By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

Dustin Gimbel, owner of Second Nature Garden Design, gardens mostly in containers by necessity.  (See yesterday's post below).  But Dustin doesn't limit himself to nursery pots.  Anything that will hold a few scoops of dirt is fair game.

These industrial-chic containers, for instance, are inexpensive metal storage bins from IKEA.  The fact they aren't very porous is actually an advantage in this hot roof-top situation, says Dustin.

 The handsome boxes below are alley finds Dustin rescued.  From the lettering you can still read on a few of them he believes they were old machine shop tool bins.  Because Dustin didn't want to drill holes in such handsome pieces, he filled them with a sharp potting soil and planted them with succulents, which don't require a lot of water.

And, finally, can you guess what these are?  Palm fronds in the streets after a high wind are a common occurrence in Southern California.  Dustin is rescuing them, too, and making what he calls "rafts" out of the sheaths.

What about you?  Are you planting in a container that would surprise us?  Send us a photo.