letting varnish dry between coats . You can also decoupage them with napkins , gift wrap , road mops , fabric , wallpaper samples , book or magazine pages , newspaper , empty seed packets , etc . Or , you can wrap them with an interesting cord or rope .
In all cases of repurposing items into planters , drill drainage holes in the bottom of your repurposed planter and add stones , gravel , or marbles for drainage . Then add potting soil . Add plants last .
Miscellaneous
1 . Turn an unwanted cabinet or cupboard or changing table into a potting table ; the drawers and shelves can hold tools and other supplies , and hooks can be nailed to the sides on which to hang trowels and more tools .
2 . Turn old lampshade frames upside down and use them as hanging baskets .
3 . One of the most clever ideas I saw was the teeth end of an old garden rake ( one with sturdy tines ; not a leaf rake ) mounted on the wall and used as a rack for holding a couple of favorite brooms , rakes , loppers , etc .
4 . A bowling ball can be painted to make a “ gazing ball ”. Fill the holes with wood putty . Paint with several coats of a metallic surface spray paint .
5 . Construct a small “ green house ” from 4 salvaged windows . Use them as the sides and hinge one window so you can open it to access the plants inside . The roof can be made of anything you have on hand .
6 . To construct a small tool shed , use 3 ( or more ) solid doors and one with one with a window for sides . Hinge the one with the window so you can open it to enter your new shed . Once again , the roof can be made of anything you have on hand .
7 . An old rubber boot with its toe cut off and attached to bottom of drain pipe can be used to direct water where you want it .
Thomasville Scene | Summer 2023 17