English trough containers are stone-like garden containers you can make at home from common materials. They are great for shallow-rooted hardy perennials, dwarf alpines, herbs or annuals. Examples of these versatile troughs can be seen in the English Walled Garden and Heritage Garden.

Trough-making and other garden workshops are available through the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden. For registration information, click here.

Download step-by-step instructions for building your own trough