Plastic is cheap. The black nursery pot comes free with the plant. Plastic is also very light and easy to move around. This is a gigantic advantage in the kind of container garden where plants go in and out of flower and need to be rotated in and out of sight.

Most plastic pots come with drainage holes. The lighter colors are very reflective and so present no danger of becoming ovens for your plants. It is also non-porous, which means you won't have to water the pots as frequently as you would pots of clay or untreated wood.

Many plastic pots are quite attractive, and some now do such a convincing imitation of terra cotta that they'll fool you until you tap them and nothing clinks. Others are, admittedly, plug-ugly - but don't let that stop you. Hide them in something prettier and no one will ever know. That way if you have to bring the plants in for the winter you won't strain yourself, either.