Well you'll need something to stand them on that keeps the soil inside, and to put them somewhere they won't ever be moved. Most people, when using these, fit a pot inside the chimney pot and plant into that to get round this problem - I always use them directly on soil, filling up with compost and plant straight into that to give some height in the border. I often plant something like a Phormium inside so that its leaves aren't dragging on the ground - the plant usually roots right down into the ground at the bottom though.

Thank you for that... I think filling it completely is the way forward! I also have a couple of smaller ones for the driveway so may use the second idea there for inserting a plant pot.

I have two chimney pots at my front door and have four pots which fit inside. I keep alternating the pots in pairs so there's always something of interest in them, both in the summer (usually dianthus or bizzy lizzies) and in the winter (usually heathers and/or chrysanths or whatever is in season)

Thank you.. that sounds like a good idea too.

Welcome to GoY by the way!!

I started off putting soil in my old chimney pots. They started to deteriorate. After all, that was not what they were designed for. As others do I place a pot in the chimney pot so that I can change them for a fresh show. No further degradation has occurred since I stopped filling them. I have had some of my pots for 40 years.