What junk have you found use for in the garden?

I am always looking for ways to turn junk into something useful. What junk have you turned into something to use in your garden.I have used the side rails of a baby crib as a trellis, an old rusted out red wagon now has a proud spot in my flower bed, old watering cans etc make nice additions to a flower bed with things planted in them. I have an old rusted wash tub on my back porch with flowers in it. Not to mention the things you can do with milk jugs, butter tubs etc.These are just what I could think of off hand I am sure you have lots of other ideas.

I use old birdcages for feeders. Hanging from the weak limbs of a hackberry, only the birds can get to them easily. At the back of the house, I had problems with skunks digging the soil from the pots, and I had an old metal shelf unit. I turned the shelf unit over on its long side, meaning the shelves are now vertical, and topped it with a discarded cabinet top. It has lasted for several seasons as a taller place that allows things to sprout or harden off or whatever they need to do for awhile. Underneath, in between the shelves, I store empty pots and other odds and ends. I have used crib springs to support vines, swing sets for hanging plants, and a wicker chair on the porch for a basket of trailing lantana, a pot of mums and one of liriope. A wooden crate I found at the trash bin of a Home Depot made a good bench when I set it on some rocks. Numerous stumps and limbs from blueberry juniper have served as edging, along with the rocks. One end of a crib forms a nice gate. None of this would work in a city setting, but neither would I.

Hi Mystic,
I saw some really cool things turned into garden objects 'd art this past summer while vacationing in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
One elderly gentleman had taken the insides of washing machines (the drum part with all of the holes in it)
and had turned them into flower planters for his wife!
I commented on what a fun idea it was, and he looked at me and said:
"Dey got built-in drainage holes already in 'em, eh?" :-)
In another town I saw terraced, claw-footed bathtubs,
each full of Impatiens!
Some nifty recycling, to be sure!
Melissa :-)

This message was edited Sunday, Nov 4th 8:30 PM

Hey Aimee what great ideas.( now where did I see that old bird cage?)I am with ya on the city setting I live in a subdivision but it't not in the city and a hugh field runs behind the subdivision so no neighbors behind me just across the street and and both sides. Melissa if I come across a claw foot bathtub that can be fixed it would go in my bathroom. I have always wanted one. lol I love antiques. I have heard of lots of people using the washing machine tub and that would be great it would have the dainage holes aready there. lol

I don't really like old rusty things in my garden....would look like they would be more appropriate beside an old dilapated house in the country. No offense meant....just my opinion:) Maybe I should keep my opinions to myself:)

Hey Oblambert no offense taken. I just hate to throw things away and when I say rusted I meant the bottom not the rest of the container.The wagon is just rusted through where the handle and 2 front wheels go so they just sit under the wagon to support it now. The wash tub and other things just the bottom are rusted out somewhat but the rest looks good.And heck no don't keep your opinions to yourself!(Nope I don't live in a dilapated house in the country.But I sure did as a child).

Owen - your comment is a good one! It just goes to show your gardening taste. I bet you're a very neat gardener - and you like things neatly trimmed, evenly spaced, that formal and tidy look?? Am I right? I don't care for a lot of "stuff" in my garden. I want the space for plants! & I think too much stuff makes it look too busy or even junky. I have a couple of bird baths, stepping stones, and a sundial. I like the natural look myself - lots of rocks, twig trellises, old stumps, wood, cast iron, brass, copper - or whatever. I like rust! I think it adds a natural element. I have some rusty enamal pots that I use as planters. I also like to use wooden crates for planters. I'd much rather have an old rusty lobster steamer for a planter than a new plastic one. I hate plastic. But that's just me!

Something for everybody! I have a collection of an old washtub with bullet holes in the sides, an old enamel dishpan, some old tea kettles, a few cooking pots, etc. that are home to a collection of succulents. The ground over the septic tank was hardly growing weeds so that is where it all sits looking good I think. I happen to like rust better than plastic, but have some plastic planters that look like terra cotta. I've also got something called a fresno that is a shovel thing off an old steam shovel used for digging cannals and stuff like that. It hasn't got much depth but is perfect for portulaca. A metal tool box that once held an early version of a skill saw sits next to it overflowing with hens and chicks. Every time I bring something else home my hubby shakes his head and wonders what I will do with it, but agrees that it looks good when it gets filled with flowers.

I've got the inside of an old minnow bucket as a hanging planter,an old metal sears fertilizer spreader as a planter that now holds pansies and an old tricycle with a small area to carry something on the back of it holding a pot of moss rose. I painted a wooden spool (large, the kind that electrical or cable wire comes on) and did a mosiac tile top. I use that for our outside dining table. Looks pretty neat. I think my penny covered bowling ball makes a great addition to the garden. I just hate to see anything go to waste and with a little imagination almost anything can have a fantastic new life.

I don't really like too much "old" stuff in my garden either but I found a great old wheelbarrow at a yard sale for $5.00. In the spring it is filled with Daffodils, summer is Caladiums and Mums for fall. I really enjoy it.

I have a border of bowling balls - they are different colors and are planted 1/3 in the soil. I plant impatiens behind them - white - this really shows off the color. This row of balls always gets people attention - what kind of rock is that, where did you get those hats?? - when they find out it is bowling balls they usually tell me that they have one in their basement to donate. I buy them at flea markets and yard sales for about 2/3$ - I have about 100 out there now!!!

Mystic, you should come to this area. In Austin and San Antonio are several businesses selling hundreds, literally, of old clawfoot tubs. I have two, although I leave off the feet and set them on rocks to minimize the rust damage. One of them was wasting away in the pasture after the people who built the house remodeled in the 60s. My son hauled the other one away for one of his customers who was renovating a rental property. Oh, and I do live in a dilapidated old rock house, which I keep trying to restore one board at a time. It takes patience and hard work just to live here! But I am surrounded by acreage, even though I'm in the city, and most people drive by without even noticing the place, unless they want to bum some of my junk and think some idiot lives here. I have lots of the things mentioned above, like a blue and white enamel dishpan that belonged to my grandmother, an oval tub to match, a green teakettle, some enamel baby bathtubs, some wash pans and dippers. I love this old nostalgic stuff, and it's all over my house. It's a mess now, but it also inspires me to recover so I can whip it all back into shape. And I forgot to mention the fact that a coat of paint or polyurethane can stop the rust and preserve a piece of history. I detest plastic, and can't bear to throw away anything that can be put to some further use.

Sethsnana - I'd love to see your spool table if you have a way to post pictures. I bet it's gorgeous. In fact, I'd love to see pictures of everyones junk!

Silly me! I bought a clawfoot tub at a garage sale for 65 bucks, sandblasted it, paid to have it reglazed then faux painted the outside to match the alternate tiles in my floor. I bought all new brass hardware for it and painted the feet gold too. We actually use it for a bathtub! LOL I waited ten years to get that bathroom gutted and redone and put trash in it. LMBO Okay, I do have an antique baby bathtub on the front steps, filled with callas, cyperus and a couple of voodoo lilies and elephant ears. It actually looks nice. I have reused wire shelving for trellises. I have the old bathtub sitting under the deck in the back yard, deciding what to do with it. It is the one we ripped out to put in the clawfoot. LOL That tub was only 30 years old and the clawfoot is about 90 years old. Hmm, irony. :)

I just love rusty bottoms.....mine is in that condition too:)



This message was edited Monday, Nov 5th 1:27 PM

poppysue- I don't have a digital camera yet but I can try to use my new Corel Photo Paint software to get a picture posted. Bear with me , I'm pretty computer illeritate.

I love the bowling bowl idea Happyoma! Definitely unusual, but I bet it looks really nice. Any pictures of it?

The farmer who's land surrounds our house, has a big rock pile. I used my daughter's wagon to haul rocks to the house to create a border for some of my flower beds.

I remember my mother planting flowers in and old toilet in the front yard. How embarrasing! I'm so glad the house sat 1/4 mile off the road so that it couldn't be seen by passersby. I'm really big on recycling, but...

Hey these ideas are so great.Ok maybe junk wasn't the right word. One person's junk is another's treasure. lol I love the spool idea too. I had a chance to get some from the telephone company and didn't take them wish I had now! Aimee and Badseed on the clawfoot tub I have always loved them when they sold DH grandparents house there was one in it and I wanted it so bad .... But the meanies said it had to go with the house. (think they where just to lazy to put another tub in there and DH just didn't want it here. lol )

My best so far, I think, is a bamboo papasan chair (actually a loveseat) without the cushion. I put pine needles in the bottom, filled with potting soil and planted flowers. All along the outside (top), I put spanish moss which dangles down to ground level. It's a raised bed, of sorts and really gets great comments from visitors to our home.

smilin, that sounds beautiful. I'm going to be in real trouble as a result of this thread, because I want to copy all this stuff.

I did a project similar to Smiln32's. I bought two "Spanish style" kitchen chairs at a flea market. Remember Spanish style from the late 60's/early70's?? These had no seats left and harvest gold vinyl inserts in the back- they were truly hideous. When my husband saw me dragging them to the car I got the usual "What the H--- are you going to do with that junk?" After removing the back pads I was left with a black wrought iron frame. I created a basket of chicken wire in the seat area, wired it fast lined it with burlap to hold the soil and planted them with annuals- Each year I try different flowers(vines work well) and they look great.Not bad for an initial investment of $5. MWhit

I sure would like to see some pictures of these unique creations. How about it?

talinum...I haven't quite as far as all these Pro's have but I just posted a yard art I made out of various pieces of junk in the Photo Forum. Thread is called "For Carl!" The item is called "the gizmo man".

I posted a pic of the hubcaps and sewer tile birdbaths i make! Theres a pic of the old grain shaker in the photos.
I have a old sampson radiator in the garden. my dh brought home these copper parts(cylinders)I use to set my sun dials on...I have a old milkcan and a rusty bucket without bottoms.
I use field tiles and a board for a bench.
Then theres "garden art"-posted on the photo forum...hes made of rusty old shovels and bolts.
I do like the rusty old stuff in the garden!