Do you want to modernize your garden but bring a personal touch to it? Upcycling your garden is the way to go. Upcycling is the method of reusing and repurposing materials, which is not just good for the environment but it is also not too pricy. But what makes it appealing is that by saving your environment you are also creating a unique work of art out of your backyard. So let’s start.
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Shoes
Your first thought is boots, colorful rubber rain boots. And while they are great containers and planters, think bigger, consider all shoes, your old worn-out walking boots, or maybe your stylish but tired-looking heels. Don’t forget your crocs, they can be placed anywhere in your garden. You can place them next to pathways in your garden or you can reimagine your garden fence as a colorful croc flowerpot vertical garden.
Clothes
While you are rummaging through your shoe closet, see what you can salvage from your clothes that you never wear yet never get rid of. Jeans are a tough fabric that can be used to give your flowerpot a more interesting design, or even a pair of pants filled with straw. Perhaps you can use your old shirts and transform them into comfy pillows for the yard. Using clothes will give a unique feel to your garden.
Bottles
Bottles are an infinite source of inspiration. They are great building materials and make great pathways and even building blocks for your greenhouse/storage. More typically they are used as flowerpots. If you like a challenge, place the glass bottle horizontally and try cutting a side to create a flowerpot. While they can also be used to protect young plants, you can also cut holes in them and create your own sprinkler. Both useful and fun. Bottles can also be used to create those little ornaments you keep noticing in other gardens, a bottom of a fizzy drink can be easily transformed into a colored but transparent flower.
Food containers
Do you like takeout? If you do, next time when you buy some, leave the plastic containers if possible. Apart from bottles, they make great pots. Tins and jars may also be useful for this, but you can also use them to keep things you need outside – seeds, clothespins, nails or anything else. Revive the containers by applying some paint. For glass objects you can use paint for glass which will give them a more lasting and more impressive effect.
Bicycles
Can we really talk about upCycling without mentioning bicycles? They have become the symbol of decorating gardens with reused materials. For a good reason too – a retired bike can be an interesting piece of art in your garden and a reminiscence of past, but also a place for more flowerpots and even a useful construction for the plants, like vines, to hold on to. You can place your bike idly, surrounded by a flowerbed or go vertical and hang it on your fence. It is sure to be noticed.
Tires
Tires may seem dull but they are full of potential. They can be placed horizontally, as a rounded pot, or vertically, which is more creative and requires less space. Smaller tires like bicycle wheels can be used as a way to separate your flowerbed or vegetable garden from unwanted company. If you don’t care for their color, paint away. Kids are the biggest fans, as tires can be comfy furniture to sit on or even become a swing. And who says adults don’t like swings, too?
Furniture
Bring out the furniture you don’t need inside, and give it a new purpose outside. The possibilities are endless, try using a couple of stacked drawers or a cast-off dresser as planters. You can use an old cupboard as a planting station and a place for your garden tools. If you love projects you might be interested in creating your own green house out of windows.
Panels
Panels are great (re)building material, as they are strong and can be easily altered to suit any space. They make great furniture, sofas, chairs, tables… you name it. But they are also great as containers for your outdoor equipment or as shelves for your vertical garden. After creating new recycled items for your upcycled garden, you can contact rubbish collection experts and in that way make sure that not only your garden is cleared out but your rubbish is recycled properly as well.
Conclusion
The sky is the limit – you can use something as unconventional as your shoes or clothes to upcycle, or perhaps you should opt for the drink and food containers. Reusing bicycles and tires is a great way to beautify your garden, and you can also choose between repurposing old furniture or creating your own out of panels. Let your imagination run wild.
4 Easy House Plants that can Grow with Less maintenance
Plants are the inseparable part of nature. They are the main source of oxygen for living beings. Nowadays, growing plants has become a trending hobby. Everyone likes to grow plants and have a small garden in their place. Some people will be having the interest to grow plants but won’t be knowing what plants to grow. They will try to grow in some random plants which may not work. At this point, they will lose their interest in gardening. So selecting a right type of plants is very important. Few plants require more care and maintenance but few plants can be grown easily. If you are a beginner, here are some of the plants for you that can be grown with low maintenance.
1. ALOE VERA:
Aloe Vera is one of the common plants that can be seen in most of the houses. Its thick leaves with a glossy surface look very attractive. Aloe vera has been widely grown as an ornamental plant. The species is popular as a medicinal plant. It belongs to the species of Succulents. It has thick and fleshy leaves with tooth-like projections in the borders. This succulence enables the species to survive in areas of low natural rainfall and other critical conditions. So it is drought resistant and can be grown easily without any special care. This plant is relatively resistant to most insect pests and diseases. They do not require favorable conditions like sufficient sunlight, water etc., You can grow them even in a pot and place them indoors.
2. SYNGONIUM
Syngonium is one of the best indoor plants to grow. This plant is native to tropical rain forests in southern Mexico, West Indies, Central and Southern America. It is a cute little plant which can be easily grown indoors. This plant can tolerate low sunlight. So this is one of the low light houseplants. Syngonium plants are available in Green and Pink colors. Both the varieties are used as ornamental plants. As they are capable of growing in less sunlight, they are often grown as an indoor plant. They do not require much care for the growth. So it can be easily grown at home. Its arrowhead-shaped leaves make it attractive and hence beautifies your household.
3. DRACAENA
Dracaenas are one among the easiest and most common indoor plants. Young plants are small and bushy, making them perfect residents of desks and tabletops. Older dracaenas develop woody stems and can become a tree. In fact, after years and years, many healthy dracaenas can reach 5 or 6 feet tall. You can grow most dracaenas in regular household conditions as they tolerate low light, but can also grow in medium and bright spots too. Water dracaenas when the soil surface gets dry or once a week. It can vary depending on the size of your plant, the size of its pot, the amount of light it gets and other factors. Most dracaenas really don’t require much fertilizer. You can add fertilizers once or twice in a year to maintain your Dracaena plants which would be more than enough.
4. PHILODENDRON
Philodendron is a flowering plant which is often grown as a decorative plant at indoors. The name ‘Philodendron’ has derived from Greek words ‘Philo’ which means Love or affection and ‘dendron’ means tree. This amazing plant is native to Brazilian rain forests. The philodendron has many varieties of plants, including many species and cultivars in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Some of them are Lacy Tree Philodendron, Heartleaf Philodendron, etc., Lacy Tree Philodendron, also known as split-leaf philodendron has half-lobed leaves which makes it attractive and hence grown as a decorative plant. Heartleaf Philodendron is a popular climber with heart-shaped, dark green leaves. The leaves are about two to four inches long. This is the common variety which is used as an ornamental plant. It is also known as the sweetheart plant which can grow in very low sunlight. It is one of the most dependable and toughest of all houseplants.