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| RECYCLE TRASH TO TREASURE – Making a Planter Out Of A Wicker Loveseat (This Column has been adapted from Shawna's Blog - www.gardeningnude.com) = = = = = = = = = = = = = Dear Casual Gardener, Help! I have a bunch of old garden furniture that is in bad shape. What can I do with it that will be good for the environment? Signed, Winfield Winny - - - - - - Dear Winny, That dreadful old furniture is your opportunity to make something beautiful. In my own garden I have transformed many an item and have the perfect example to tell you about which started my own creative garden transformations. You know when something magnificent changes your life forever? My magnificent moment happened about two years ago when I was pulling out of a client’s driveway. I happened to look intently at his trash. No, I am not a stalker, I am just nosey - really. Next to his trash cans sat the most gawd-awful looking wicker loveseat I have ever seen. It was pitiful; covered in dirt, unraveling at the seams, covered in stains, with the seat rotted away. But when I saw that horrid piece of furniture, I knew my destiny in life. I rolled down my window, "Hey! Can I take this gorgeous loveseat off your hands?" My client looked at me as if I had blown a gasket and said, "Sure, knock yourself out." After driving home, the general agreement was, "it's a piece!" When my husband saw me pull it out of my hatchback he said, "Throw that piece of garbage out!" My daughters both said, "Yuck! What a piece of junk." Yet I did not see trash, I saw the possibility of treasure. In my mind I was rescuing garbage from the landfill - being green - while beautifying my garden. Within two days I had cleaned it all up, painted it bright blue, reinforced the seat, and built a special pan on the bottom using old rubber box lids and chicken wire. All this material I already had at home. Filling the seat with potting soil, I put annual flowers in it and placed it out back in the public garden. This year I planted red and white impatiens in it and it has dazzled the bike path out back all summer. Frequently people come to take pictures of my unusual trash-to-treasure creation - and I have received more positive comments on it than any one could imagine. You can recycle too - make your own garden or home treasure out of trash and save landfill space. Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com and The Blog - www.gardeningnude.com |
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