Everywhere sells those buckets, kmart, walmart, I was in a big lots the other day and they had them too. I used to work at kmart a long time ago and we kept them in the automotive section. A lot of college kids use them to fill with ice and put a keg in, so maybe even big liquor stores. They are very popular in the summer. Here is the first supplier I stumbled across: Big Buckets

Don't pay $17.50 though I bough one for 5 dollars at a Big Lots last year.

I always wondered how long such
cheap/good-looking/spacioius plastic containers
last when exposed to ultra-violet (p/o natural sunlight)?

Anybody with some history...

Keepitlow,
they have those blue containers with the rope handle at Menards, i saw them yesterday by the 40 gallon wheeled plastic garbage cans.

Gorgi ,
my containers will last 3 to 4 years in full sun on cement patio 9 or 10 dollars each, this year i kept 1 large one and bought some thicker ones of course they were more expensive.
Yes they crack easily after they start to dry out from the sun.
Martin

Mine shows no sign of sun damage yet, the plastic is not brittle at all. You could apply sunscreen to the pot to make it last longer :) Admittedly I don't attempt to carry it when full of dirt. I get another rope to run between the two handles and I just slide it along the lawn when I move it.

Just an idea. Use a sharpie to mark the hole placements. I would use a nail and plier, not a drill to make the holes. Hold the nail with pliers over on the gas flame of the stove. Push the heated nail into the plastic (I twist it a little). Heating a few nails at once make the job faster.
(I had a project this spring with nylon rope. I love to cut and burn the end to stop fraying. Just be care not to get any molten plastic on your skin.)