Love ur shells & planters, Dee. Thanks for sharing.
What is the most unusual thing you've used as a container?
I am going to plant succulants in this chandelier and of course put it over the outside dining table. When I get it done I will post but we are in the low 40's at night so I am waiting. Going to do the string of pearls, burros tail, have some string of bananas, gonna have to figure out the rest. Our city has a put out by the curb "free" day. So people just stick stuff out there and you can just pick them up. That is how I got the chandelier. I have another chandelier under the pergula and it has solar lights in it. I have seen them at garage sales and
First pic is from the top view, I imagine when we are sitting at the table we will see the next pic which is the bottom view. It is not hanging so I just turned it upside down in the chair.
Very sweet. I'm glad you thought o turn the saucers over so they could be seen better from underneath. Nice touch!
Yeah gives a better view when sitting at the table. Some people put candles in the cups which I imagine is really pretty at night if the cups are china and glow.
Love the chandelier. What a fun project. That's something I could probably find at one of the local thrift shops.
Just paint, glue, and plant or use candles.
I still am going to do sea shell planters, I love those.
I've got so many projects going now. I bought some canvas boxes on sale from Dick Blick Art Supplies and I'm decorating them. I'm working on some cement fountains, I say some because this last one didn't come out just right so I'm rethinking and starting over. And I'm also working with my laminator and making butterfly jewelry. I'm selling some of this stuff at a craft boutique next Saturday.
Hope nobody minds my popping in.
I was just remembering a vegetable garden we had years ago in the tiny enclosed yard/patio of a town house we were renting. In addition to in-ground plants we wanted some containers.
My husband spotted some really cool-looking round tubs one day on his way home. They were made from wooden slats with rubber bottoms and were stacked next to the trash of a small factory. They were a perfect size so he asked if he could have them. Apparently they were shipping containers for nuts & bolts (with the tops removed) and once they were empty they were thrown away.
We couldn't believe our luck. They were beautiful...they looked like small whiskey barrels. We got about ten of them. They were absolutely free and all we had to do was drill some holes in the bottoms.
Nowadays they use plain corrugated cardboard boxes to ship nuts and bolts, but it was a great find.
Don't mind at all. Glad you stopped in, nutsaboutnature.
Those tubs sound like a great find. I love it when that happens. I used to buy a lot of half whiskey barrels for containers. They make neat planters for so many things. I got a chuckle thinking about all the holes we've drilled in whiskey barrels over the years. ♥
I was just looking at photos and noticed how much the old coal scuttle at the top of this thread has filled in. This year it is full. Time to pull some more and plant elsewhere.
This is my Radio Flyer wagon garden. I almost threw it out because the front wheels had broken off. The 'anything is a planter' side of me came out.
That looks great. I love old wagons. Good job!
We use wine barrels out here in wine country. I don't know what I'd do without them.
Love the radio flyer planter, my wagon is starting to show it's age and someday it will be retired as a planter.
the wagon is really pretty. Sometimes I am glad I don't throw things away...lol
whiskey/wine barrels are great to have. I have one I used as a small water garden for years but anymore I can't get it to swell up enough to stop leaking.
I heard about about one older gardener who used a wagon with holes drilled in it for lettuce. On the plus side with wagons, you can roll them into the garage if it gets too hot, windy or stormy.
Wow, weeding, the flowers in your wagon planter are beautiful!
I bought a Radio Flyer wagon at a garage sale for $15.00...the kind with the wooden stake sides added. My husband repainted it and ordered new hub caps from the RF company. All four hub caps cost about $2.50. Then he made a wooden slat insert for the bottom. It's too pretty now to plant in so I'm going to use it for a garden wagon.
That's a good idea for lettuce. I do like things that can be rolled and moved easily.
I have a couple of new plantings. One is not too unusual, it is a bird nest fern in an old bird cage I got at a car swap meet, you just never know what you will find when. Second is a toy metal truck, not sure I am going to leave airplane plants in the back but that is what I had a the time. I didn't want to ruin the toy so I found a plastic container the right size and cut it to fit. Taking suggestions on what to plant in the truck...LOL
happ - love the new planters. Makes me want to go garage sale-ing. The truck is a real find, maybe something rounded like african violets or how about a nice mix of really small succulents.
Love, love, love that truck. I think some type of succulent would look good in it. Maybe an Echeveria of some type. I agree - something rounded and compact.
Really love that old truck!
Why not buy tiny starter plants and switch them regularly to suit your mood instead of planting right in the truck. If the pots are too tall & show, you can wrap a piece of burlap or other material around the pot, or look for a tiny basket to set them in. Then it will just look like the truck has some "cargo".
Thanks for the comments and great ideas you guys, like the thought of burlap, tie cord around it....knew you guys could help. Succulants sound like a really good idea.
I'm happy with this little Tonka Truck. It's a fun showcase for interesting/pretty rocks found at the beach and other hikes. The rocks keep the dirt in, and there is actually pretty good drainage.
The only problem with this idea is that periodically my kids give in to the overwhelming temptation to dump my plants...=)
That is really cute. I can see how the kids could be tempted...lol
Some kids toys make great unusual planters. I enjoy fun and whimsy in the garden. :)
Love your Container Pot ideas Tapla (Al). ---- Also love the shoe containers that others came up with :]
Since any pots or items put outdoors in this area will dry-rot and crack apart within 8 months, I started to spray the outsides of all pots and items with a clear acrylic spray real good, just to slow down the dry-rotting process because of the sun.
Yeap even here the sun is brutal on everything. So acrylic spray seems to help? Worth a try. I have some fiberglass pots that need to be repainted and maybe then I will spray them with acrylic.
Happ, outdoor clear acrylic spray seems to help things from cracking, chipping, rusting or drying out. Well at least will help them last longer than usual. --- I'll spray the plastic pots, metal items and anything that was painted. --- May need to respray with the acrylic spray once a year. -- Got my spray at Michael's Craft store.
It's a smelly job when doing it, so best done outdoors on a non windy, non humid day.
I would lose all my plastic pots every single year, they would crack apart so easily. Then I got fed-up and decided to spray them, at least with three coats.
I would even spray my rope or string I used to hang some things outdoors, so the string won't dry-rot so fast.
Oh good idea on the rope lights! Didn't think about that at all...
Rope lights? As long as you're not spraying something that is plugged in at the time, you'll be ok, LoL!
Had to really chuckle at some of these:
http://funflowerfacts.com/2012/05/07/10-unique-vases-container-ideas/
Oh my God, lol. --- The Bra, computers and necklace ones, I never would have thought of that. That is amazing, lol.
too funny
Something for everyone, I guess. :-D)))
Who is that great cat, LoveForests?
Cville, it is my 13 year old cat, he is a Maine Coon. Name is Pudgy, got him from the horse farm I worked at. He almost got stepped-on by horses twice when he was only 4 weeks old. So I decided to take him from there.
He has an issue with scratching his forehead above his eyes & under his chin too often. --- Not sure if it's an allergy or dust mites. --- Just got a Hydrocortisone spray and been rubbing it on those areas. --- I'm feeding him quality canned food these days.
--- He is so hilarious, and gets these 'high energy bursts' and runs around or shakes his head back & forth when playing with a toy. Did not know a cat his age could run so fast, LOL !
Is that your gorgeous, fit, gray tabby cat in the photo?
That is our Little G. Unfortunately, he ran off during a thunder storm about 3 weeks ago. We are still hoping and praying for his return. Best cat we ever had. We have a huge hole in our hearts without him.
Cville, I am so sorry!!! He's ok I promise ya. He is probably chasing birds and playing lots.
I have about 4 cats that roam passed my home. I started contacting people (for about 4 months now) who were looking for their lost pets, whos cats looked like the ones I see outside. I am determined to get those owners reunited with their kitties.
Like one of the cat owners told me, cats are resilient & very smart, they learn to survive well in their outdoor surroundings very well.
LOL the bra. What a crackup!
The computers still look like trash to me...and the book just makes me sad for the destruction of a book. =)
I love the VW bugs and the bathtub full of Black Eyed Susans!
My mother-in-law has put an old child's bedframe into her garden and fills the space between with zinnias - her "garden bed." =)
Thanks, LoveForests. We're hopeful. If I didn't know how badly he panics and runs, I'd feel better. But we still have hope.
I really like "garden beds". :-)
I just had an idea. I don't have a lawn, being out in the country and all. Wouldn't it be nice to have a garden "bed" with grass to lie down on? I could do it in a raised bed to keep the gophers out. What a nice place to lie down and look at the stars at night!
Yes, it would be. Star-gazing is good for the kid in us. :)