Many nurseries sell stones to use as accents in or around the garden, including those with interesting crevices and holes. Of course these stones can stand alone in the garden for visual interest, but tuck a few plants into them and they also function as interesting planters. Due to the unique conditions of stone planters, there are several important considerations to make during this project:

1. Size of Garden Stone Planters

Unless you want to pay for delivery and installation, pick a stone that you can move alone or with the help of a friend. Also pay attention to the size of the holes or crevices. The larger the hole, the more space for roots to establish.

2. Where to Place a Garden Stone Planters

The second consideration to make is where to place the stone in your garden. Due to the shallow nature of the planting spaces in the stone, it is likely that plants will suffer damage in climates with cold winters. This can be somewhat mitigated by placing the stone in a sheltered area of the garden that is less exposed to the elements.

3. What to Plant

Types of plants are going to be limited by the current stock of small plants at your local nursery (unless you choose to shop online). Look for plants in 4-inch pots or smaller that are not rootbound and stay small at maturity.

A good way to find plants suitable for a rock planting is to look for fairy garden or terrarium displays at your local nursery. Some good plant options include groundcover Sedum and other small succulents, Vinca, Ivy, Dianthus, miniature evergreens, ferns, mosses, and small Hostas.

If you don’t mind bringing your stone inside for winter or replanting it each spring, small houseplants and annual flowers are also good options. Be sure to pay attention to light conditions and choose plants appropriate for your stone’s location. Use regular potting mix and tease apart plant roots as necessary to fit them into the planting holes.

4. How and When to Water

Lastly, watering a stone planter can be tricky. Drainage varies depending on the porosity of the stone and how deep or interconnected the holes or crevices are. Just be sure to feel the soil before you water, and only water if it feels dry.