Oh my goodness! I have a picnic basket just like this that used to be my parents! I actually have two baskets, one was given to us when we were first married.
For me, they are so neat to use for picnics that I wouldn't dare use them to put dirt in, although I guess if I had gotten it without sentimental value attached, it would make for a really neat planter. The blogger at the image source link calls it a "vintage" basket. Wow! Kind of cool to think my baskets are vintage.