DIY Alice in Wonderland Topsy Turvy Planter Bird Bath for Your Garden

This DIY Alice in Wonderland topsy turvy planter is a colorful garden project made with painted clay pots, vinyl details, flowers, and a little Wonderland-inspired chaos.

There’s something about a topsy turvy planter that instantly makes a garden feel more whimsical, and once I started seeing them on Pinterest, I knew I wanted to make one with an Alice in Wonderland twist.

This DIY Alice in Wonderland topsy turvy planter uses stacked clay pots, bold paint colors, vinyl details, and a little bit of “curiouser and curiouser” energy to turn basic flower pots into a fun garden statement piece. It’s colorful, slightly chaotic in the best way, and such a cute way to add personality to a porch, patio, or flower bed.

I’ll walk you through the supplies I used, how I painted and sealed the pots, what I learned along the way, and a few tips that made the whole project easier.

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DIY Alice in Wonderland Topsy Turvy Planter Supplies

Here’s what I used for my planter. You can adjust the pot sizes depending on how tall or dramatic you want your finished planter to be.

• 6″ Clay Saucer
• 12″ Clay Saucer
• 10″ Clay Pot
• 8″ Clay Pots (3)
• 6″ Clay Pot
• 3/4″ x 36″ Rebar
• Hammer
• Spray Primer (I used a couple of whatever I had on hand)
• Outdoor Spray Paint (I used Rust-Oleum American Accents Ultra Cover 2x spray paint and assorted acrylic paints)
• Paint Brushes or Foam Brushes
• Permanent Vinyl Decals (optional)
• Transfer Tape, if using vinyl
• E6000 Adhesive – (one of my favorite crafting adhesives!)
• Outdoor Mod Podge
• Clear Sealant Spray
• 7/8″ x 6″ Hex Bolt (found at Home Depot)
• Flowers
• Potting Soil

Before You Start

A topsy turvy planter is basically a stack of flower pots tilted at different angles on a strong center support. The rebar keeps the pots upright, while the tilted pots give it that whimsical, leaning look.

For this Alice in Wonderland version, I painted each pot with a different Wonderland-inspired theme. I used vinyl decals for some of the details because, honestly, they looked so much cleaner than anything I could have painted freehand.

If you’re making your own version, I highly recommend sketching out your pot order and design ideas first. It does not need to be fancy. Mine was literally paper and colored pencils, but it helped me figure out which pot would go where before I started painting.

Step 1: Wash and Dry the Clay Pots

First, wash all of your pots and saucers to remove dust and debris. Let them dry completely before painting. I let mine dry overnight.

This is one of those boring steps that is very easy to skip, but clean, dry pots will help your primer, paint, and sealant stick better.

Step 2: Seal, Prime, and Paint the Base Colors

Once the pots were clean and dry, I sprayed them with a couple coats of clear sealant and then primer, inside and out.

After that, the fun part started: bright, bold, colorful paint.

I used spray paint for the base colors and did 2–3 coats on each pot. Then I used acrylic paints for the smaller details. I especially liked the metallic colors and used metallic lilac and metallic pearl white on a few sections.

Step 3: Add Wonderland-Inspired Details

For the decorative details, you can use paint, vinyl decals, paint pens, stencils, or a mix of everything.

Originally, I planned to use vinyl decals as stencils. Then I had a very honest moment with myself and realized the decals were going to look much nicer than anything I could paint by hand. So, decals it was.

Once the vinyl decals were applied, I sealed them with Mod Podge. I accidentally started with the wrong Mod Podge formula at first — oops — and then switched to gloss Mod Podge. If I were doing this again, I would probably use Outdoor Mod Podge from the beginning.

After 2–3 coats of Mod Podge, I used clear spray sealant over the top to help with the slight tackiness.

Step 4: Paint the Cheshire Cat Pot

For the Cheshire Cat-inspired pot, I used a rubber band to help draw straight horizontal lines around the pot. Then I painted the stripes with metallic acrylic paint.

I used a black Sharpie to make the bold black stripes, then sealed everything with Mod Podge and clear spray sealant.

Step 5: Paint the Queen of Hearts Pot

The Queen of Hearts pot is where vinyl really saved me.

I wanted a harlequin-style pattern, but no matter how many tutorials I looked at, I knew I was not going to love the result if I tried to freehand it. I am not that talented, but I am a creative thinker, so vinyl decals were the answer.

It’s not perfect, but it is so much better than anything I could have painted by hand. I used a black Sharpie under the rim, then followed with black acrylic paint.

Once again, I finished the pot with 2–3 coats of Mod Podge and a clear spray sealant.

Step 6: Finish the Rest of the Wonderland Pots

I followed the same general process with the rest of the pots: base paint, details, vinyl where needed, Mod Podge, and clear sealant.

For my planter, I made pots inspired by Alice, the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts, and the Mad Hatter. You could keep those same themes or swap in your own Wonderland-inspired ideas.

A few fun ideas:

• “This Way” and “That Way” arrows
• Playing card suits
• A pocket watch
• A keyhole
• Mushrooms
• Teacups
• “Eat Me” and “Drink Me” labels
• Black and white checkerboard details
• Bright stripes and whimsical patterns

Step 7: Add the Rebar and Start Stacking the Pots

Once the pots were fully dry, it was time to assemble the planter.

I picked a spot in front of my daughter’s window so she could hopefully catch birds taking a bath. Then I pounded the rebar into the ground a few inches with a hammer and started stacking the pots.

The rebar goes through the drainage hole in each pot. As you stack each pot, tilt it in the direction you want and add dirt to help hold it in place.

Step 8: Adjust the Pots Until You Like the Shape

Not gonna lie, this part took some patience.

I had imagined the pots tipping a little more dramatically than they actually did. I also had not fully accounted for how much of each design would be covered once the pots were stacked inside each other.

Some of the paint started scratching from all the rotating, moving, squishing, and adjusting. Eventually, I got it looking pretty cute, but next time I might try slightly larger pots to get more of that exaggerated tipsy look.

So if your planter does not instantly look the way you pictured it, don’t panic. Keep adjusting. Add soil. Turn the pots. Step back and look at it from a few angles.

A quick lesson learned: I tried cutting up a pool noodle to use as lightweight filler mixed with the dirt and to help with drainage. Once I started assembling everything, I realized that was not the best idea for this project because I needed a solid surface for the pots, not something squishy.

If I made this again, I would stick with soil and make sure each pot feels stable before adding the next one.

This is Wonderland. A little wonky is part of the charm.

Step 9: Add the Bird Bath Top

I wasn’t completely sure how the top bird bath section was going to work, so I tried a slightly crazy idea.

I glued the 12-inch round saucer to the top of the Mad Hatter pot with E6000 adhesive. Then I let it dry for two days, adding a little more glue every 12–24 hours to make sure it felt strong.

Next, I glued the large hex bolt to the bottom of that top section with the same adhesive and let it dry for another day or two before assembling.

Before adding the top, I filled the stacked pots with flowers and more dirt. When I got to the top, I balanced the Mad Hatter pot on the edge of the Alice pot and buried the hex bolt in the dirt of the Alice pot.

It still did not feel quite as secure as I wanted, so I added more E6000 glue to the edge of the Alice pot and the bottom of the Mad Hatter saucer. I’m not totally sure how that will work out if I ever need to take the whole thing apart, but that is a future-me problem.

Step 10: Add Flowers and Enjoy Your Wonderland Garden Planter

Once everything was stacked, glued, filled with soil, and planted with flowers, it finally came together.

I was originally going for a more dramatic, wonky, tipsy look, but even though it turned out a little different than what I had in my head, I still think it is pretty darn cute.

I had also thought about adding a little dish to the top for bird food, but my girls were working on their own little bird baths and feeders, so I figured we could put their projects next to mine.

Tips for Making a DIY Alice in Wonderland Topsy Turvy Planter

Here are the biggest things I learned while making mine:

Use larger pots if you want a more dramatic tilt. Smaller pots can work, but they may not tip as much as the Pinterest versions you have in your head.

Let everything dry longer than you want to. Paint, Mod Podge, sealant, and adhesive all need time. This was the hardest part for me because I was excited to finish.

Think about which parts of the pot will be covered. Some of your design will disappear once the pots are stacked, so keep your favorite details higher or more visible.

Use vinyl if detailed painting stresses you out. The harlequin pattern and lettering were much easier with decals.

Be careful while adjusting the pots. Painted surfaces can scratch when clay pots rub against each other.

Make sure the planter feels stable. The rebar is important, and the soil helps hold the pots in place.

What Kind of Paint Should You Use on Clay Pots?

I used spray paint for the base colors and acrylic paint for the details. Since this planter is going outside, I recommend using primer, sealing the painted pots, and giving everything plenty of time to dry between coats.

If you want the planter to last outside, do not skip the sealant. Terra cotta is porous, and outdoor projects need a little extra protection from water, sun, and general garden life.

Can You Use Vinyl on Outdoor Flower Pots?

Yes, you can use vinyl on flower pots, but I would use permanent outdoor vinyl and seal over it.

The vinyl details were one of my favorite parts of this project because they made the designs look much cleaner than freehand painting. This was especially helpful for the Queen of Hearts pot and the smaller decorative details.

If you create your own decals, simple shapes are your friend: arrows, hearts, diamonds, labels, card suits, and silhouettes all work well for a Wonderland-inspired design.

DIY Alice in Wonderland Topsy Turvy Planter Design Ideas

You can make this project as simple or detailed as you want. Here are a few theme ideas for each pot:

Cheshire Cat: purple and pink stripes, bold black lines, mischievous grin-inspired details

Queen of Hearts: red, black, white, hearts, crowns, card suits, harlequin pattern

White Rabbit: pocket watch, clock numbers, “I’m late” style wording, black and white details

Alice: blue, white, black bow details, simple stripes, keyhole shapes

Mad Hatter: bright green, purple, orange, teacups, hat-inspired details, bold patterns

Garden signs: “This Way,” “That Way,” “Eat Me,” “Drink Me,” “Curiouser and Curiouser”

FAQ

How do you keep a topsy turvy planter from falling over?

Use a strong center support like rebar and make sure it is pushed securely into the ground. As you stack the pots, add soil to each one and adjust the angle before moving to the next pot. The soil helps weigh everything down and hold the pots in place.

Do I need to seal painted clay pots?

For an outdoor planter, yes, I would seal them. I used Mod Podge and clear spray sealant on mine. If I were starting from scratch, I would choose products made for outdoor use whenever possible.

Can I make this without vinyl decals?

Yes. You can paint the designs by hand, use paint pens, or make simple stencils. I used vinyl because it gave me cleaner lines and saved me from trying to freehand patterns that were above my skill level.

What flowers work best in a topsy turvy planter?

Smaller flowers and trailing plants work well because the pots are stacked and tilted. Choose flowers that fit your sun/shade situation and leave enough room for watering.

Can I use different pot sizes?

Yes. You can adjust the pot sizes depending on how tall you want the planter to be. If you want a more dramatic tilt, larger pots may give you more room to angle each layer.

Final Thoughts

My mind is already swirling with more ideas to add to my Alice theme, and I am semi-obsessed with decorating cute pots now.

Whether or not I find the time and ambition to make more of them is another question, but this was such a fun garden project. It is bright, whimsical, a little imperfect, and exactly the kind of thing that makes me smile when I see it outside.

If you make your own Alice in Wonderland topsy turvy planter, I would love to see how it turns out!

Pin This DIY Alice in Wonderland Topsy Turvy Planter for Later

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