Recycling As Art in Your Garden

My taste in garden art and structure can be eclectic. It's difficult for me to toss something in the trash when, with just a smidgen of imagination, it can be turned into art in the landscape; or at least what I may think of as art. Some gardeners put no sculptures or artsy objects in their gardens while others have a land awash in garden gnomes. I fall somewhere in between.

Always a frugal gardener, I prefer to recycle common household items rather than spend a small fortune on something from a garden center or store.

One of my favorite garden additions was the framework of a metal bunk bed I rescued at a garage sale. I buried the pieces in the ground and used them as trellises for peas, beans, and squash. The structures added variety and interest in the vegetable garden, in addition to doing a great job supporting the plants. For years I've been on the hunt for an old wooden ladder to put in the middle of my squash. I'm intrigued by the image of vines crawling up the rungs dropping the ripening squash between the outstretched legs.

This year I salvaged a glass light cover from a trash pile in the garage. The cover is no longer needed because the bulbs it protected were replaced by a ceiling fan with its own light. Rather than toss a beautiful object, I waited for the right opportunity. When I decided to begin a rock garden, the glass cover became a centerpiece. Turned upside down and filled with soil, it is a perfect resting place for a variety of sedum that will grow, fill it, and spill out onto the stones. It sparkles in the sun, adds character to a small garden section, and will become a conversation piece -- everything one would want in a piece of garden art.

Almost anything can be recycled for garden use. An old pair of my boots lies in the bed of hostas by the front door. They're filled with soil and over the years I've planted annuals in them. They stand as a reminder to me of years past and literally are a part of my life, in the garden. It adds character, my character, to my garden. Of the many items I've recycled, those boots have received the most comments and they have all been positive.

An old red wheelbarrow holds my cactus garden. It was the first wheelbarrow I bought many years ago and eventually wore out. Rather than banish the old workhorse to the dump, I gave it new life as a home for cacti. Those plants are unique in my garden and their "pot" is also unique. With a few holes drilled in the bottom and a specific blend of sand and rocks, it models the natural environment of the plants I chose for it. It too is a recycled object that brings a smile or smirk to the face of those who view it.

I saved an old green toilet bowl from a bathroom remodel a few years ago. I envisioned it resting alone in a corner of my perennial bed covered with ivy. To me the idea of a toilet giving life to plants was humorous and philosophically symbolic. My wife didn't agree and threatened bodily harm if she had to look at an old toilet in the backyard. Regretfully I honored her request and got rid of it, but it's still an idea I find promising.

I'm not advocating creating a junkpile and growing plants in it. Some things look trashy whether they are surrounded by green or not, but a little creativity can be fun for the gardener and the admirers. I have no current plans for new additions, but I always have my eye open for an opportunity. You never know when you'll stumble upon an item looking for a new home in your garden. I know that there's an abandoned ladder with my name on it in some garage somewhere and it wants to support my squash. How great is that?

 

My taste in garden art and structure can be eclectic. It's difficult for me to toss something in the trash when, with just a smidgen of imagination, it can be turned into art in the landscape; or at least what I may think of as art. Some gardeners put no sculptures or artsy objects in their gardens while others have a land awash in garden gnomes. I fall somewhere in between.

Always a frugal gardener, I prefer to recycle common household items rather than spend a small fortune on something from a garden center or store.

One of my favorite garden additions was the framework of a metal bunk bed I rescued at a garage sale. I buried the pieces in the ground and used them as trellises for peas, beans, and squash. The structures added variety and interest in the vegetable garden, in addition to doing a great job supporting the plants. For years I've been on the hunt for an old wooden ladder to put in the middle of my squash. I'm intrigued by the image of vines crawling up the rungs dropping the ripening squash between the outstretched legs.

This year I salvaged a glass light cover from a trash pile in the garage. The cover is no longer needed because the bulbs it protected were replaced by a ceiling fan with its own light. Rather than toss a beautiful object, I waited for the right opportunity. When I decided to begin a rock garden, the glass cover became a centerpiece. Turned upside down and filled with soil, it is a perfect resting place for a variety of sedum that will grow, fill it, and spill out onto the stones. It sparkles in the sun, adds character to a small garden section, and will become a conversation piece -- everything one would want in a piece of garden art.

Almost anything can be recycled for garden use. An old pair of my boots lies in the bed of hostas by the front door. They're filled with soil and over the years I've planted annuals in them. They stand as a reminder to me of years past and literally are a part of my life, in the garden. It adds character, my character, to my garden. Of the many items I've recycled, those boots have received the most comments and they have all been positive.

An old red wheelbarrow holds my cactus garden. It was the first wheelbarrow I bought many years ago and eventually wore out. Rather than banish the old workhorse to the dump, I gave it new life as a home for cacti. Those plants are unique in my garden and their "pot" is also unique. With a few holes drilled in the bottom and a specific blend of sand and rocks, it models the natural environment of the plants I chose for it. It too is a recycled object that brings a smile or smirk to the face of those who view it.

I saved an old green toilet bowl from a bathroom remodel a few years ago. I envisioned it resting alone in a corner of my perennial bed covered with ivy. To me the idea of a toilet giving life to plants was humorous and philosophically symbolic. My wife didn't agree and threatened bodily harm if she had to look at an old toilet in the backyard. Regretfully I honored her request and got rid of it, but it's still an idea I find promising.

I'm not advocating creating a junkpile and growing plants in it. Some things look trashy whether they are surrounded by green or not, but a little creativity can be fun for the gardener and the admirers. I have no current plans for new additions, but I always have my eye open for an opportunity. You never know when you'll stumble upon an item looking for a new home in your garden. I know that there's an abandoned ladder with my name on it in some garage somewhere and it wants to support my squash. How great is that?