Brick planters always feel steady and timeless to me. They frame plants so neatly. They also age in a lovely way as the bricks soften and pick up moss and marks from the seasons.
You might be here with a stack of old bricks and a rough idea. Or you might be dreaming about a smart raised bed near the patio, but not sure how big, how high, or what to fill it with. Wherever you are, you’re not alone in wondering what really works once the mortar dries.
I’ve gathered a mix of ideas that I’ve seen work in different spaces. Some are simple weekend projects. Some are more of a slow, satisfying build. I’ll walk through shapes, heights, planting ideas, and little details that make brick planters kinder to both your plants and your back.
My Gallery of Brick Planters
Now let me walk you through 26 brick planter ideas, with simple notes on how you can recreate each look.
1. Boxwood, Heuchera & White Impatiens
This brick planter shows a simple, tidy planting with a neat row of boxwood at the back, rich copper heuchera leaves in the middle, and a low edge of white impatiens along the front. The clean layers of green, bronze, and white suit the straight lines of the bricks and make the small space feel finished and easy to live with.
2. Salvia & Black-Eyed Susan Border
This curved brick planter is filled with soft blue fescue, rich purple salvia, and bright daisy-like black-eyed Susans, creating a simple border that feels full and colorful without looking crowded.
The sturdy brick edge keeps soil tidy along the path while the mix of grasses and flowers brings a relaxed, easy-care look that feels very doable in an everyday front yard.
3. Hydrangea, hosta & liriope planter
This brick planter tucks neatly against the house, with a back row of blue and pale green hydrangea blooms rising softly above a front border of bold hosta leaves and tidy clumps of liriope. The mix of rounded flowers, broad foliage, and fine grassy texture fills the raised bed with easy balance and makes the small space feel finished and welcoming.
4. Lavender & Catmint Brick Planter
Soft mounds of lavender and catmint fill this brick-edged planter, their purple blooms spilling gently over pale gravel that keeps the whole space neat and low-maintenance. The simple mix of hardy, sun-loving plants and clean brick lines makes the corner feel quietly finished, like something anyone could tuck beside a front door or patio.
5. Daylilies, Black-Eyed Susans & Switchgrass
This brick planter turns a simple driveway edge into a bright border, with soft yellow daylilies, sunny black-eyed Susans, and airy switchgrass all packed into a narrow bed. The sturdy wall holds rich soil and keeps the planting neat, while the mix of tall grass and long-blooming flowers gives the space an easy, welcoming look that feels very doable at home.
6. Pink Begonias & Sweet Potato Vine
This sturdy brick planter wraps snugly around the mailbox post, filled with neat green shrubs at the back, bright pink begonias in the middle, and chartreuse sweet potato vine spilling softly over the edge.
The mix of tidy evergreen mounds and easy, trailing color makes the whole corner feel cared for and shows how a small bed by the drive can look both polished and low-key charming.
7. Olive Tree, Lavender & Curry Plant
A round brick planter lifts a neat olive tree above a soft ring of lavender and curry plant, giving the courtyard a simple focal point that still feels full and lush. The warm brick, silvery foliage and purple flowers sit snugly in the pale gravel, creating a calm, low-fuss corner that many small gardens could easily echo.
8. Boxwood, Coleus & Alyssum Brick Planters
Neat brick planters frame the steps, each filled with a clipped boxwood globe, rich burgundy foliage, and soft mounds of white alyssum spilling gently over the edges.
The mix of tidy evergreen shape, deep color, and low flower clusters suits the clean front porch and shows how a few well-chosen plants can make an entrance feel both welcoming and easy to live with.
9. Swiss Chard & Basil Brick Planter
This sturdy brick planter is packed with glossy Swiss chard, curly parsley, and lush basil, turning the side of the house into a neat, green kitchen garden. The warm brick edge frames the rich soil and tidy herb mounds so well that the whole bed feels both productive and easy to imagine in an everyday backyard.
10. Coneflowers & Arborvitae Brick Planters
A tiered brick planter rises by the front steps, with soft purple and pink flowers spilling over the lower ledge and tall coneflowers tucked behind neat, cone-shaped evergreens on the upper level. The sturdy brick walls frame the plants, giving structure to the color and height so the whole corner feels tidy, welcoming, and easy to picture at home.
11. Hosta, Ferns & Astilbe Brick Planters
Bold hostas, airy ferns, and soft pink astilbe spill over the raised brick planters, wrapping the little bench in cool green and gentle color. The sturdy brick walls hold rich soil and frame the plants neatly, giving this small corner a calm, tucked-away feel that seems easy to live with every day.
12. Rosemary, Sage & Thyme Brick Planter
A neat brick planter runs along the house, filled with upright rosemary, soft sage, and low, bushy thyme that spill just enough to soften the edges. The mix of sturdy herbs, warm brick, and rounded stones at the base gives the space a tidy, everyday charm that feels easy to live with and simple to copy at home.
13. Joe-Pye Weed & Bee Balm Planter
This L-shaped brick planter is packed with tall Joe-Pye weed, bright red bee balm, airy ornamental grasses, and a run of purple spires that soften the straight lines. The sturdy brick edges keep the planting neat against the porch while the mix of heights and colors gives the corner a full, welcoming look that feels easy to live with.
14. Sempervivum & Sedum Brick Planter
A low brick planter is packed with sempervivum rosettes, blue-toned sedums, and a bright chartreuse groundcover, all set in pale gravel that makes the colours and shapes stand out cleanly.
The sturdy brick edge, free-draining stone, and tough succulents suit this paved corner so well that the whole space feels like an easy, modern garden idea anyone could live with.
15. White Tulips & Forget-Me-Nots
This brick planter shows how simple shapes and soft colours can lift a front window, with neat boxwood balls rising behind a line of white tulips and frothy blue forget-me-nots. The clipped evergreens give structure all year, while the tulips and tiny blue flowers bring a fresh, easy feel that makes the space look both cared for and pleasantly within reach.
16. Pink Roses & Lavender Brick Planter
This neat brick planter frames a cheerful mix of pink roses, soft mounds of lavender, and fresh green foliage, set off beautifully against the tidy lawn. The raised brick edge keeps the bed defined and easy to look after, giving the whole corner a simple, welcoming feel that many home gardens can enjoy.
17. Camellias, hellebores & liriope border
This narrow brick planter turns a simple side path into a soft flower border, with glossy pink camellias rising at the back, hellebores filling the middle, and neat clumps of liriope edging the front.
The mix of height, evergreen leaves, and long-lasting blooms makes the raised bed feel full and finished, offering an easy, steady kind of beauty that feels very doable at home.
18. Japanese Maple, Hosta & Tiarella Planter
This brick planter turns a quiet corner of the patio into a lush focal point, with a airy burgundy Japanese maple rising above broad green hosta leaves and the frothy white blooms of tiarella at the front.
The solid brick walls frame the mix of colors and textures, keep the soil neatly in place, and make the whole planting feel like a calm, easy feature that could fit into many small gardens.
19. White Petunias & Dusty Miller Border
A low brick planter is filled with a simple mix of white petunias, soft silver dusty miller, and neat dark green shrubs, creating a fresh border that brightens the edge of the driveway. The contrast of crisp flowers against weathered brick and deep foliage gives this small space a tidy, welcoming feel that many home gardens can easily echo.
20. Dill & Chamomile Brick Planter
A low brick planter is packed with soft mounds of chamomile, feathery dill, and bright calendula flowers, their neat labels tucked into the dark soil for easy picking. The warm brick edge, clean gravel, and tidy herb mix make this corner feel both useful and gentle, like a small garden idea that could slip easily into any sunny backyard.
21. Ferns & Nandina Brick Planter
This raised brick planter shows how soft, feathery ferns and small nandina shrubs with warm red and gold leaves can turn a simple corner into an easy, tidy garden bed. The low mounds of strappy evergreen plants along the edge tie everything to the clean brick lines, giving the space a finished look that feels welcoming and very doable at home.
22. Marigolds & Purple Basil Planter
A round brick planter overflows with bright orange marigolds, rich purple basil, and a soft mound of ornamental grass, giving the patio a bold splash of color and easy height. The warm brick tones pull everything together, making this raised bed feel like a simple, inviting idea that could slip neatly into almost any garden corner.
23. Clematis & Catmint Brick Planter
This corner brick planter turns a plain fence into a soft wall of color, with purple clematis climbing a simple grid and catmint and hardy geraniums spilling out in matching shades below. The sturdy brick, easy green foliage, and long-flowering plants make the space feel quietly put-together, like something any small backyard could grow into over time.
24. Iris & Variegated Grass Brick Planter
This little curved brick planter tucks neatly against the house, where purple irises, bright yellow flowers, and soft mounds of green foliage rise up in front of the rain barrel. The weathered bricks and mix of tall grasses with low, leafy plants give the space a settled, cottage feel that looks easy to live with and simple to copy in any small corner.
25. Lettuce & Chive Brick Planter
Neat rows of leafy lettuces and upright chives fill this brick raised bed, with bright nasturtiums tumbling gently along one edge to add splashes of orange. The sturdy brick walls frame the rich soil and tidy planting, giving the space a calm, ordered feel that seems easy to live with and enjoy every day.
26. Heuchera & Variegated Sedge Brick Planter
At the center of this small garden, a round brick planter lifts a graceful tree above a neat ring of heuchera, variegated sedge, and soft white trailing flowers that spill gently over the edge.
The sturdy brick wall, rich foliage colors, and easy-care planting make the space feel tidy and welcoming, like a calm idea anyone could borrow for a simple backyard retreat.
FAQs
I like to fill the bottom third with rubble or broken bricks for drainage. Then I add good compost and topsoil on top so roots have what they need.
I leave small drainage gaps at the base so water can escape. I also avoid hard mortar caps and use a slight slope on the top course so rain runs off.
I find sun lovers like lavender, rosemary, sedum, and pelargoniums are very happy. The bricks hold warmth so drought tolerant plants cope best.
I like a simple heavy duty pond liner stapled or clipped near the top. Then I punch small holes low down so extra water can still drain out.
I aim for at least 45 to 60 centimeters of good soil depth. For bigger shrubs I push closer to 75 centimeters if space allows.
Yes, I often build on concrete as long as it is level and sound. I drill a few drainage holes if I can and then raise the bed slightly for flow.
I mix in plenty of compost and some leaf mold to hold moisture. Then I mulch the surface well and group thirstier plants together near the shadiest side.
I like simple stretcher bond for a calm look that suits most gardens. You can add a soldier course on top for a neat finished edge.