter, you do not have to worry about harsh climate conditions. They can conserve water and, due to good air ventilation, the soil within the planter is rich in minerals.
They are very easy to set up and do not require a base to install them into position. The weight of the stones provides a sturdy base already. Moreover, gabion planters match the outdoor garden looks very well due to the involvement of stones. Complementing the garden, which mostly involves undone earth, gabions give it a natural landscape feel.
Speaking of gardens, check out our guide on the ten best lawnmowers you can buy under $300.
14 Best Ideas You Can Try With a Gabion Planter
1-) Round Gabion
A good decoration piece you can use for your garden is the round gabion. You can either create a metal net according to the round shape you like or purchase one from the market. Next, you should insert the stones, soil, and plants of your liking into the gabion planter.
2-) Rectangular Gabion
Although these gabion planters are uncommon to get hands-on, they are a good addition to any garden. As this gabion planter takes a rectangular shape, the soil in the middle protects itself well from wind, insects, or any other unwelcomed guests. It gives the plants room to grow as well. You can also raise rectangular planters according to your height. Such that the bed is high enough to your liking for preparation and maintenance.
3-) Gabion filled with Gravel
You can fill the gabion planter with gravel to give it a distinct look. The planter’s shape does not matter, but we recommend using wire mesh for holding the gravel together.
Gravel not only gives the planter a sturdy base but also complements well with the plant growth. By providing a minimalistic look, the gravel gabion adds to the decency of any surrounding.
4-) Clumped Gabion
You can use gabion planters in a group to add some purpose to your garden. Maybe you like to sit down under the sky in the evening and read your favorite book. Some of your grouped gabions can feature plants on the top, but some can offer a base to act as a table you can use for various purposes.
Clumped gabions give the garden a cozy and romantic look. Whether you like to study at that table or have a drink, it’s all yours.
5-) Colorful Gabion
You can add more spark outdoor in your garden by splashing some colors on them. The unique idea is to create planters with wire mesh and line them against a wall. Choose a vibrant color that catches the eye, such as yellow, red, or bright green. These planters provide the garden with a colorful pattern to follow and give your house a fortress feel.
6-) Spiral Gabion
This gabion planter takes the shape of a staircase. Due to the complexity of the structure, it can be hard to do it yourself. Every plant in the gabion has a level, each running upward in a spiral form. You can add multiple flowers to this gabion planter without spoiling the beauty and space of other plants. It showcases a variety of plants while also maintaining a compact look.
7-) Gabion Walls
You can even create walls using gabion in your garden to section it according to your liking. The stone gives a distinct look to the surrounding, and you can pair it up with lighting for added spark. When lit up at night, the gabion wall delivers a unique emission of light. It happens due to the gaps between large stones that you do not find in brick walls. You can even add a layer of glass rock in the gabions and have a lighting setup behind these rocks. It gives it a glowing look.
😎 Gabion Fireplace
Another innovative idea is to use gabion as an outdoor fireplace. Do you like to spend most of your time in the garden and live in an area with cold temperatures? Take notes on this one!
Prepare a long gabion structure and an opening in the middle for the fireplace. Work through a way for the chimney to release the fume at the top of the gabion. The gabion’s fireproof nature makes it even a greater fit for a fireplace.
9-) Gabion Fence
Gabion can even add to your privacy. You can create a gabion structure to place in the ground that acts as a fence. However, these structures are thinner than others we have discussed while also being greater in height to act as fences. Gabion fence can be troublesome to set up, as large metal brackets need to go into the ground. These provide a firm foundation for thin yet lengthy structures. You can also use concrete at the corners to hold them in place.
10-) Gabion Ponds
With a gabion planter, you can also give your garden a natural look with ponds. You should have a plastic container to hold the water inside the gabion. It is therefore important to shape the gabion in the same way as the container you have. You can set the drainage somewhere around the back and add aquatic plants such as Water Lettuce to give the gabion more of a pondish-look.
11-) Gabion Fountain
Add to the beauty of your garden by using gabion as a fountain. To create a gabion fountain, you need a pump, spillway fountain kit, and copper or metal for the fountain’s face. The fountain can add to the beauty of your garden by giving a natural and foresty-look. Although it takes some effort to prepare, this one’s a worthy addition to your garden.
12-) Gabion Table and Seats
If you and your family like to spend some time out in the garden to talk and eat, gabion can provide a nice set of patio furniture. You can create the gabion structure according to the size and shape you want for your table and seats. Investing your time into this gabion planter can be worth it as it provides an arrangement to intake more of your beautiful garden and relax outdoor in your free time.
13-) Gabion Flower Bed
With gabion planters, you can create a flower bed just outside your house. Along the outer wall of your home, you can line up multiple gabion planters and fill them with soil for the flowers. The stones inside the gabion give the line a solid and decent look for a boundary. You can give the flower beds a unique flair by varying the heights of different gabions. Similarly, you can divide the gabion planters into different sections and vary the entire units’ heights.
14-) Gabion Barbeque
Who does not like a good barbeque setup in the backyard, right? With gabion, you can bring a barbeque setup to life right outside your house. Place a couple of gabion tables and benches to provide more room. And have a marble slab supported by gabion in place to resemble a kitchen countertop. Beside the slab, use two more gabion structures, according to your height, and place a BBQ grill on the top. Having a gabion BBQ setup can nicely add to the looks of your patio or garden.
We have countless ideas you can try to fit gabion planters into your garden or patio. Use a wire mesh to give the gabion planter any shape you like. Try different kinds of stones or a combination of them to match your surroundings. With gabion planters, you can pull off anything that complements your backyard or garden – it all depends upon your imagination!