Chives bloom in the late spring with an elegant purple blossom!

Being the gardener that you are, you probably have plenty of containers to plant in, but if you don’t, or you are looking to make a statement; try finding something unique  - maybe even something re-cycled to plant in.

Potted containers of plants sit in an old 'Radio Flyer' red wagon surrounded by the Earthen Garden in full bloom at the MSU Tollgate garden.

Try tubs, trays, barrels, old watering cans, wooden boxes and more.  I’ve even seen cardboard boxes, wagons (seen above), sinks and even a row boat (as seen below)!  Just be careful to make sure you have proper drainage.  Solid containers will not let the water out, and hence will drown or rot the roots of your plants quicker that you can say “Allium schoenoprasum”.

This row boat makes a large and unique container for planting.

Speaking of allium schoenoprasum, (better known as) ‘chives’ make a nice center piece for your pot because of the hight that they will attain.  They also offer a petite purpleish bloom in the late spring, and give a mild onion flavor on your salad.  You may already have some growing in your Earthen Garden that are large enough to divide. Simply dig part of the clump including root ball of course, and re-pot. Badda-bing-badda-boom!

Annual herbs that work well in container gardens are:

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)

Sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana) is sown in the late spring and is known as a half-hardy annual. Chervil (Anethum cerefolium) is a biennial that is considered as hardy as an annual, and can be sown from late winter to mid-autumn.

Perennials that are ideal for container herb gardening are:

Evergreen Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
Mint (Mentha spicata)
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Marjoram (Origanum vulgare)
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

You may consider keeping the Mint in a pot by itself because it tends to be invasive.  Two more tall shrubs that should be kept in their own containers are laurel and sweet bay (Laurus nobilis).  Herbs are not crazy about a hard freezing, so keep in a cool garage or greenhouse over the winter in colder zones.

Old bike used as garden art!

Everything old is new again…

All it takes is a little imagination and a household or yard item that you don’t mind leaving out in the elements. Yes, what once was a thing of beauty can again become a thing of beauty in a new and unique way! Keep in mind however, this is a one-way trip. Once your 1970s blue metal step-stool leaves your home (if that’s where it came from), and spends time gracing the great outdoors basking in the heat of the sun, and the rust inducing rain and snow, it won’t be fit to grace the kitchen any longer! But, you knew that.

Look around your house, in your garage or attic; chances are that you will find something that can be used in a unique way to house a plant or give an interesting backdrop to a climbing vine!

Popular items to use in your Earthen Gardenas garden art include:

• baskets
• pots ‘n pans, or any container
• bicycles
• tricycles
• gates
• fencing material
• chairs
• benches
• old shoes
• bird houses
• fountains
• architectural pieces

An old bathtub lazes in the shade!

Imagine That!

The only limitation to the types and variety of materials you can use in your garden is your imagination. Got a car bumper or an old rusted push lawnmower? Use it! Got an old pedestal sink or a claw-foot bathtub? Recycle them into your yard instead of throwing them away.

Use whatever you want, wherever you want – after all, it’s your garden! And the beauty of it all is that you just can’t go wrong. If the item you choose doesn’t look right where you have it; move it! If the metal piece rusts after a while; no biggie it ads character! If the basket falls apart over time; simply throw it away! It was going into the garbage anyway…

Wooden barrel and baskets add dimension to a back porch!

Creating garden art from your discards is a refreshing outlet for your creativity, and a fun diversion from planting weeding and pruning. To top it off, you’ll get a lot of “wows”, and “ohhhhs” from your visitors to your garden. And, you’ll be the envy of the garden club as they wonder “how did she get so creative?”