Junk Garden Art: 17 Cheerful Ideas Made From Fan Blades, Spoons and Old Tires

Junk garden art is the most joyful way to give old stuff a second life, and right now people cannot stop sharing it. A short Hometalk video of a gardener turning old ceiling fan blades into a garden masterpiece has collected hundreds of likes on MSN, and it is easy to see why. A bent spoon, a chipped teacup or a worn out tire can become the thing every neighbor stops to admire. You do not need a big budget or fancy tools, just some paint, a little imagination and a walk through your garage. These ideas are cheerful, weather friendly and full of personality. Grab your gloves, and let’s turn that junk pile into the prettiest corner of your yard..

Junk Garden Art That Turns a Plain Yard Into a Gallery

The best gardens tell a story, and junk garden art lets yours tell a funny, colorful one. Mix a few pieces together, like a painted fan blade flower, a teacup feeder and a bright tire planter, and a plain flower bed suddenly feels planned and full of life. Start with one statement piece near the path, then add smaller finds around it. Repeat two or three paint colors so everything looks like it belongs together. Soon friends will ask where you bought it, and you get to say you made it from junk..

You will need: Old metal or plastic finds, outdoor spray paint in two or three colors, clear outdoor sealer, garden stakes, work gloves.

How to make it: 1. Gather your junk and wash off dirt and grease. 2. Pick a palette of two or three colors. 3. Paint outdoors and let each coat dry. 4. Seal, stake and group the pieces near a path.

Junk Garden Art Dragonfly From Fan Blades

This is the idea that sent the Hometalk video racing around MSN. In the clip about old fan blades, a gardener turns blades from a broken ceiling fan into bright garden decor, and a dragonfly is one of the easiest shapes to copy. Four blades become the wings, a metal rod or old spindle becomes the body and two glass knobs make big shiny eyes. Paint the wings in shimmery blues and greens and mount it where the sun hits it. Which colors would you choose?

You will need: Four old ceiling fan blades, a metal rod or wooden spindle, two glass cabinet knobs, outdoor paint, outdoor adhesive, screws, a drill (adult use), gloves.

How to make it: 1. Clean the blades and sand them lightly. 2. Paint the wings and body and let them dry. 3. Have an adult screw the wings to the body in an X shape. 4. Glue on the knob eyes and mount it on a fence.

Junk Garden Art Flower Stakes From Fan Blades

If you have one broken fan, you have enough petals for a whole flower. Arrange five blades in a circle around an old jar lid or pan lid, paint them in candy colors and fix the flower to a tall stake. A row of three in a vegetable bed looks happy all summer and still adds color in winter when everything else is brown. Add polka dots or stripes with a small brush for extra charm. It is one of the quickest pieces of junk garden art you can make in an afternoon. Ready to plant a flower that never wilts?

You will need: Five fan blades per flower, an old lid for the center, a wooden or metal stake, outdoor paint, bolts and washers, a scrap wood circle, a drill (adult use).

How to make it: 1. Paint the blades and lid and let them dry. 2. Lay the blades in a circle on the wood scrap with the lid in the middle. 3. Have an adult drill and bolt them in place. 4. Fix the flower to a stake and push it deep into the soil.

A Teaspoon Wind Chime

Mismatched spoons and forks from the thrift store make the sweetest sound when the wind picks up. Hang them at different lengths from a flattened serving spoon, and every breeze turns into a soft tinkle. Silver plate pieces shine best, but any old cutlery works. Hang it where you can hear it from your kitchen window. It is a lovely way to use pieces from grandma’s drawer that nobody uses anymore, and it makes a sweet handmade gift too. Who else has a drawer full of odd spoons?

You will need: Six to eight old spoons and forks, one large serving spoon, fishing line, a drill with a metal bit (adult use), pliers, gloves, a key ring.

How to make it: 1. Have an adult drill a small hole at the end of each handle. 2. Tie each piece to fishing line at a different length. 3. Tie the lines along the serving spoon. 4. Add a key ring on top and hang it from a hook.

Junk Garden Art Tire Planters and a Tire Swan

Old tires are tough, free and perfect for big planters. Scrub them, paint them in bright colors and stack two or three, then fill the middle with soil and flowers. Some gardeners even cut and shape a tire into a swan like this one, a classic piece of folk garden art. Keep tire planters for flowers rather than food crops, and line the inside with landscape fabric. A stack of teal and yellow tires full of marigolds can light up a dull corner. Ask a local tire shop if they have worn ones to spare. Would you go bright or classic white?

You will need: Two or three old tires, outdoor paint, a stiff brush and soapy water, landscape fabric, potting soil, flowers, gloves.

How to make it: 1. Scrub the tires clean and let them dry. 2. Paint the outsides with two coats. 3. Stack them and line the inside with landscape fabric. 4. Fill with soil and plant flowers.

An Old Bicycle Flower Planter

An old bike that nobody rides anymore makes a charming planter. Lean it against a fence or a tree, tuck pots into the basket and tie bunches of flowers to the handlebars and rack. Paint the frame one bold color, or leave the rust for a vintage cottage feel. Swap the flowers with the seasons, sunflowers in summer and mums in fall. It looks like the bike just pulled up to visit your garden. Kids love helping choose the flowers. Is there an old bike hiding in your shed?

You will need: An old bicycle, outdoor spray paint (optional), a wire basket, small pots, potting soil, flowers, zip ties.

How to make it: 1. Clean the bike and paint the frame if you like. 2. Zip tie a basket to the front or back. 3. Set potted flowers in the basket. 4. Lean the bike in a sunny spot and tie it to a fence so it cannot tip.

A Colander Hanging Basket

An enamel colander already has drainage holes, so it makes a perfect hanging basket. Paint a dull one cherry red or sunny yellow, add three chains and fill it with trailing flowers. Line it with moss or coir so soil does not wash out through the holes. Hang it from a shepherd’s hook or a porch bracket where it gets morning sun. It is cheap, charming and a great way to use the colander with the dented handle. What would you plant in yours?

You will need: An old metal colander, outdoor spray paint, three lengths of light chain, S hooks, a coco liner or moss, potting soil, trailing flowers.

How to make it: 1. Clean and paint the colander. 2. Attach three chains evenly around the rim with S hooks. 3. Line it with coco liner or moss. 4. Fill with soil, plant and hang.

A Rake Head Tool Holder

A broken rake is not trash, it is a free organizer. Remove the head, paint it a soft color and screw it to a shed or garage wall with the tines pointing out. Now gloves, pruners, small trowels and twine all have a spot to hang. Mount it away from walkways where nobody will bump into it, and file down any sharp tips first. It is practical junk art that makes garden chores a little more pleasant. Where do your garden tools end up right now?

You will need: An old metal rake head, outdoor spray paint, a metal file, screws, a drill (adult use), gloves.

How to make it: 1. Remove the broken handle. 2. File any sharp edges and brush off rust. 3. Paint it and let it dry. 4. Have an adult screw it to a wall away from walkways with the tines facing out.

Junk Garden Art Teacup Bird Feeder

A single teacup from the thrift store can become the prettiest bird feeder in the neighborhood. Glue the cup to its saucer, then glue the saucer onto a copper pipe or a sturdy stake. Fill it with seed and watch chickadees and finches take turns. Mismatched floral china looks especially sweet in a cottage garden. Clean and refill it often, and place it near shrubs where birds can hide. Which chipped cup in your cupboard is ready for a new job?

You will need: A teacup and saucer, outdoor two part epoxy (adult use), a copper pipe or metal stake, a copper pipe cap, bird seed, gloves.

How to make it: 1. Glue the cup onto the saucer at a slight angle and let it cure. 2. Glue a pipe cap under the saucer. 3. Slip the cap onto the copper pipe. 4. Push the pipe into the ground and fill the cup with seed.

A Bowling Ball Garden Orb

Old bowling balls are heavy, round and almost impossible to break, which makes them perfect garden orbs. Paint one in a metallic color, cover it in glass marbles or turn it into a giant ladybug with black dots. Set it on an upside down flower pot or tuck it into a bed of hostas. Thrift stores often have old balls for a few dollars. It is a silly, wonderful piece that kids love to help decorate. Would you make a ladybug or a shiny silver moon?

You will need: An old bowling ball, outdoor primer and paint, a clear outdoor sealer, an old pot for a stand, rubbing alcohol.

How to make it: 1. Clean the ball with rubbing alcohol. 2. Prime and paint it. 3. Add dots, stripes or a face. 4. Seal it and set it on a pot in the garden.

A Bed Spring Climber

Rusty bed springs from an old mattress frame make a surprisingly pretty trellis. Lean a section against a fence or tie it to two stakes, then plant morning glories, sweet peas or clematis at the base. The coils hold the vines without any tying. The rusty metal looks lovely against green leaves and bright blooms. Wear thick gloves when you handle old springs, since the ends can be sharp, and bend loose wire tips inward. Would you try this in a sunny corner?

You will need: A section of old bed springs, heavy gloves, wire cutters, pliers, two sturdy stakes, zip ties, climbing plants.

How to make it: 1. Have an adult cut a section to size with wire cutters. 2. Bend sharp wire ends inward with pliers. 3. Fix it upright to stakes or a fence. 4. Plant climbers at the base.

Boot Succulent Planters

Worn out boots get a sweet second life as planters. Drill a few drainage holes in the soles, fill them with gritty soil and tuck in hardy succulents or bright flowers. Rain boots look playful by the back door, while old leather boots feel rustic on a porch step. Kids’ outgrown boots make a cute row along a path. It is also a sweet way to keep a little family memory in the garden. Whose old boots would you plant?

You will need: Old boots or rain boots, a drill (adult use), gravel, cactus potting mix, small succulents or flowers.

How to make it: 1. Have an adult drill drainage holes in the soles. 2. Add a layer of gravel. 3. Fill with potting mix. 4. Plant and water lightly.

Junk Garden Art Totem From Glass Plates

Stacked glass plates, bowls and vases make a garden totem that glows when the sun shines through. Thrift stores are full of colored glass for a dollar or two. Glue pieces together in a tall stack and slide the stack over a metal stake so it stands steady. Keep it in a flower bed away from paths, and use only whole pieces with smooth edges, never broken glass. Every totem ends up totally unique. Which colors would you stack?

You will need: Colored glass plates, bowls and vases, clear outdoor glass adhesive (adult use), a length of rebar or a metal stake, a hammer, gloves.

How to make it: 1. Wash and dry every piece. 2. Glue pieces together in pairs and let them cure for a day. 3. Hammer a stake into the flower bed. 4. Stack and glue the pairs onto a vase that slides over the stake.

A Chair Planter

A wobbly old chair with a broken seat is the perfect plant stand. Remove the seat, drop a pot or basket into the frame and fill it with trailing flowers that spill over the legs. Paint it a bold color or leave the chipped paint for a shabby look. It instantly adds height to a flat flower bed. Set it on a level spot and push the legs a little into the soil so it stays put. If you love giving old pieces new life, these dollar store decor ideas are fun too. Do you have a chair too wobbly to sit on?

You will need: An old wooden chair, outdoor paint (optional), a pot or coco basket that fits the seat frame, potting soil, trailing plants.

How to make it: 1. Remove the broken seat. 2. Paint the chair and let it dry. 3. Set a pot or lined basket into the seat frame. 4. Plant and water.

A Broken Pot Fairy Garden

A cracked clay pot does not belong in the trash. Lay it on its side, use the broken pieces as little stairs and terraces, and plant tiny succulents and moss on each level. Add a pebble path and a tiny bench and you have a mini village. Kids adore this one and will keep adding treasures all summer. Handle the pieces with gloves and keep the sharp edges tucked into the soil. Who in your family would love a tiny garden of their own?

You will need: A broken terracotta pot and its pieces, potting soil, small succulents, moss, pebbles, mini decorations, gloves.

How to make it: 1. Lay the pot on its side in a wide saucer. 2. Fill with soil. 3. Push the pieces into the soil as stairs and terraces. 4. Plant succulents and moss and add tiny decorations.

Glass Bottle Garden Edging

Glass bottles pushed neck down into the soil make a sparkling garden border. Collect bottles in one color for a calm look, or mix blues, greens and browns for a jewel tone edge. Dig a narrow trench, set the bottles in tight and pack soil around them so only the bottoms show. Choose thick, whole bottles and soak off the labels first. When the sun is low, the whole edge glows. Would you go all blue or rainbow?

You will need: Twenty or more empty glass bottles, a spade, a rubber mallet, gloves, warm soapy water.

How to make it: 1. Soak the bottles and remove the labels. 2. Dig a narrow trench along the bed. 3. Set the bottles neck down, side by side. 4. Pack the soil firmly and tap them level with a rubber mallet.

Junk Garden Art Hubcap Sunflower

An old hubcap makes a shiny center for a giant sunflower that never droops. Surround it with petals cut from painted sheet metal or thick plastic, and mount it on a pipe stem with metal leaves. Stand it beside real sunflowers or on a fence post where it catches the light. Sharp metal edges should be filed smooth by an adult. It is the perfect final piece of junk garden art to finish your yard with a smile. Which piece will you make first?

You will need: An old hubcap, sheet metal or thick plastic for petals, yellow and green outdoor paint, a pipe for the stem, screws, a drill and metal snips (adult use), a file, gloves.

How to make it: 1. Have an adult cut the petals and file them smooth. 2. Paint the petals yellow and the leaves green. 3. Screw the petals behind the hubcap rim. 4. Attach it to the pipe stem and plant it.