Upcycling in Your Flower Bed

     First of all anyone who knows me knows I am a recycling fanatic.  I drive my kids crazy telling them which sack to put "trash" in.  Most things are now recyclable if you take the time to look.  A lot of items can be recycled in your garden.  I have used broken pots, old tires, pieces of wrought iron etc.  I used an old ashtray stand with a ceiling light fixture to make a bird feeder.  Tiffany lamp style. Haha
      Recently on Pinterest I've been adding pictures to our account on my Upcycling Flower Gardening  Board.
http://www.pinterest.com/flowerbox5846/flowerbed-recycling/
     This is a link to my board where you can see a lot of cute ideas.   Years ago people naturally recycled everything.  When money is tight, people keep what they have and you learn to use items in other ways than their original intended use.  Now, we have the internet to help us along with our imagination.  You can find items to plant flowers in everywhere.  I love these snails!!  What a great use of large old tires.




     There are a few things you have to consider when reusing an item.  Such as, does it have drainage to prevent over watering?  Will the container deterioate in the process of being outdoors, or to sunshine exposure, water, bugs etc.?  Some of these problems can be overcome.  By drilling holes in the container you can prevent over watering.  Adding coats of extreme weather outdoor paint will help with corrosion and rust.  It might take a little extra thought but it will be well worth your effort.
     Your imagination is the limit of what you can use in your garden.  Here are some really neat ideas.  When kids outgrow the abundance of rain boots what better way to liven up a fence row than with colorful flowers in their boot.  Recycle gardening is also a way of extending the memory of an item.  Instead of throwing it away, you can put it in a place where you can see the item and bring back the memory of it's original use.  In this way, you can keep your children small, your grandparents with you and many more memories a part of your everyday thoughts.
     Follow The Flower Box on Pinterest and I will keep adding pictures to all of our boards.  If you have created any wonderful upcycled flower gardens please leave a comment telling about them. :)