Have you thought about putting them in plastic pots that will fit inside decorative ones? That way you could use whatever you wanted and just lift the plant in the lightweight liner out and move it around separately if needed. I've also seen some pretty woven covers, almost like baskets, that you could put a plastic pot with a saucer inside to dress it up.

I think our snow storm took offense to being belittled—we've gotten another 6" or so in the last several hours...might end up with 1' accumulation by tomorrow morning.

Jasmin said:Clay pots look really nice, but they are too heavy to bring them in and out several times a year, especially in spring and fall. Even the most expensive fiberglass pots (which look like glazed clay) that I tried in the past got damaged after a couple of years. And since I don't like the look of plastic pots, I really don't have a solution. Any suggestions?

Jasmin, I have just been thinking about the same thing. I would like a big pot that can handle the outdoor winter conditions of zone 5b (similar to yours---below zero F). I assume the clay pots would break, correct? And so did your fiberglass pots?

I went to 99c store and bought some cheap green rubber covered plant ties, I then made a cheap version of peony cage for my Itoh plants. I removed the green clipper. I might take some pictures tomorrow.

Our HD and Lowes stores all carry decorative pots that you pop a nursery pot into. Last year I got some huge pots from Walmart on-line that perfectly fit nursery pots. Both HD & Lowes & Walmart have composite fiberglass stone mix ("Light weight" at HD on-line, Lowe's varies what they call it.) They look more like stone or concrete and I have popped a few nursery containers in them.

I think I might just plant the roses down, I don't want to get a bunch of containers and they don't look good, with a plant I can just junk it, not with a pot.
Anyway, this is my make ship peony cage, you can see the green ring in the back, but not in the front. When the peony plant grows bigger, you won't see the bamboo sticks either, at least that's my hope.

It looks good, SoCal. Those buds look great!!

Thanks LG!

Jasmin, there are "imitation" clay pots, with decorative exterior. Lightweight, too.
Seems to almost be like a poly type form of hardened polyurethane/ rubber foam.

They come in good sizes, & the only real "wear,& tear" I've ever seen on them before, is along the top edged !
A neighbor gave me one, last year. Have you see one, yet ?
If not, I can try to get an Image, though it's wet out there, after over 10 days of sun.

I'd tried to make a previously jumbo sized one (also gifted to me) into a more granite style look, as opposed to "clay look', with a special spray paint, that can appear as if it were granite !

Since it was not hot weather, & slower drying agents are used in the spray cans now, it didn't dry quickly enough, before being rained upon !

Edit: Letting natural rain, to water just the woody Peonies that have arrived, so far. Uhmm, waiting for what seems like an eternity, for my others, to ever arrive here.

Liz, Laurie, Annie, and Shawn, thank you all for your suggestions. After many years of trials and errors, here is my experience summarized:

1. Decorative pots cannon really survive our Canadian winters. I had a couple of beautiful decorative clay pots, but they simply broke after a couple of years, although I emptied them before freezing. I don't have enough space to bring the decorative pots into the house, and I don't have a garage. After a couple of years outside, clay pots are done. Glazed clay pots are better, they can survive 5 to 10 years, although you can never be sure.

2. On decorative pots without holes; water stays in these pots after rain or watering. Thus, we narrowed the choice; the pots must have holes.

3. I also have four big, huge pots. Two of them were supposed to be made of fiberglass. They were bought at Loblaws; they broke after two years. I still have them, but I just turned the better side towards the pathway, so people cannot see the broken side. The quality of these pots is similar to pots at Lowes, which carries only a couple of models in Toronto. I don't know how many of my fiberglass pots I've already thrown away because they got damaged.

4. One or two decorative pots would be OK, but I have at least 40 posts with sensitive plants that I bring in and out. This spring, I brought them out to harden at least 4 times, and I had to bring them in when the temperatures dropped below zero again.

5. Spray paint (or any other paint) cannot stand our winters, sun, and weather in general.

So far, only one design, some sort of stone imitation has worked. I don't remember where I bought that one. It does not look too bad. As I said, I really don't have a good solution.

Liz mentioned woven covers. That might work, assuming they are made of some artificial material. I have a basket like that in the kitchen. That would work, assuming that I managed to find enough baskets (and shapes and sizes). Something to consider!

"Jasmin", I can understand your frustration. This is a type of pot, that has lightweight, hardened poly foam, with a faux, "clay pot" like, outer appearance.
I'd considered painting it with a can of spray paint (not very inexpensively !) which would resemble look of "faux granite stone." (Or, could use cheaper spray can of Rustoleum, in "clay" color, entirely.)

I can only explain, the main component, as being similar to that of lightweight interior of a surfing board, yet hardened. Likely, yellow in color.

This "faux clay pot", isn't like, the fiber glass exterior of a surfboard, or vehicles such as Corvette, or a "Dune Buggy".

This is the second one, that's been given to me ! I can't find these, on the internet, so far.
(Neither pots, were new.) The other, was twice this size .
So, I don't know if they're even making them anymore, or not .

Although, most certainly the freeze thaw cycle, will crack many things, as any "moisture, expands" at freezing point, & can crack clay pots as they're porous, & absorb moisture. Part of your problem appears Though expanding of potted plants or Peonies, & soil inside any pot, may create cracking, if the interior contents freeze, & expands more, with extra excess moisture inside it.

I had a large Campanula, clay pot, for about 30 years, & only a small piece, ever cracked off ! (It was a highly fired, quality Italian pot, & lasted a long time, even in my zone.) Yes, it freezes hard at times, here too.

Maybe what I've shown below, if you can find a "used" one, just may solve the problem. I've never seen these for sale, unless it was so long ago, I've forgotten.

Unless, the other possible suggestion, is you use a square wooden type planter box, constructed, to size. (Which some decking material, available now, is an actual composite material, instead of real wood.)
The beautiful pots shipped from Thailand, with fantastic glazes are wonderful, though very heavy, & thick clay, still might not hold up, outdoors in your zone.
HTH with some thoughts, to give you ideas.

One of my rhododendrons hasn't recovered. The leaves point down and they look dry. The garden centers were closed, so I went to a flower store and bought two bags of soil, dug up the rhodo, planted it in a big pot, and watered it well. Fingers crossed.
On a lighter note, the ground does not look frozen. I could dig. The spring is already here

Jasmin, tree pots ( with handles ) are better overwintering than anything else. I am not sure where you can find them though.

I covered emerging garlic shoots for next couple of nights as temperatures are going to be negative. Potted some of my peppers and eggplants into separate pots - inside house, of course.

I posted the question about containers for outdoor winter cold on the containers forum. "Bev" shared info from the 'Fine Gardening' website: "Fiberglass, lead, iron, heavy plastic, and stone are the best weather-resistant containers to use." She also mentioned that she once visited Denver Botanical Gardens and was told the containers stayed outside year round, so maybe a person could ask around at some local gardens if they have year-round planters and where they got them.

My fiberglass pots cracked. I use the hard plastic ones and the glazed pots from Thailand.

I have two ancient foam pots that look like the last one you posted Shawn. They have held up really well.

Keep in mind my zone 7a doesn't get really cold that often.

I leave my pots out all winter long in CO and have never had a. Issue but we're very arid, makes a big difference.

Jasmin, I hope that your Rhododendron recovers soon. I don't recall when the leaves did that, before to one I grew, that it wasn't such a very good sign. Unless, they perk up soon.
I can't recall, if it was from a sudden colder temperature drop, or from too much moisture, by not having been planted shallow enough.
( I can't recall, at the moment how to help, offhand.)

I'm sure it could be researched, & also about how to possibly create your own container.
A friend of mine worked in Antarctica, where it gets very cold ! Just takes using some imagination. Plus figuring out the materials, which can withstand, or tolerate outdoors, for the intended winter use.

How about creating a form, used to make sides with a flexible material , which you've made more durable that is still somewhat capable, along the edges (or corners), so it can expand , & contract, along with changes in temperatures ?

Then it could be a great success, if it could be used in the climates zones, similar to those of yours.

I'm doing nothing in my garden today, still buried under the remnants of the 18" we ended up with on Monday morning! We leave for AL tomorrow so I should be posting pics here on Sunday afternoon of peony growth or lack there of....all please keep your fingers crossed and/or say a little prayer that it'll be a positive post instead of a sad one! I know peonies are hardy and can easily survive without an eye on the daily but it's still stress inducing to go back to visit them after not being there since Jan 2.

I pinched one of Festiva Maxima bud, it looks like it has not been growing, sure enough it was soft, maybe botrytis due to the rain, so I gave it a big of baking powder with water.

Jasmin said:One of my rhododendrons hasn't recovered. The leaves point down and they look dry. The garden centers were closed, so I went to a flower store and bought two bags of soil, dug up the rhodo, planted it in a big pot, and watered it well.

Jasmin, there was a foundation planting of Rhodo.
just below where the rain gutters leaked, due to a blockage. Overflowed onto the Rhododendron, if it was a heavy downpour of rain.

One time, it just never recovered from that, at my parents house, (years ago.)

I had bought a very nice, blue flowered form Rhodo. by mail order, to replace it, & had set it near that very same area. Guess what ?
Same darned thing happened to the Blue flowered one, as I had "grown it on', a bit, away from that same spot. But it was even still potted , & once I moved it near that same spot. It had sudden, dry leaves which "drooped" also, & didn't even get a chance to ever planting that one !
Might be caused, by like a certain root illness, Phytoph.. (Sp.?) which can cause a type of root disease.

I certainly hope not for you, or the Rhodo. that it isn't the same affliction, from sudden, "drooped leaves", I've seen.

I guess, it just stayed wet for too long, from rain gutter overflow. Hopefully, changing the soil, was adequate, for yours to recover.

As the only other time I recall Rhodo. leaves drooping, was during very cold, freezing weather, & frozen soil at the roots could not "uptake" water.
But, they'd perk up, once thawed out.