vintage container planting

there is something very satisfying about using something unexpected as a container for plants.  besides "upcycling" which i have been doing all my life as a way of being fugal  because i had to be, it is visually more intriguing. thus when i am out and about, antiquing, at the farmer's market, thrifting, or stopping at a yard sale, i am constantly thinking would this work at a planter in my garden.

the wrought iron bed was bought from a local estate sale of a woman that is in her nineties...she had been collecting all her life. i had been looking for the perfect iron bed for my garden for years. honestly i didn't want to spend a fortune since i knew it was going in the garden. this bed was the right one for me.  it was smaller than a twin and larger than a crib size. on one corner of the bed it is  planted with a vining black eyed susan that comes back every year. the other three posts are planted seasonally with beans of our choice for that year. it is stunning in the summer when everything is growing. this is located in the front fenced in potager off the front porch next to our 5 raised beds.

this was a temporary planting in my bike basket until bike riding season comes around again. 

which is right around the corner. yippee!

my garden as well i am sure your garden is always evolving. it changes as my perspective changes.  

i found these great olive picking buckets a couple of years ago at a local antique store city farmhouse...the minute i saw them i thought what great containers these would make. i lined them with some older burlap, added soil and voila' the perfect welcoming containers at my backdoor patio. i found the carriage wheels at last years franklin main street festival from a local vender...i love how it elevates the second olive picking bucket and has room enough for the beautifully aged watering can.(which i got at the old  tennessee trails yard sale.)

i found this rusty old wheel barrow a few years ago. it had a few rusted through the bottom holes already in it and seemed the perfect choice for planting some pretty petunias. i placed in it in the front fenced in potager right next to the raised beds of veggies and companion flowers. it adds some depth/height and texture to that area.

the same can be said for this lovely ole' coal scuttle.

 it was rusted thru in a few places making it great for

 a container. so cheery little yellow pansies found their home.

this beautiful old wine crate with handles in a purple stand was purchased at silo studios benefitting snooty giggles dog rescue. as many of you know rescuing is close to my heart. just planted this week with delta pure rose pansies, suncatcher pink lemonade petunias, dwarf sweet flag grass, citronelle heuchera villosa hybrid. i plan on hiding some easter eggs in there as well. 

 back in the day i collected many longaberger baskets. i use them all constantly and they have stood the test of time. they are hand woven in the u.s.a. i placed plastic inserts inside the baskets then filled with fafard complete container mix.
 during easter they seem appropriate to plant with
some seasonal herbs(peppermint, english wedgewood thyme, & greek oregano) plus flowers just outside of my
kitchen backdoor for easy snipping to use in my cooking.

i found this sweet little lamb just yesterday while i was doing some easter basket shopping at another local antique shop

scarlett scale antique boutique

she already had a pint sized pansy in her back. i couldn't pass her up seeing as we just had our first lambs of the season born last week. 

so go out there and look for the unusual, not the typical container to add visual interest and something more personal to your gardens. 

happy gardening~it's spring.

marmee