Just for fun, nestle fresh-cut flowers and potted plants into vintage cachepots, then dot them around your garden and outdoor living areas to lend a little humour and nostalgia. If you don’t have any tucked away, head out to a flea market, secondhand shop, garage sale or local home store where you can find dozens of these decorative containers (also known as jardinieres), which usually sell for less than $10 or $15. They’re sure to captivate your imagination and inspire your playfulness.

Turn a vintage cachepot over and check for a manufacturer’s name, then Google it. The flower bowl with its perched pink bird (second row, centre) bears a Royal Copley stamp. A little research told us it was made by Spaulding China Company of Sebring, Ohio, which marketed its products through five-and-dime stores from 1939 to 1960. Considered a collectible, this little treasure was purchased for only $5.

If you find a pot that’s cracked, but you love the pattern, shape and colour, simply pop in a potted plant or a smaller jar holding a fresh bouquet.

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