No Green Thumb? Try “Planting” This Upcycled Flower Garden Instead

Colorful metal flower sculptures mounted on a weathered wooden fence in a cheerful garden.

I love pretty flowers! But I don’t have much of a green thumb when it comes to actually growing them. This fun upcycled flower garden — made from items I found at my local Goodwill store — adds a bit of color to a blah corner of my yard.

And the best part is … I don’t have to remember to water them!

Goodwill is my go-to store for quirky itemsI can upcycle to brighten up my outdoor space. My upcycled flower garden idea sprouted when I found this stack of plastic chip-and-dip containers in the housewares section. They looked like flowers to me.

I found a few other items, including a set of plastic hot dog baskets that looked like petals, a big blue colander that looked like a bud, and a heart-shaped tray that just looked like fun. (Every garden needs a little love!) I spread them all out on the floor at Goodwill to see how they looked together. My upcycled flower garden idea had taken root.

To plant my upcycled flower garden, I drilled a small pilot hole in the center of each tray, being careful not to crack the plastic. Then I screwed everything to my wooden fence. When choosing items for the flowers, look for softer plastic that won’t crack when you drill it.

 

I cut up an old green garden hose and stapled the pieces onto the fence for the flower stems and leaves, an idea I found on Pinterest.

One thing I discovered was that the rubber hose was too thick for my staples to shoot through. So I cut a little “notch” reduce the thickness on the ends so I could flatten that section of hose and staple it in place.

Thanks to Goodwill, my upcycled flower garden is blooming — even on the hottest summer days!


Courtney Mickalonis is an artist, teacher, and treasure hunter at All Things New Again, a furniture and paint boutique in Leesburg, VA. She finds old furniture that nobody loves anymore and makes it beautiful — and useful — again. Courtney teaches a monthly Learn How to Paint Furniture class at their Leesburg studio and hosts The Furniture Painting Friday Show every Friday at 12 noon on the All Things New Again Facebook page.

Reposted with permission from Goodwill of Greater Washington.

Share this article

Related Stories

Women standing in front of a building wearing a long red dress holding a zebra purse
Thrift Shopping

Fourth of July Thrift Style Inspiration

Thrift Shopping

With This Artsy Upcycled DIY, You’ll Make The Most of the Wall Art at Goodwill®

A women and her daughter standing in front of a store
Thrift Shopping

A Thrift Trip to Goodwill® Hits Different — Here’s How to Make the Most of National Best Friend’s Day

Women wearing red sunglasses and a colorful jumpsuit standing in front of a blue car eating an ice cream cone
Thrift Shopping

Summer Style Memorial Day Outfit Inspiration

Picture of little birds
Thrift Shopping

Mother’s Day Crafting Inspiration With Thrifted Treasures from Goodwill®