Adapted from Panty Hose, Hot Peppers, Tea Bags, and More–for the Garden by Yankee Magazine (Rodale Press, 2005).

Since ancient times, people have brought live plants into their homes to add beauty, color, and fragrance. These days indoor plant pots have become an interior design statement that can be exorbitantly expensive, if gorgeous. But sometimes simple is best, such as planting in old galvanized pails, a famous example of how an ordinary, inexpensive container can become a new trend in planter design.

Here are 10 creative ideas for houseplant containers:

1. A teapot or tea kettle
2. A soup toureen
3. A ceramic or metal cereal, serving, or soup bowl
4. A jewelry or decorative box
5. A wicker basket
6. A child’s sand bucket
7. An iron or brass firewood holder
8. A ceramic or colored-glass flower vase
9. A copper pot or iron skillet
10. A purse