There are always things lying in your backyard or attic that you feel are of no use and simply occupying space, which you want to get rid of. This seemingly useless old junk, after just a bit of recycling, can be put to good use and bring a phenomenal transformation in the looks of your outdoors and garden. Here is how.
Brittany (aka Pretty Handy Girl)
Wooden laddersIf you have a rickety ladder that has seen better days and is just waiting to be tossed for a newer one, don’t toss it. Use it as an accessory to deck up your garden. The steps make for great spots to place your plants and other garden ornaments, adding a vertical dimension to the outdoors.
Hort-CoutureIt doesn’t matter if the ladder is old and worn out, or is not even painted and polished. Feel free to place your wooden ladder out in the sun; let it get soaked in the rain and don’t worry if the paint fades or the ladder wears out because its weathered appearance will blend in with the overall natural beauty of the garden.
Singing GardensCrockery magicBone china teapots, cups and other dishes in soft and light shades, with a touch of gold, not only look beautiful in the display cabinets of your home, but also go well with garden greenery when they have been damaged and must be exiled from the cabinet. Ceramic, stoneware and other materials work just as well.
Let that cracked plate from your dinner set now serve as a feeder tray for birds and deeper crockery, such as bowls and pots, as containers to grow bunches of tiny plants and succulents.
Amy ReneaThis bird feeder has been fashioned from a teapot and a cup-and-saucer set. The tilted pot mounted on a plank gives the impression of bird food being poured into the cup below. Wonderful, isn’t it?
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Garden in a bootCracked old rain boots that are ready to be discarded can be magically transformed into wonderful holders for growing plants. Simply make holes in their soles for water to seep out. They are handy and don’t occupy much space but cast their quirky appeal across the entire garden, though they occupy just a tiny corner.
Donna Lynn – Landscape DesignerOld wooden door and window framesUse an obsolete door frame to create a sort of barricade or for alluding to an entrance. Grow creeper vines along the frame and go for light, bright colours to really pep up the spot.
Goessling DesignTake a look at how beautifully this quaint window frame is set against a lush green backdrop, making this spot picture-perfect.
Recaptured CharmThe tyre trickYou will never think of casting away your car’s old tyres once you have tried your hand at this trick. If you position the tyre vertically by either hanging it against the wall or from a rope, making it swing, you get a convenient space inside at the bottom where you can plant tiny flowering plants and vines. Alternatively, you may also choose to lay the tyre horizontally on the ground, filling the hollow in the centre with soil, thus creating an effective flowerbed.
Simon Orchard Garden DesignPallet planterUpcycle old wooden pallets to create a vertical garden with varieties of succulents and smaller plants. This can be a fun DIY project. All you need to do is bring these frames made of strips of wood together with some backing garden fabric to form a rough cupboard. Place it at a spot where it grabs the eye.
Find out how to create a vertical green garden
Professional Outdoor PerspectiveMosaic artGot pieces of broken tiles lying around? Set the bits in mortar or in any other suitable adhesive around a lonely marble bowl to make it stand out amidst the greenery, like this bird bath. You can also upgrade the cheaper cement or terracotta garden basins and pots with a similar band of home-made mosaic tiling, transforming them into beautiful planters with a bohemian appeal.
House + House ArchitectsA mosaic pattern of broken tiles on tables and chairs looks just as wonderful and sets the decor apart from the ordinary.
mascaradesignBathtub gardenIf you have an old or cracked bathtub to dispose of, don’t. A bathtub can be an ideal container for planting your herbs and vegetables. You can also use it to create a miniature garden.
Between Naps on the PorchA flower bed, literallyHere, a rusted and worn-out (but repainted) wrought-iron bed frame in a spacious garden looks wonderful. A flowerbed grows right inside it. Gorgeous!Read more:How to Make a Miniature GardenZen Gardens for Urban Homes.