What to grow your garden to find garden sales

After seeing so many cleverly reused garden projects, it’s easy to forget what to look for when you take part in a yard sale. Keep a printable wish list at hand to help you jog through your memories and discover those unique discoveries.

If you’re interested in how I created my garden on a low budget, this shares all my frugal shopping tips.

Yard Sale Wish List for Gardeners

If you’re like me who voluntarily stops at yard sales, have a wish list to review before you start shopping and have a favor with yourself.

I have found so many great works like this. You wouldn’t have noticed if you hadn’t looked at your list before getting out of the car.

From there, ask the seller if there is a specific item you want to find. Sometimes they have other items that they want to be hidden in the basement or shed.

It also emphasizes looking under and behind the display. With items like rattle old ladders and homemade potting benches, you can display household items and toys without thinking about the potential value of DIYers like us.

If I see what I love in use that day, I will pay on the spot and arrange a pickup at the end of the sale.

If transportation is an issue, always ask if someone will help. The worst they can say is no.

I will look for you a lot of items to find their potential in the garden. Often, if you want to do some cleaning and painting, you will find a unique bargain. And you’ll notice that the words “old” and “vintage” are coming in a lot because they don’t make the same things as before.

You can obtain a copy of your wish list in the Resources section and maintain or print it.

1Wooden ladder

I like vintage painters’ ladders in their all painted glory. One drawback is that untreated wood has a limited lifespan. I paint mine and buy more time by adding boots.

They look good, but older ladders can also make good plant stands (secured places) for potted plants, provide support for grapes, and look great with old watering cans and garden art collections like bird shops.

2Potting bench or work table

A heavy-duty table, cabinet, or wooden bench can be converted to a potting station or plant table.

You can also add shelves, pegboards or small storage cabinets at any time.

If you need it as a signature piece, paint or contaminate it to match the color theme.

3Doors and windows

Old wooden door and window frames have countless practical and decorative uses in the garden.

There are so many possibilities, such as upcycled potting sheds, mini greenhouses, cold frames, and more.

If the glass is undamaged, you can use glass paint or glass gemstones to create a stained glass effect.

I also saw window screens painted or cross-stitched with plant designs.

4Clay pots and planters

This is a place where you can really save money if you can get your hands dirty.

Paying the retail price of a nice garden container never fits my garden budget, so I rely entirely on garden sales, rif dealers and curb discoveries. Older pots are often dirty or even missing, but are great after a good cleaning.

Keep this in mind as well about house plant pots.

And if that is the only thing that stops you from photographing great discoveries, don’t be afraid to learn how to drill holes in metal or ceramics.

5Canned food and galvanized bucket

Vintage metal water cans, buckets or sinks create great planters and accents.

If you want to use them as a plant pot, drill the drain holes.

6Metal & Wrought Iron Fragments

Metal prices these days are high enough that (unfortunately) many of the classic old items end up at metal recycled depots rather than our gardens, but it’s still worth watching.

I’m always keeping an eye on the old fencing, garden gates, and their prime, but planter-like perfect wheelbarrows. After all, if there are rust holes in the wheelbarrow tray, it’s built-in drainage.

If you find a metal bed frame, think of it as the boundary of a disguised garden. Paint it, plant it around it, and turn it into a literal “flower bed.” The headboard also acts as a trellis or support for grapes.

7Shutters and fence panels

Of course, the old shutter works well with the old windows.

I also used tall metal shutters and sections from the old fence as a privacy screen for my garden deck.

You can also use older wood to create garden waste bins (if the wood/paint type is considered safe).

8Garden Tools

Don’t slip through that pile of rusty tools! Old outfits, hoes and spades can become garden art, especially when grouped, when standing in the garden or mounted on the walls of a shed.

Old hand saws, hammers and other random tools can be transformed into fantastic garden creatures.

9Basket and wooden frame

Wooden wooden frames and wire baskets are especially great for organizing garden gear and introducing potted plants, especially on covered patios and porches.

I have a lot of old wooden fruit boxes and they are great for creating multi-level potted flower displays.

The basket (above) exhibit transformed this wood pile into a work of art.

10Old fashioned wooden bird shop

The old homemade bird shop is one of my favorite essentials for garden decoration.

Although it is not safe for real birds (this explains why), they are perfect as garden art. I always block out the intrusion holes, make sure the birds don’t get trapped in them (that’s a common problem) and paint them to make the wood last longer.

When the wood wears out, I disassemble everything and use it as a template to build something new.

More ideas

Ready-made garden art and signs include weather containers (with drain holes, drills) window boxes and hailaks with stones, flag rocks, or bricks (old, clean!) bird cage (quirky) bird cage and foot stool chandelier patio furniture (whatever you love)

resource

Happy Trail!

~Melissa Empress of the Defiled