Looking to spruce up your outdoor space without spending a fortune? The answer might be hiding in your own home!
With a bit of creativity and some simple DIY skills, ordinary household items can become extraordinary garden decorations.
Let’s explore how to breathe new life into everyday objects and transform them into eye-catching outdoor decor that will make your neighbors green with envy.
1. Mason Jars
Forgotten in the back of your pantry, those glass preserving vessels are outdoor decoration gold! Fill them with solar fairy lights for magical evening illumination along pathways or hanging from tree branches.
Alternatively, transform them into mini planters for herbs or succulents. A quick coat of paint in pastel colors can create charming vases for freshly cut flowers from your garden.
2. Old Ladders
That rickety wooden ladder gathering dust in your garage deserves a second chance at life! Standing against a wall or fence, each rung becomes a perfect display shelf for potted plants, creating a vertical garden that saves valuable space.
For a rustic touch, weathered ladders work wonderfully. You might even consider painting it in a bright color to make it a statement piece in your garden oasis.
3. Wooden Crates
Would you believe those humble storage boxes could become the star of your patio? Flip them on their sides, stack them in interesting arrangements, and you’ve got unique shelving for displaying outdoor treasures.
When placed upright, crates make charming planters for flowers or herbs. Sand them down and apply a weatherproof finish if you want them to last longer, or let them naturally weather for a more rustic appearance.
4. Metal Buckets
Tucked away in your utility closet, those metal buckets have untapped potential! With a few drainage holes drilled in the bottom, they transform into industrial-chic planters for flowers or small shrubs.
Hang them from fence posts using rope or chains for an elevated display. For evening ambiance, fill larger buckets with sand and use them as stable bases for outdoor candles or tiki torches.
5. Glass Bottles
Before tossing those empty wine or soda bottles in the recycling bin, consider their decorative potential! Colored glass bottles can be arranged along garden edges to create an eye-catching border that sparkles in the sunlight.
Feeling crafty? Insert string lights into bottles for glowing nighttime accents. You can also invert bottles onto wooden stakes to create a playful bottle tree that catches light and adds whimsy to any garden corner.
6. Unused Picture Frames
Gathering dust in your attic, those old picture frames are secretly versatile garden decorations! Hang them from tree branches or fences as empty “artwork” that frames natural garden views in unexpected ways.
For something more functional, attach chicken wire to the back of a frame to create a trellis for climbing plants. Large frames can even be repurposed as borders for raised garden beds, adding architectural interest to your vegetable patch.
7. Woven Baskets
Lurking in closets everywhere, those overlooked woven baskets make surprisingly versatile garden accessories! Line them with plastic or coconut fiber and fill with soil for instant textural planters that bring natural warmth to patios.
Larger baskets can protect delicate plants from harsh sun when inverted like cloches. Mount shallow baskets on fences or walls as three-dimensional wall art, perhaps with air plants tucked into their weave for living decoration.
8. Vintage Suitcases
Gathering cobwebs in storage, that charming old suitcase yearns for sunshine! Open it up, line with plastic, add drainage holes, and fill with soil to create a conversation-starting planter with nostalgic appeal.
Stack several suitcases of different sizes for a whimsical planter tower. For covered patios, use a vintage suitcase as quirky storage for garden tools or outdoor dining supplies – practical and decorative in one!
9. Tin Cans
After enjoying that tomato soup, don’t toss the can! Remove labels, punch decorative patterns with a nail and hammer, and you’ve created charming luminaries for tea lights that cast magical patterns when lit.
For a splash of color, paint tin cans in coordinating hues and mount them on a fence or wall as mini planters. Thread several painted cans on sturdy rope to fashion a vertical garden that maximizes growing space in small areas.
10. Ceramic Bowls
Cracked or chipped dishes needn’t head to the trash! Imperfect ceramic bowls make perfect bird baths when placed on upturned pots or decorative stands in your garden.
Shallow bowls can become elegant floating candle holders for evening entertainment on the patio. Deep bowls work wonderfully as succulent planters – their lack of drainage actually helps these drought-tolerant plants thrive without overwatering.
11. Old Tires
Wondering what to do with those worn-out rubber rounds? Transformed with bright paint, old tires become cheerful planters that add a pop of color to any outdoor space!
Stack painted tires in decreasing sizes to create a tiered planter for strawberries or cascading flowers. For kid-friendly gardens, partially bury tires vertically to create tunnels or climbing structures that double as whimsical garden features.
12. Wooden Pallets
Frequently found for free behind stores, wooden pallets are the ultimate garden multi-taskers! Stand one upright, attach small pots between slats, and you’ve created a space-saving vertical herb garden for your patio.
Horizontal pallets make rustic coffee tables or platforms for container displays. With a bit more effort, they can be disassembled and reconstructed as charming garden benches, planter boxes, or decorative fencing.
13. Broken Garden Tools
Don’t discard that rake with broken tines or that shovel with a cracked handle! These garden casualties can become whimsical art pieces when mounted on fences or garden walls.
A rake head makes an excellent holder for small pots or garden accessories when hung horizontally. Shovel heads can be painted with colorful designs and mounted as decorative “flowers” among real plants for year-round color.
14. Kitchen Colanders
Hiding in your kitchen cabinets is a ready-made planter just waiting for its moment! Metal colanders already have drainage holes, making them perfect hanging baskets for flowers or trailing herbs.
Attach chains or colorful ropes to the handles and suspend them from hooks or tree branches. Vintage enamel colanders in pastel colors add a touch of retro charm, while stainless steel versions offer sleek, modern appeal.
15. Teapots
Chipped or lidless teapots deserve a second chance at usefulness! Their spouts provide natural drainage when repurposed as charming planters for small flowers or succulents.
Arrange a collection of different sized teapots on a garden table or steps for an Alice in Wonderland vibe. For vertical interest, mount them on a fence or wall using strong brackets that support their weight when filled with soil and plants.
16. Empty Wine Barrels
Lucky enough to have an old wine barrel? You’ve struck garden gold! Cut in half vertically, a barrel creates two substantial planters with built-in rustic charm for larger shrubs or small trees.
Left whole, a barrel makes an eye-catching outdoor table when topped with a round piece of glass or wood. For entertaining spaces, a cleaned barrel with a removable top becomes stylish storage for garden cushions or outdoor games.
17. Wire Baskets
From forgotten storage to garden statement pieces! Line wire baskets with coconut coir or burlap, fill with soil, and you’ve created industrial-chic hanging planters that allow for excellent drainage.
Metal egg baskets make particularly charming holders for moss and succulents. For a modern look, spray paint wire baskets in bold colors before planting. Large wire laundry baskets can even become protective cloches for tender plants when inverted.
18. Weathered Shutters
Rescued from renovation debris, old shutters bring instant character to outdoor spaces! Lean a pair against a wall to create a rustic backdrop for potted plants or garden statuary.
Mount shutters horizontally to make unique shelving for small pots and garden accessories. For privacy with personality, hinge several shutters together to create a folding screen around a seating area or hot tub.