I got those really nice 24 to 26 inch diameter wooden wine barrels for $19.95 at Lowes Home Improvement. I got about 5 of them. I coated the outside wood with a nice clear polyurethane coat for shine. It looks newer that way. Plus, I enhanced the metal bracket with clear metal enamel to prevent rust. Super nice, but the only thing is those wine barrels are heavy. It is very sturdy, and should last you well over 12 years if taken care of well.

Ask a local nursery where the wholesale nursery supply place is in your area. I've bought a "sleeve" of big black plastic 15 gallon pots and the price worked out to around 10 dollars each or so. I was only interested in black ones at the time, but I think there were others available.

(You may think you can't use a whole sleeve of them, but, if you're like me, you'll find lots of use for them. Line them with a plastic bag and you've got a little trash container. I put wood in them and then carry the whole pot inside rather than carrying wood in my arms. Great for storing all sorts of things. Nice bucket to carry around putting your weeds in. And of course you can actually use them to hold a plant. I use a lot of them for planting big Hydrangea macrophyllas which I then place in the back of the border. The black plastic will soon disappear to the eye. )

Now, I need a big white pot. Where can I find one of those?

Hay.

There is no way I would pay $100 for a large container or even order one over the Internet since the shipping charges would probably be more than the container is worth. The big box stores, Home Depot, Menards, Lowes, etc. have all kinds of huge containers.

You can get big white plastic pots at Home Depot. I pick up about 2 every year. They cost $10 for the largest (20" wide around 15" deep) and a saucer for $3. They're light and very sturdy in that they have withstood prolonged periods of subzero weather outside here in Chicago no problem. They also come in a clay color too.

I also like the 24" cedar planters sold at Menards and Home Depot. After a few years the metal band rusts and falls off but I easily repair them by replacing the metal bands with electrical wire which should last forever. The wood really holds up to the weather. Home Depot sells them for $20 but I picked up a bunch on sale at Menards last year for $15.

If you're not concerned about appearances, for my main rooftop veggie garden which gets no visitors, I bought those 25 gallon utility tubs and drilled holes in them for drainage. Menards had them on sale for $3 each which is a great deal. I also use them as a soil mixing station. Click on the link below to see them in action. :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:7306}}

Another idea - in the spring Walmart, Lowe's, etc. sell plastic "whiskey barrels" that are a little smaller than real ones. But they don't have the rotting issues that real wood does. You would have to drill drainage holes. They cost about $20 each.

I know out west my local grocery store Raley's (Bel Air in other parts of the country) is carrying HUGE glazed clay pots ( I can sit in them) for--get this-- $50 a piece!! Similar ones at HD and the nurseries go for $300. I bought two and felt like I was stealing. They also carry smaller varieties from 10 up to 50. So watch your local grocery stores, they might suprise you!! now I have to figure out what to plant in the bohemiths!!!! I can't wait for spring!

I like to grow roses in containers and look for big ones. My Wal-Mart carries really big plastic containers that do not look like "plastic". They are very attractive and they sell for about 23$ in season and at the sale time (august and after) sell for about $16. I have a whole bunch of them because they look really nice and have plenty of room for perennials. You might try your local Wal-mart even if you hate the place. My own has better pots at better prices than anywhere else in town--but that might just be the great manager of the garden center.
Betsy

I was at my local Sears today (New Hampshire) and they were just putting the gardening stuff out. A lot of big containers some with the faux terra cotta and stone look very nice looking and not bad price also a little sturdier than some of the light weight faux terra cotta ones. Who would think of Sears for pots? Do you have a Christmas Tree Shops store near you? This chain of stores has a lot of inexpensive, interesting pots for inside and out.

Can the original poster tell what state you are from?

Here is a link that might be useful: Christmas Tree Shops