Garden Art… from Trash?
April begs me to do something
outdoors! How about you?
The weather is about right all over the USA for gardening.
Besides planning what to put into your garden as far as plants,
you need to think of the special additions that make a garden
unique.
Gardens need "bones" to ground
them. No pun intended! Garden sculptures, hedges, specimen trees,
and shrubs all help make good bones!
Now what about those extra touches
that make your garden distinctively yours? Below is a list of ideas
that you can use with your own twists to create all kinds of garden
goodies for your own garden, or to give as gifts!
Broken plates
-don't throw away those chipped plates, especially the pretty
ones! Stick them into the garden with the chipped parts hidden
by the dirt. Alone or grouped, they make a statement! Uneven
numbers work best.
Mirrors
and Cds-reflective
surfaces attract birds and are fun in the sunlight. Make mobiles and
hang from tree limbs! With a large mirror, one can place it against
a fence, behind the plants and enjoy the reflections of your garden
lighting. Our dog uses our big mirror to scope out squirrels without
being seen. Funny to watch! She crawls into the greenery beneath the
trees and watches in the mirror for any unsuspecting squirrel to
enter the bed. She hasn't caught any yet but she sure likes to chase
them!
More mirrors!-broken mirrors can
be found in the trash and snatched for use in your garden. Glue with
mirror adhesive to fences, garden sheds, and anywhere you want to
make a space look larger. Use the pieces in a loose mosaic form and
you have a one of a kind piece of art!
Rusted metal anything
-the rusted look is very "in" now
and metal can be found easily. Use your imagination and use
large rusted metal car parts, old gates, iron grates from
demolished old homes, and any metal you can get your hands on to
create unique garden elements. If you cannot cut or weld these
yourself, try finding someone who can and offer to trade a piece
of garden art for their work.
Fabric
- how about an old beach
umbrella that you strip down to the bare spokes and cover with silk
greenery and tiny Christmas lights? Inserted into the ground where
light and a bit of fun are needed, the look is very "partyish"! Even
better if you drape tulle, chiffon, netting, etc. over the umbrella!
Swagged like you were draping a scarf over your shoulders. If it is
to be a permanent fixture, use it as a trellis! Wonderful with
lights!
More fabric-these same fabrics can
be used to make "tent like" areas for the private enjoyment of your
family. While not usually found in trash bins, the fabric can be had
very inexpensively in close out bins at fabric stores. Bamboo poles
make the structure. Even more dramatic beside a pool. An informal
cabana!
Pottery
- broken pottery is found at garden centers and nurseries. Sweet talk them into letting you have
some! Large broken pots look great as is, or can be faux painted to
look as though they are centuries old. Or try smaller pieces glued
together to make a sculpture all your own. Paint, glue mirrors or
tile pieces to make a mosaic, or leave as is. Make this large enough
to make a "statue" in your garden! You can add the necessary "works"
to make this a fountain!
Lamp stands
- old lamps taken apart, tall stands of any kind, and anything
that you can add that is tall and slender can be weatherproofed
to make a grouping of candle stands for the garden. Again,
three, five, or seven work best. With or without candles, these
are attractive and catch the eye! Especially among low growing
flowers. Or you can line your driveway with these for a luminary
look!
Fence Posts
- an old, tall, but sturdy fence
post makes a great pole for use as a flag hanger. Just screw the
hardware into the post. Mine has plant hangers and a small
lantern hung from it also. A welcoming sight!
Potpourri of Ideas
- Are we there yet? Are your
creative juices flowing? Here are some off the wall ideas. Do
you have a broken box fan? The square grates are wonderful for
painting and hanging as faux gates, wall decor, or wherever your
imagination takes you! Snip out a design from the grate for an
even better look. Have an old touchier lamp? It too is great for
painting and "planting" in the garden, decked out with plants on
the top. Bury the bottom to keep it from tipping, or you can add
concrete to the base. Look around the house and garage and see
with new eyes. Check out the dumpsters and the neighbors trash! Old TV tables can
be cut out for plant pots to sit down in. How about window frames?
Old pool balls, golf gear, fishing gear, boat parts and oars, wooden
anything! Some of these things need to be painted with clear or
colored outdoor spray paints to keep them looking good, whether the
look is "old" or new.
A note: Always think about
this...in some places, taking something from someone's trash or
going through a dumpster, is illegal. Please check local ordinances
before you take a chance. And, another thing to keep in
mind...sometimes you may find people with "not so nice" intentions
hanging around dumpsters. All I am saying is...always be careful!
Happy Decorating!
