Have you ever noticed as you ride through a neighborhood you will see two different houses, similar in size and shape, but one house really stands out and the other seems just okay? That’s probably because the house that stands out has more than just flowers and plants in the yard. Flowers and plants can be beautiful, but without amenities that’s all you get, flowers and plants. You need things other than plants and flowers to bring your garden and landscaping “alive”. Fences, walls, a meandering path that leads to a concrete bench with a mosaic top all tend to draw you into the garden and expand your taste and style from inside the house to the outside living space you create with your garden and patio.
Remember, the inside of your home as well as your outdoor living area are an extension of you. Repurposing discarded items, or “junk”, is a perfect and inexpensive way to add what the designers call “hardscaping” or “bones” to your garden or patio.
We have taken an old farm house door, added a couple of shelves made from parts of an old table and added two of the tables legs to create a “potting bench” for the garden or a “bakers rack” to display items on the porch or patio.
An old wrought iron ice cream chair that we found at a local estate sale makes a perfect flower stand. We cut the seat out of the chair and found a hanging basket to put inside the seat. A coconut liner goes in the basket with potting soil and the flowers of your choice. This little chair is a perfect “bone” for your garden because of the unique style and look that it brings.
Use an old wooden table and chairs you might find at a garage sale or flea market, mix in your vintage linens and china and create a romantic outdoor dining area.
Old chairs and benches, vanity stools, tea carts, especially the older wrought iron ones, have hundreds of new uses in the patio or garden.
Carol
