looking for planters in Canada - any ideas?

[Bartman]

I have to say, I didn't think it would be this hard to find something.

I'm looking for outdoor planters.  Strictly contemporary in design so totally clean lines.  They need to be rather large.  About 32" tall and 18" square at the top.  NOT round.  It is okay if they have some curve such as the example link from a place in the UK, but generally the more rectangular the better.  I don't know if a flared top would work in my plans very well.

The tough part is they must be able to stand being baked in the summer sun and frozen solid in the winter cold without a ton of maintenance to get them through the years (they must last years since they will represent an investment with their price).  And, I don't want to have to wait for a lottery win to buy them unlike one I found that was $1800.00 for one 18" square!!  Must have been made of gold.  Finally, the colour must be black.

I'm looking for 5 or 6 identical ones to place in this area along my fence and garage.

I've spent hours hunting to no avail.  I can't believe we don't have a supplier in Canada for something like this.

Example shape that would work.  http://www.primrose-london.co.uk/zinc-planter-gunmetal-black-tapered-cubes-p-543.html - it's too short at 80 and too tall at 100 cm, but it gives the idea.

If I can find the right planters for the space this will be part of phase 1 regarding the back yard landscaping into a contemporary feel.  The only other thing I'm doing this year is planting trees for privacy along two fences in the back.  They will give the backdrop for everything else to come.  Pots, so I thought, would be an easy one to add right away to introduce softer aspects through the plantings.

They are going in this area. One day the existing fence will be gone and something to compliment the pots better will be there. Any leads would be welcomed.

Thanks.

Bart

[emm]

Hi Bart,

My sister bought something quite similar in shape to the link you included.  They came from Costco and came in black and terra cotta.  There is nothing on the Canadian Costco site right now.  Here's a link to the American site:  http://www.costco.com/Common/Category.aspx?ec=BC-EC28047-Cat27588&pos=12&whse=BC&topnav=&cat=79377&eCat=BC|50126|27588|79377&lang=en-US

These are not the same as the ones my sister bought last year; they're quite a bit more expensive for one thing and the shape is a little different.  My sister's planters are plastic I think and are quite large.  Think they were roughly $30.  So they should last a few years but not likely much more than 5 or 6.  She had something similar before that lasted a goodly number of years.  Her planters were bought in the greater Vancouver area of BC; Pitt Meadows store probably. 

Planters are crazy expensive.  I've been thinking of making some out of coloured concrete.  Never used concrete for anything other than filling post holes so I have no idea how successful or elegant they might be.  Probably not very.

Good luck finding something you both like and can afford.
emm

[Bartman]

I know I'll need to spend some money, I just don't think $1800.00 for one a quarter of the size is realistic!

Bart