Cardboard Flower Tower

I got these interestingly shaped cardboard packing inserts in a recent delivery box. Here's how I turned them into an outdoor flower tower planter.

Cardboard packing inserts
Threaded steel pole
Plastic Decorative Balls ( Goodwill)
Foam pipe insulator
Scissors/box cutter
Spray Paint
Polyeurathane Spray
Hot Glue
Potting Soil
Flowers

First I used scissors and box cutter to cut the corners off the large square cardboard inserts to make a "+" shape. The 2 medium sized inserts were already in the perfect shape. I cut out the center of another large piece which formed a cone with 4 pockets for the smallest top layer.

The 2 medium sized layers had a large circular hole in the middle. In order for them to fit onto the pole, I had to add a circle of cardboard cut from the outside box using hot glue. I cut an "x" into the center to slide it onto the pole but fit snuggly.

Next I used outdoor spray paint to paint all the cardboard shapes a matte black.

I used plastic decorative balls that I got at Goodwill for .50 each as spacers. I drilled a hole in either side of each ball using the drill press so they would slide easily onto the pole.

First I lay everything out along side the pole to judge where everything should go and the spacing for the layers. Then I began assembling starting at the top. I used hot glue and each juncture both around the pole and joining each piece to the next.
I cut and added the foam insulator between each layer for extra spacing and to ensure the cardboard layers did not slip down.

I planted the end of the pole in the ground and then did some black paint touchup on areas that needed it. Then I did several coats of Polycrylic spray so the cardboard would not fall apart when watered or rained on.

Finally I filled all the "pots" with potting soil and added annual flowers. Viola! Flower Tower!