How to Decorate a Garden with Waste Material: 10 Steps (2024)

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Co-authored bywikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 6, 2019References

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   Plant your flowers in old boots or shoes for a playful vibe. When your boots or shoes start to look old and shabby, use them as makeshift flower pots instead of throwing them out. Any shoe will work but boots, like cowboy boots or work boots, are your best option since they have deep insides to fill with soil.^[1]

   • Use a screwdriver or drill to make holes in the bottom of the shoes to allow water to drain out.
   • If you have a fence in your garden, hang a row of colorful rain boots with plants inside to brighten up the fence.
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   Line the baskets of an antique bicycle with coconut fiber to hold flowers. A vintage bicycle looks whimsical sitting in your garden, especially with blooms in its baskets. Prevent the soil from falling through the basket by placing a liner made of coconut fiber, which is also known as coir, in it before adding the potting mix. ^[2]

   • Sphagnum moss or a plastic bag, while not as visually appealing, will work instead of coir, too.
   • Paint the bike a pretty pastel hue or a bright neon to add a pop of color. You can even match the flowers to the bike's colors.
   • If you don't like the look of lined baskets, place the plants in flower pots first, then set the pots inside the baskets.
   • Lean the bike against a fence or tree, mount it to a wall, or simply use the kickstand to hold it up.
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   See Also

   Garden Art Ideas from Junk: Unleashing Creativity and Sustainability

   Paint a car tire and place flowers inside. Use non-toxic outdoor spray paint to coat your tire in the color of your choice. Set your painted tire in your garden and fill the center hole with soil to plant your flowers.^[3]

   • Ask your local mechanic or auto shop if they have old tires they don't want.
   • Lighter colors like pastel pink or pale blue reflect light better so they won't get as hot in the sun. This helps protect the plants.
   • Spray designs like polka dots or stripes for a funkier feel.
   • Stack tires in assorted sizes in a pyramid shape to create a multi-tiered garden. Choose plants with flowering vines, like moonflower or wisteria, to cascade down the stack.
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   Fill a repurposed toilet or bathtub with flowers for a quirky planter. Pour your soil or potting mix into the toilet bowl or basin or into the bathtub. Arrange plants and flowers so they overflow out of the plumbing.^[4]

   • Paint the toilet any color or design you'd like based on your style of garden. For example, an eye-popping blue works in a modern garden while a starry sky print is more whimsical.
   • The older and more rusted the bathtub or toilet is, the more visually appealing it will be.
   • Find used but clean bathtubs and toilets online or at an antiques store.
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   Recycle glass bottles into hanging planters for herbs or individual plants. Remove the bottom 1/3 of a wine bottle or beer bottle with glass cutters. Attach rope, chain, or wire to the top of the wine bottle, so that it will hang with the cork down. Fill the bottle with soil and the plant of your choice, then hang it on a pergola, patio, or tree branch.^[5]

   • For a pretty hanging option, twist thick wire in copper, gold, bronze, or silver around the bottle so it wraps up the body, starting at the neck. Use the same wire to hang it.
   • Drill a hole in the cork to allow water to drain out of the soil.
   • Wear protective eye wear and gloves when you're cutting glass.
   • Smaller beer bottles are ideal for succulents or herbs that don't need a lot of room.

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   Make mosaic stepping stones using pieces of glass or ceramic plates. Stepping stones add a warm and inviting touch to any garden. Arrange your broken shards in the bottom of a mold. Fill it with concrete and let it dry. Then flip the mold over, remove the stepping stone, and find a spot for it in your flower beds.^[6]

   • Use similar colored pieces to create a design or pattern. For example, arrange yellow pieces in a sun shape with blue pieces around it to mimic the sky.
   • Choosing pieces in all different colors, shapes, and sizes looks very bohemian and chic.

   Materials for a Mosaic Stepping Stone

   Shards from glass bottles

   Pieces from ceramic plates, mugs, or bowls

   Broken bits of tile

   Seashells

   Bottle caps

   Pieces of flower pots

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   Outline your garden with the bottoms of glass bottles for a unique border. Cut off the round bottom of wine bottles or beer bottles using glass cutters. Press the bottoms firmly into the soil on the edge of your flower beds. Arrange bottoms of the same size in a single row for a subtle look or use various sizes to create an artsy effect.^[7]

   • Use the same colored bottles or play around with different colors like brown, green, blue, and even red glass.
   • Wear safety glasses and gloves when cutting glass to protect yourself.
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   Turn broken flower pot pieces into plant markers. Shattered a pot? Don't throw away the pieces. Use a permanent marker or vinyl letter stickers to label the pot pieces with the names of the plants in your garden. Then stick the piece securely in the ground by the correct plant.^[8]

   • If you want them to stand higher up, attach a wire stake to the back of the pot piece. Make it as tall or as short as you'd like.
   • Another option is to use whole flower pots. Simply flip them upside down, write the name of the plant, and set the pot in the soil.
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   Create a bird feeder from an empty coffee can to hang in the garden. Open the bottom of the can with a can opener. Cut the lid in half and attach 1 half to each side of the can to provide a barrier to hold in the birdseed. Thread a piece of yarn or rope through the can to hang the feeder from a tree. Fill it with birdseed after you hang it.^[9]

   • Paint the outside of the can and the lid with acrylic paint if you want a colorful feeder. Go with a solid color, a geometric pattern, or an artsy abstract design, for example.
   • You can also decorate the can with duct tape, stickers, or washi tape.
   • Avoid metallic colors or paints because these can scare away birds.
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   Build a magical fairy garden out of recycled materials if you have kids. A fairy garden is a tiny village hidden inside a larger garden where imaginary fairies live. Younger kids will love creating these magical places using everything from plastic bottles to milk jugs to toilet paper tubes.^[10]

   • Soda bottles cut in half and painted in vibrant colors make for great fairy homes. Don't forget to cut doors and windows in the side before sticking it in the dirt!
   • Set up your fairy garden in a tiny plot of the garden or fill an old bucket or cracked flower pot with soil to act as a separate fairy garden.

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