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Terra Cotta Planters – Mottle Style

By Karen 4 Comments

Don't settle for plain ole' orange terra cotta this season! Give your planters a splash of bold color to coordinate with those gorgeous, bright blooms.

Terra Cotta is probably the most common type of planter, don’t you think?

And no wonder – they’re inexpensive, reasonably durable, and won’t topple as easily as a plastic pot will. (I’ve fought this battle one time too many!)

Likely you have a few around already. I sure do and when I decided to give this project a try, I headed to my garden shed to pick out a few.

Don't settle for plain ole' orange terra cotta this season! Give your planters a splash of bold color to coordinate with those gorgeous, bright blooms.

Obviously these had seen a plant or two in previous seasons. They only needed a little cleaning up though to be ready to go again.

Terra Cotta Planters – Mottle Style

A few weeks ago when I showed you how to mottle paint, you guys shared some fantastic ideas for ways to use the technique. One reader, Kim, suggested painting terra cotta pots to make the flowers really stand out.

I couldn’t agree more and, in fact, was inspired by Kim’s comment to give it a try. Thank you, Kim! 🙂

(If you missed that post with the video tutorial on this technique, you can watch it here.)

Before You Start

Obviously, you’ll want to coordinate the colors you choose with the plants you use. So before you decide on paint, gather your plants. I used three common annuals: vinca, petunia, and portulaca.

I also added a bit of ivy in each pot to spill over the edges and add a little more interest. It will thrive in our gardening zone, and I’ll be able to use it far beyond this season.

Paint

Don't settle for plain ole' orange terra cotta this season! Give your planters a splash of bold color to coordinate with those gorgeous, bright blooms.

It’s always a good idea with the mottle technique to give your project a good base coat. I used an off-white, which works well with the other colors of paint. You can choose to completely cover it or have some peek through – whichever you prefer.

You’ll also want to paint a few inches inside the top of the pot so none of the original clay color shows after you transplant your flowers.

Don't settle for plain ole' orange terra cotta this season! Give your planters a splash of bold color to coordinate with those gorgeous, bright blooms.

For the mottled effect I wanted bright and bold to match the flowers and chose:

  • Woodland Green – Deco Art Americana multi-surface satin
  • Brilliant Pink – Folk Art acrylic
  • Cardinal Red – Folk Art matte finish acrylic
  • Brilliant Purple – Deco Art Americana acrylic

I also wanted all of the colors to show, so went light on the blending. I started on the sides by swiping the brush in X’s, which created a lattice-type pattern. Then, I went over the areas that were still mostly white until I got happy with how it looked, leaving a bit of white peeking through.

Finally, I gave them a clear coat to seal the paint and keep them looking great all season.

Don't settle for plain ole' orange terra cotta this season! Give your planters a splash of bold color to coordinate with those gorgeous, bright blooms.

I don’t know about yours, but our spring and summer growing season gets terribly hot and is often dry. Keeping plants looking their best all season long is a challenge.

Has this ever happened to you: You buy some pretty plants. pot them up, watch them grow, and by August they look like they need to be totally chunked?

It’s happened to me more times than I care to admit, but this year I’m armed with some great information thanks to my friend Jami from An Oregon Cottage. Last year I read her fantastic tutorial on how to have gorgeous container gardens all season long.

I’ve followed Jami’s advice for all of my containers this spring and am so looking forward to missing that late summer decline.

Don't settle for plain ole' orange terra cotta this season! Give your planters a splash of bold color to coordinate with those gorgeous, bright blooms.

I love these bright, bold planters that will coordinate perfectly with the abundance of blooms I’ll have soon. No commercial pot can do that!

Don't settle for plain ole' orange terra cotta this season! Give your planters a splash of bold color to coordinate with those gorgeous, bright blooms.

I hope you’ll give these mottled terra cotta planters a try for your potted plants this season. You can create planters that coordinate perfectly with your blooms – or even go with a more neutral palette if you prefer.

What colors would you use?

Live Creatively,

 

Filed Under: Outdoor & Garden DIY, Planters

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Comments

  1. Jami says

    at

    Thanks Karen, for the shout-out – I’m so glad you found that container tutorial helpful! Here’s to beautiful summer planters. 🙂

    Reply
    • Karen says

      at

      Thank you, Jami, for your great tutorial. It’s the only way I plant containers now.

      Reply
  2. Carole says

    at

    These look great those bright colors are so inviting. I think I would do shades of green – big surprise right? I Just love Terra Cotta and I’m slowly switching all my pots over. I also found if I place planters in areas where they also get a good amount of shade they last through July and August really well especially since our weather is so similar. To much sun seems to evaporate the life out of them. Enjoyed this very inspiring and I’m so looking forward to starting a new garden where I can add fun details like this.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      at

      I wouldn’t be surprised at all to know you’d choose green! 🙂
      That’s a fantastic tip for helping them weather the hottest months. I think that will be helpful for a lot of us, and the beauty of growing in containers – they’re so portable. I hope the clear sealer will help them hold onto moisture a bit more, but we shall see!
      Your new garden is going to be fabulous – I just know it!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Karen, repurpose designer and crafter, sharing inspiring ways to imagine and make unique projects to fulfill your creative passions. READ MORE

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