Chicken Scratch: Pots That Are Not

Yesterday was Mother's Day--Happy Mother's Day to all of you mamas--and I spent it flower shopping with my family and then flower planting with myself. Best. Day. Ever. Really, anyday I spend with my hands in the dirt is a good day, it just gets to be a fun day as well, since I'm planting "for pretty" and not for eating (though I did that too).

Every year I use more and more things that are not pots to plant in. Honestly, I like that. I have a large collection of pots, but I prefer non-pots, because I think they are just more interesting. And every year I "up the ante" a little bit and use things that are a little more out there, just because I like the way it looks and I like how interesting it is to do so. Honestly, I never think twice about it and I'm pretty sure no one notices. But this year, my daughter noticed. She noticed this:

Our old kitchen sink

This is our old kitchen sink, which we replaced a month and a half ago with a newer one. I hate throwing things like this away, I really do. The idea that this would sit in a landfill forever and ever and ever makes my skin crawl. So if I can reuse it, I will. Voila! Planter. To me, this seemed obvious. It will hold dirt, so it works. It needs a little prettying up, I'm going to hide the legs a bit (so I'll owe you all another picture), but it's planted and on it's way. And do I love it? Yep. It's one of those unexpected things that I like to throw around everywhere that makes the gardens more interesting to me. And if someone else likes them, that's just a bonus.

Back to my story, though; my daughter had come out and had seen the sink and she said "Really, mommy? You are SO weird!". And that's ok with me. It's a badge I will wear proudly. But after she said it, I realized that I have quite a few things being used as plant pots that are not--and I thought I'd share.

Chairs are my favorite. I love chairs. Many years ago I purchased a set of 4 children's chairs off of Ebay. I gave one to my mother and promptly hung three of them on the wall. They go with me wherever I go. I just love them.

This is from a set I found by the side of the road. One still has the seat and has a planter on top of it. The seat fell apart on this one, so I took it out and planted it that way.

Sometimes planters are obvious. This is a tin washtub, which matches a set of tin pails that I put on the steps leading up to the porch. On the column is an old bread pan.

Same tin theme, but this wasn't bought for the purpose of planting in it. This is our old kitchen composter, which rusted out on the bottom. Perfect planter.

Old chamber pot

Enamelware cup

A kitchen colander.

In the category of "things you've probably seen a million times", our old cracked wheelbarrow. I hate throwing things out.

My daughter's shoes, which are cool, but don't fit her anymore. I've seen people do this a million times since I first planted my first shoe. These are just the latest I have to use.