The Whiskey Barrel

Do you have a whiskey barrel planter in your garden? Are these planters just common in the United States or are they all over the world?

Whiskey barrel's make wonderful, economic planters in the garden. They are very long lived and around here if you shop carefully you can find them for $19.99.

You definitely get what you pay for, I've seen whiskey barrels for $14.99 but the slats were broken and the metal ring that holds it all together was pretty flimsy. I've also seen them for $39.99 but to be honest, I didn't see much difference between those and the ones I bought at Home Depot for $19.99

If you want to purchase a whiskey barrel planter for your garden there are some things you need to know. Don't wear new clothing to the store. These barrels often have charred interiors and some rust on the rings. Because of the size of them you will end up hugging them against your body at some point.

Bring gloves too, your hands will get dirty and you won't want to grab your steering wheel afterwards. If you have a companion who will go to the store with you, take them along. Many times these barrels are stacked quite high and you will need help to take them apart. Finally, don't forget a large tarp in the back of your vehicle to protect your interior.

When you get your barrel home you will need a drill with a large bit so you can make some sizable drainage holes at the bottom. Think carefully about where you'll place your barrel, once it's full it's too heavy to move around the garden.

I have three whiskey barrels in my garden. They are all filled with perennials which overwinter quite well in the containers.


Not one of these photos shows a whiskey barrel in my own garden, they were all shot in other gardens. To tell the truth, I failed with my own barrel. I've had one in front of my house for years. It's tipped on an angle so it looks like the plant material is spilling out. Yet, it never looks good enough for me to photograph. I know that for sure because I just spent a half hour looking for a photo of it!

My goal is to take my barrel, remove the hosta from it, tip it all the way on the side and start all over again so it looks like the barrel in the opening shot. This time I'll take pictures.

Do you have a photo of a great whiskey barrel planting? Leave a link here so we can come visit and see what you've done.