From Trash to Treasures, Recycled Items in the Garden

A trip to the attic, antique store or a weekend garage sale may uncover the perfect accent for your garden.

Use an old wagon to elevate containers creating a colorful focal point in a perennial garden.

Old bird cages filled with flowers and vines are sure to make visitors stop and take a second look. Include the stand and they can also provide a vertical accent for the large container keeping the planting in scale with the pot.

And old chairs don't need to head to the dump. A wicker chair can hold a pot of morning glories. Soon it will be filled with beautiful blue blooms.

And don't worry if the seat is missing. Chairs provide the perfect base for containers. Use them in the garden to raise the colorful blooms above surrounding plants. Or, at your front entrance for a bit of color and variety.

An old table and container can provide a focal point for an arbor and small garden room.

And a leaky watering can starts a new life as a piece of art.

A bit more information: Recycle wine and other decorative bottles on a bottle tree. This garden art is based on an old African belief that shiny glass attracts and the bottles trap evil spirits. The tradition has been popular in the south for years and bottle trees can now be found throughout the country. Simply place bottles on sticks in the landscape or purchase one of the commercially available bottle tree frames.