Repurposed Garden Decor: 20+ Unique Ideas For Your Outdoor Spaces

Y’all know I love unique decor ideas, and the garden is no exception. Repurposing and upcycling vintage and thrift store finds is my favorite way to decorate indoors and out. Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite trash-to-treasure repurposed garden ideas to make your outdoor spaces really stand out. So if you want to create stunning garden spaces, follow along with these 20+ easy and budget-friendly upcycling ideas.

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Why Decorate Your Outdoor Spaces With Repurposed Garden Decor?

I’m always saving old garden tools, broken or damaged items from the roadside or trash piles. My mom could never understand why I wanted an old bucket with holes in the bottom or her old wheelbarrow that had rusted out years ago. But the unique character of those pieces of trash drew me like a moth to a flame. What she saw as trash, I saw as garden art.. Repurposing no longer useful items into garden decor is a great way to save items from our landfills, save you money on expensive planters and other garden decor, and most of all, gives your outdoor spaces unique character.

Old Windows for Garden Decor

I have been decorating with old windows for years. I love the chippy paint and uniqueness of vintage windows, and they are great for adding character to outdoor spaces. On the side of my workshop, I used an old church window with a window box planter.

I added a trio of windows to the back of my potting bench to add a greenhouse effect.

When I needed a potting table in our greenhouse, we upcycled windows and old porch posts to create a table. You can see the full tutorial at Easy DIY Potting Greenhouse Table.

Add Outdoor Lighting with Upcycled Chandeliers

When we were building our greenhouse and I was looking for a way to provide some evening light, I repurposed a cheap thrift store chandelier with Dollar Tree Solar Lights, and it worked like a charm.

Another cheap chandelier was wrapped in solar lights to enhance the area around our outdoor potting bench.

Unique Planters for Garden Decor

I love planters filled with stunning flowers, and I’m always looking for ways to make my garden areas look unique. Here are a few trash-to-treasure planter ideas that will add a wow factor to your garden.

I have several old galvanized tubs that I love to fill with my spring and summer flowers. If the bottom has rusted out, it’s no problem as it provides good drainage. An old wooden ice cream churn was rescued from trash pick-up day and has been used for multiple flower arrangements.

Have you ever had a chair whose bottom was busted out? See how Wendy turns her broken chair into stunning garden art as a planter. My brother asked if I had any use for this old cast iron kettle with the bottom rusted out. You know, I immediately filled it with a plant.

And Stacy’s porch is enhanced with this adorable upcycled baby carriage planter filled with beautiful flowers. See the transformation at Prettiest Thrift Store Flip.

Another unique repurposed planter idea is to add a vintage bicycle planter to your garden. Kim’s stunning garden is enhanced with the adorable bike basket filled with her stunning flowers.

Last year, I lucked out with some roadside trash that turned out to be perfectly good large planters. I brought them home, and using a faux technique, they now look like expensive concrete planters. You can see the transformation at Amazing DIY Concrete Planters from Upcycled Freebies.

Raised Garden Bed

A few years ago, I rescued an old iron bed from rusting away in the woods and created a charming raised flower garden bed. A little spray paint, potting soil, and a flower bed was born. The bed frame adds charm to my other raised garden beds.

Recycled Wine Bottles In The Garden

Have you ever heard of a bottle tree? Legend or folklore says that the bottle tree protects from evil spirits. They are particularly popular in southeastern states. I like them because they are inexpensive and brighten my garden. The sunlight and water reflect off the different bottles, adding a dazzling light show in the evenings. Mine is built using a preserved pier piling we pulled from the pond. Adding some large nails made it easy to add recycled wine bottles to the post.

Scarecrow With Recycled Clothing

Do you need to scare away the birds or other pests in your garden? Check out this adorable scarecrow idea from my friend Jennifer. In her tutorial, Garden Girl Scarecrow, she takes you step by step through the process.

Vintage Ladders

I love old wooden ladders, and this Pinterest image has inspired me to get mine out and plant them in my garden. What a perfect way to add vertical height to your outdoor spaces.

When I was searching for a way to display my collection of vintage baskets in the greenhouse, adding a ladder to the rafters was a perfect choice. However, I didn’t want to use one of my vintage ladders, so we made this DIY wood ladder instead.

I couldn’t resist adding one ladder that I found on Pinterest. Such clever ideas.

Outdoor Side Tables

Another great way to decorate your outdoor spaces is with a side table nestled next to your comfy chairs. Here are some fun ways to add unique side tables. This thrifted magazine rack gets a makeover with some spray paint and a DIY concrete top and is perfect for the poolside.

A rustic barrel with a lid is a charming side table between two rocking chairs on my front porch. The chippy red paint makes it perfect for Christmas, Valentine’s Day and all the patriotic holidays. However, I decorate with it year-round.

DIY Birdhouses in the Garden

There is nothing better for decorating your garden or outdoor areas than birdhouses. When we had some old porch post scraps leftover, I saw the potential for making a fun birdhouse. Although these are best used indoors or inside the greenhouse, they are a fun addition to our outdoor spaces. You can see the full tutorial at Rustic Birdhouses with Scrap Materials.

I always pick up old birdhouses at the thrift store, and many get repurposed to enhance my outdoor spaces. The red birdhouse just received a little new paint, while the moss house was completely transformed. See Mossy DIY Vintage Birdhouse Makeover for full details.

In Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed these fun repurposed garden decor ideas and that they inspire you to think outside the box when decorating your outdoor spaces. Remember to add some unique items to your thrift store shopping list and don’t overlook damaged items that can be repurposed and filled to create amazing garden planters. Here are my best tips.

• A rusted-out bucket, tea kettle, or old tub is no problem. Stick it in the ground and fill it with dirt for a charming planter.
• Don’t overlook broken or damaged items like old chairs, garden tools, or light fixtures.
• Its original purpose doesn’t have to be for the garden for it to give your garden a charming vintage appeal.

Good luck shopping for garden treasures, and let me know what you find.