Somewhere along the way, my boyhood enjoyment of assembling plastic scale model cars transformed into collecting and utilizing porcelain replica car planter vases. This has been a largely subconscious effort. 
These light-hearted planters have been manufactured in a variety of styles and sizes. Many are quickly composed approximations of cars, others are more realistic regarding shapes and details. In any form, these are fun, but challenging containers with which to work.
A whimsical 1960s or 70s giftware planter made in Taiwan is an example of an inexpensive container marketed towards men as Fathers’ Day or birthday giftware. Workmanship of the piece is rather poor, but this aspect makes it perfect as a container for a casual, masculine arrangement of small lilies.
A small, matte white roadster is stamped “handpainted Made in Japan”. A feature of this planter is the addition of tiny rose appliques. It was probably intended more as a knick knack shelf adornment than a serious planter. Even the smallest fill flowers and tiny berries almost overwhelm the container. This was a fun composition to create.
I’m lucky to have two beige Ford roadsters manufactured by McCoy Pottery Company. These are good quality planters with accurate details and some nice cold paint accenting stripes. These heavy weight and sturdy cars have helped me to experiment with various styles and plantings. These work well as containers for cacti or Art Nouveau inspired flower groupings. In this case, I felt like making up a floral collage of shapes, textures, and tints. 
If you’re looking to improve your floral skills, I recommend that you find some car shaped planter vases to fill. If you can experiment with them, you’ll enhance your compositional abilities.
Au Revoir
The Blue Jay of Happiness says, “Don’t drive as if you own the road. Drive as if you own the car””
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