Wine barrell planter

Hi all,

I have a full size wine barrel that I would like to turn in to a planter to sit next to a whiskey barrel pond. Can any one give some advice/hint and tips/photos of similar projects. It is currently proving very hard to cut through the top - my husband has tried several tools and electric saws so I am thinking we will just have to cut off the top of the barrell rather than cut out the base. If not I may just have to plant a top of it. Then my next query is if we do get in to it, how to plant it without filling it fully with soil. Would you create a false base half way up?

Any help would be much appreciated!

On a side note - the whiskey barrel pond.... do you need some kind of ramp/steps to attract wildlife?