Today we’re visiting an unusual and beautiful garden in Idaho.
My name is Jeff, and I’m a landscaper in Boise, Idaho. I thought you might be interested in seeing some of my repurposed and reused gears and faucet handles and other rusty elements that I incorporate into the landscaping around our home.
Rusted gears and other metal parts are stacked to make little sculptures on a table in the garden.
Metal containers filled with plants complement the repurposed metal garden art.
Old faucet handles make a decorative, flower-like pattern on the arbor.
The rusted metal elements are integrated throughout the garden.
Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata, Zones 4–8) running up over a wall. See a little dog peeking out the window? That’s Hank!
The garden isn’t just repurposed metal art. This bed is a tapestry of contrasting textures and foliage colors.
An all-important place to sit and enjoy the garden.
Containers matching the color of the metal make a rust-colored trio.
The Japanese maple (Acer palmatum, Zones 5–9) has an unusual mulch of old mining bearings and cannonballs. The pots are sitting on iron tractor plowing disks.
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
If you want to send photos in separate emails to the GPOD email box that is just fine.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
You don’t have to be a professional garden photographer – check out our garden photography tips!
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.
Comments
Hi Jeff, I like what you've done there. Rusty metal isn't my thing but because of how well you've showcased it in your own garden, I'm seeing it in a new light.
Thank you for posting!
Thank you - An interesting collection. Also I like the varying color and texture contrasts in the foliage that contrasts well with the rust.
I'll bet you are a fun landscaper and give clients a new way to look at things. You obviously have a very creative and artistic eye and a natural talent for turning somebody else's else's junk into garden treasures. Thanks for the inspiration.
So creative and beautiful at the same time!!
Love your use of old/recycled metal but I just adore those faucet handles!
Hi Jeff....I LOVE IT! Would never have thought old rusty gears, especially large ones, would look so good as garden art. Also meets need for recycling. Great job!
Hi Jeff! Seeing your creations reminded me of a Garden that is local to me here in New Hampshire, Bedrock Gardens. https://www.bedrockgardens.org/ The owners have gone to same route as you, creating garden art from various found objects. You might enjoy checking out their website, as well as subscribing to their Facebook page. They are posting new images from their garden almost daily! Enjoy!😊
jeff, in addition to the planters and fountain, i am psyched by your color/texture/height design sense, all seen so well in the tiger eye sumac photo.[ is that a row of rhamnus growing up towards hank?]
you must have to bring in your potted japanese maple? my one concern for that pot is that those tree roots need to breathe, which they can't do with all that iron covering them...
i hope you'll send in more photos. it's so great to see an fgpod garden design as complex and sophisticated as yours.
Very clever. Great repurposing of material.
There is nothing about this garden that I don't love! So creative and beautiful and the meandering row of faucet handles is especially wonderful. Thank you for sharing - my mind is racing!
I love foliage gardens, and yours is fabulous. I've seen people use odds and ends in gardens before but never as perfectly has you have....so tasteful and artistic. Love the colors you limited it to- again perfection! So natural and relaxing. Also love the dog up in the window!
Jeff, your eye for design is thoughtful and creative. I love rusty objects and I am more than envious of your incredible collection of very cool 'stuff'! The faucet handle 'mural' made my jaw drop. I love it!
You really have showcased so many ways that the inclusion of some rusted elements can set themselves so naturally in a garden. Whether blending with similar hued ceramic glazes or contrasting with a group of galvanized surfaces, and accented with glass orbs, your garden vignettes are all quite settled…. soothing yet whimsical.
Now I'd love to stroll through an see how all these vignettes interconnect in your garden.
You have a great eye! Love what you've done in your garden. It's beautiful and natural looking. Thank you for sharing!
I love your style! I Would Love to incorporate more hardscape & artwork but just haven’t found what clicks for me. Your design is perfect. Love all the foliage with the metal work it is the right balance. Loved the birch tree log in the grouping.
What a delightful tour we have this morning! Your plant choices and garden art put a smile on my face. Thanks so much for sharing, and please consider sending more photos soon. I'd love to see the rusted objects as we get more into autumnal colors.
omgosh! Hank! Adorable! Also love the faucet handles - they do look floral!
I'm in the process of liquidating and clearing out my custom machine shop and have found a number of possible pieces for my own garden - seeing how well you've incorporated them into yours is really inspiring. Thanks for sharing - and give Hank a smooch for me!
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Sign up Log in