I've been wanting to try mosaic. If you can scrounge some tile or glass, it would be an inexpensive, fun, creative project. Do an image search at google and see if you can come up any nice photos. Good Luck.

I use some of those "ugly" ones to elevate other pots. With some nice pots around the base, you don't see the bad one.

Ladyisz, perhaps you can find some nice patterns from gift papers or napkins and lay them on the container and paint with Modge Podge.

I'm sure you have probably decorated your container by now but thought I would throw in some suggestions just in case you hadn't or if someone else was looking for ideas.

You didn't say what type of container the shrub was in, but I assume you mean it was in a large black plastic pot maybe 5-15 gallon size? If it is plastic there are a lot of options for decorating. There is a new spray paint called Fusion (I think) that is made for plastic (I'm sure you've seen the commercials). Anyways... you could:

1. Spray it all one color.

2. Spray it a base color then tape off stripes or stick on shapes/designs cut out of contact paper (or anything sticky) and then spray it another color and remove the tape. This would give you designs the color of the base paint. You could do this with several colors by painting, sticking on tape/shapes, paint, stick on more tape/shapes, and on and on...then when done remove all the tape/shapes. Voila! Multi-colored pot without hand painting.

3. Spray it a base color then paint designs or stencil designs on it.

4. Spray the pot then glue decorative things around the rim (like shells, stones, rope, mosaics, rubber lizards, marbles, ping-pong balls, etc etc etc). Anything your heart desires. You would use either hot glue or a clear silicone caulk/adhesive.

5. There was a picture in one of the forums of a bowling ball that had rubber lizards glued to it (spaced out) and then it was all painted black and then antiqued with a copper or bronze color. (Doesn't have to be lizards...just look in a dollar store at the bags of rubber toys for kids). For that matter you could decoupage toy money all over the pot. :)

6. Glue on clusters of grapes with leaves...you could even add some "vines" cut from a grapevine wreath...then paint and antique the whole thing.

7. Wrap the whole pot or part of it with rope (hot glue might work). Then you could paint the rope if you wanted.

8. Build or get a wooden box the pot would fit in and cover the top with spagnum moss to hide the pot.

9. Cut twigs, bamboo, or plastic pipe as long as the pot is tall and glue them around the entire pot. Then paint, spray varnish or leave natural. Then you could wrap some raffia or jute around the twigs and tie in a big bow.

10. Wrap the pot with some of the little white picket garden border edgings they sell in the garden department.

11. Make a square "cage" of hardware cloth or small chicken wire (or just wrap around the pot)... then weave things thru the wire, or stick things in the wire to decorate.

12. Combine any number of the above suggestions as your creativity desires to get a look you like.

Anyways that is just a few of the ideas I thought of. Just remember if you use spray paint cover your shrub with a large plastic trash bag or newspapers so you don't change its color too. ;) (not to mention the paint or spray varnish would probably kill it).

DaisyLover - Great ideas!! I particularly love # 5 and 6!!!
No, I haven't decorated the pot yet. I planted the shrub in the ground, and thought I'd use the large (and free!) pot for some plants on the deck. I was just sort of waiting for an idea to "pop" out at me. And you're right - it's a large 5 gallon black plastic pot. I've used the Krylon Fusion on some window boxes I had, so I'm definitely familiar with that, and love it! But this particular container is so big that I wanted to do something a little different with it...

Anyway, thanks so much for your ideas! :oD

Not a problem...I got a million ideas for a lot of things and no time to do any of them. And with my little grandkids coming to visit this week won't have time for anything at all for awhile! But will have fun teaching my 2-year old granddaughter more about gardening. Last year she loved helping us weed all our flower beds. Maybe this year I will let her decorate a flower pot...curious to see what she would come up with. (I love super smart kids!!)

Good luck with the pot. (I mean "decorating the flower pot"!) Would love to see a pic of what you end up creating.

My favorite "container" are old chair that no longer can be used for sitting. Rip that seat off, put in some screen and lichen, then comes the soil, and the fun of decorating with plants! When my photos get back from the process center, I'll come back and post my chairs...er... containers :)

Nur Misur, I agree old chairs and benches can look great when planted up...especially when they are peeking out of a sheltered area and look like they were a discarded chair that the plants slowly have been taking over.

Look forward to your pictures.