Drive-By Gardens: Colorful culvert pipe planters in Houston Heights

March 21, 2013


The Heights neighborhood in Houston is free-spirited, as evidenced by this collection of culvert pipe scraps turned annual planters.


While visiting last weekend, I spotted this colorful collection at an antiques shop along a tree-lined boulevard, and we did an automotive version of the double-take: we drove around the block and passed by again for a better look, this time with camera in hand.


I think it’s flat-out adorable. What about you?

Upcoming: Lawn Gone! talk and book-signing, this Saturday
Hey, Texas Hill Country peeps! Please join me this Saturday at 10 am at Backbone Valley Nursery in Marble Falls for my talk, “Lawn Alternatives for Central Texas” and a Lawn Gone! book-signing. I don’t know about you, but since it’s bluebonnet season, I’m going to take a little wildflower-peeping drive while I’m out there.

All material © 2006-2013 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

Annuals, Containers, Drive-By Gardens, Flowers, Southeast, Spring color, Texas, Travel

16 responses to “Drive-By Gardens: Colorful culvert pipe planters in Houston Heights”

  1. Jenny says:
    March 21, 2013 at 9:02 AM

    Perfect planter for quite a show.

  2. Steph@RamblingWren says:
    March 21, 2013 at 9:17 AM

    Those pipe planters are so cute! What a clever idea.

  3. Peter says:
    March 21, 2013 at 9:20 AM

    These are great!

  4. Pamela Graham says:
    March 21, 2013 at 9:29 AM

    Wow….awesome!

  5. Lisa at Greenbow says:
    March 21, 2013 at 9:41 AM

    You always spy the best things. I love the look. Great for a difficult area.

  6. Judy Nations says:
    March 21, 2013 at 10:25 AM

    Do you know where to get this type of planter? I am very interested for my garden!!!
    Thank you

    Judy, I’ve found culvert-pipe remnants by looking through Craigslist. —Pam

  7. Yolanda says:
    March 21, 2013 at 11:07 AM

    pretty shiny for being “scrap” — Love ’em and I want SOME!!!

  8. Scott Weber says:
    March 21, 2013 at 1:30 PM

    I would love some culvert planters…and I bet it’s way harder for people to steal those!

  9. ricki says:
    March 21, 2013 at 3:02 PM

    I’m not as drawn to them here as with your more restrained use, but it is exuberant.

  10. Desert Dweller/David C. says:
    March 21, 2013 at 7:18 PM

    I especially like how those planters work with the urbanite retaining wall – clever.

  11. Laura says:
    March 21, 2013 at 7:51 PM

    I love them. 🙂

  12. jen says:
    March 21, 2013 at 7:51 PM

    that has felder rushing written all over it 😉

  13. Felder rushing says:
    March 21, 2013 at 9:10 PM

    LOVE folks who proudly display joie de vivre in the garden!
    Felder

    Thanks for stopping by, Felder. 🙂 —Pam

  14. Jim/ArtofGardening.org says:
    March 22, 2013 at 5:43 AM

    Me likes. My obsessive compulsiveness desire them to all be leveled though. Hmmm… maybe one in my new hellstrip garden…

  15. Scarlet Paolicchi says:
    March 22, 2013 at 10:37 AM

    What a great planting design! I love anything unconventional & fun in the garden.

    I’ve added your page to my StumbleUpon! 🙂

    Thanks, Scarlet! And welcome to Digging! —Pam

  16. Nelson says:
    March 26, 2013 at 8:54 PM

    The idea of using culvert pipe scraps is very awesome. I am still in awe because of this creative concept. An added attraction is that the flowers are blooming very well.