Monty Don’s rustic water butt proves tanks can be beautiful

Monty Don just posted another sweet photo of his dog, Ned, but I spotted a background star: the water butt.

Learning how to install a water butt has got to be one of the best things you do for your garden – it’s brilliant insurance against heatwaves and hosepipe bans, and it contributes towards a more sustainable garden. In one of Monty’s latest Instagram posts, a rustic water butt is the thing that grabbed my attention – and it’s convinced me that plastic water butts are a thing of the past.

Because why settle for a boring tank when you can make your rain collector a stylish feature in your garden?

In Monty Don’s Instagram post, there’s a background star (Ned, of course, being the main character): the galvanised steel water butt that’s rusting away in front of the shed.

That might not sound like the best condition you’ve ever heard of, but if you’re aware of how trendy corten steel planters became in the garden last year, you’ll know that it’s exactly the kind of thing gardeners go for when they’re curating a rustic garden design scheme. It complements the wooden shed and corrugated metal roof behind it beautifully, and it’s large enough to carry a hefty load of water.

It inspired me to hunt down the next best thing (since Monty’s looks like a one-of-a-kind antique piece), and I stumbled across the Garden Trading Galvanised Steel Water Butt, which you can buy from Crocus. It’s not as big as Monty’s, but it’s a great starting point – and it would pair beautifully with a pretty rain chain. It’s galvanised, so it won’t rust as readily as Monty’s, but it’s perfect if you’re aiming for an industrial look.

Water butts are actually one of the best ways to water your garden during a hosepipe ban, since you’re allowed to connect a hosepipe to one (or, of course, you could use it to fill your watering can).

Better still? Owning a water butt is a water-saving habit that experts swear by, and they often argue that rainwater is better for your plants, too.

Unique water butts and rain collectors

Garden Trading has plenty of pretty water butts to offer, but here are a few of my favourites.

If Monty’s post taught me any anything, it’s that water butts can be stylish – even when they’re weather-worn!