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Photo Credit: Jodi Torpey

During its Urban Nature Exhibit, the Denver Botanic Gardens showed visitors how easy and aesthetically pleasing it can be to take ordinary castoffs and combine them with unique plantings.

I’ve always been inspired when I see how other gardeners use found objects to add personality to their gardens. When old items are repurposed as garden art, it adds whimsy and interest – and it’s a great way to recycle! I’m especially fond of the old leatherwork boot my mother-in-law planted with a selection of hens and chicks. That boot definitely added some “kick” to her rock garden.

The old Radio Flyer red wagons she’s added to the landscape are both fun and functional. They especially come in handy whenever she needs to move heavy bags of potting soil, gardening tools or pots of flowers around the yard.

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Photo Credit: Jodi Torpey

An old ladder-back chair placed in the landscape adds interest to winter and early spring gardens…

Repurposing found objects for artistic expression keeps material out of landfills and is another way for gardeners to personalize their environment. I’ve seen gardeners put an antique iron headboard to use by planting petunias with it for a real “bed” of flowers. One gardener I know even took a worthless, old milking pail, placed it on its side at the top of a small bed and planted it with white flowers spilling out and down the hill.

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Photo Credit: Jodi Torpey

…and then functions as a support for Mexican Hat coneflowers growing through the missing seat.

All it takes is a bit of imagination and a knack for looking at ordinary objects in a new way. A colorful cracked ceramic teapot may have outlived its usefulness in the kitchen, but it can have a rewarding second life as a patio planter for herbs. A weathered wooden chair missing its seat can become a focal point in the garden when it’s used to prop up droopy plants.

The best part about it all is that there aren’t any rules for turning trash into garden treasure – but there are a few guidelines. First, make sure the items are sturdy enough to stand up to all kinds of weather. And avoid glass if there’s any chance for breakage.