Earth Day is on April 22, 2010! I had been reminded by news of a contest on a blog that I happened to find one day cruising the internet. Garden bloggers were invited to write and submit a blog dedicated to what they did for Earth Day. You really must check out Earth Day on Jan’s blog Thank You For Today for a list of all of these great posts. And after looking at many of the other posts, which, I must say, have such good advice and information to offer, I wondered what could I add? The more I thought about it the more I realized that recycling was my key word for Earth Day and the garden.
I hope that if there is one theme that winds it’s way through my blog, it’s recycling. We are a couple of old Hippie artists, who were there for the start of the recycling movement. For us it is just a way of life. We buy everything used and we also get a lot of “good stuff” as I like to call it, absolutely free. Best price there is. And as I mentioned in other posts, it’s a pretty abundant lifestyle too.
Of course we compost. Every scrap of banana peel, tea bag, coffee ground and egg shell is collected in these recycled coffee bins that I brought home from a job. The tiles on the backsplash behind them are all recycled. In fact every tile was actually free and found at garage sales or from sample boards thrown out by tile stores.
The composter the food scraps go into was also free, someone in the neighborhood was tossing it. Our rainbarrel is a recycled drum formerly used for soap.
In the green house, I recycle too. Every pot from years past is saved to be reused, trays are sometimes taped up to plug leaks but are still put to work. These Black eyed Susan vines are sprouting in cookie packaging.
The seeds for the Purple Cone flower, which I am rather impatiently waiting to see sprout, are planted and living under the protection of packaging, which in it’s previous life housed a cake bought for my birthday a short while ago. In its next re-use it may yet end up as a container for my mosiac shards in the studio.
Out in the garden we have, now wait a second, I have to mentally count, at least 4 wheelbarrows. Only 3 are shown here. All free or almost free. All recycled. I have an abundance of wheelbarrows you could say. I think they are kind of beautiful, in a sort of colorful, shabby, knocked about and used, way.
Now that I’ve reached the garden with my recycling theme, I’d like to show you a few pieces of our garden art. Now maybe art for the garden is an odd sort of theme for Earth Day but a lot of our art is made from recyled materials. The mosaic in the herb garden is a recycled chimney covered in old dishes and tiles.
The stepping stones are all made using recycled dishes and tiles, a type of mosaic art called Pique Assiette. In fact, all of my mosaic artwork is made from recycled dishes, tiles and ornaments. If you would like to see how to make them check my post Creating a Mosaic Stepping Stone Helen’s Way.
And old sink found in, I must admit, unashamedly, a dumpster dive, is home to our succulents.
The chime that Bill fashioned out of an old anniversary cup found at a garage sale and hung with flattened silver cutlery is another recycled artwork. There’s much more art to see on one of my previous posts about garden art called Bill’s Driftwood Chair and Other Garden Art Whimsies.
There are so many things that we can recycle and reuse for our gardens from artwork to garden furniture to garden tools and implements. There really is no need to go out and buy new most of the time. I always like to say the world is an abundant place as long as you don’t mind second hand. Not buying new saves resources and cuts pollution. Buying used saves more stuff from ending up in landfills too. I’m feeling like this little post is just a warm up to another post. I’ll have to write more another day about all the great stuff we’ve found for our garden that’s recycled or re-used.
And as for these insulators that I’m finishing this post with, a most fortunate find at the local 2nd hand store, well, they are going to become more art for the garden. Imagine them now hanging on the top of varying lengths of rebar, in groupings amongst the flowers, glinting in the sun….. Ah you’re seeing it aren’t you? I’m sure that most of us are recycling and I do hope that this little post has added a few new ideas. Happy Earth Day from our garden to yours.
Tags: chimes from recycled silverware, composting, Earth Day, glass insulators, Pique Assiette Mosaic Stepping Stones, pique assiette mosaics, recycled garden art, recycling
Hello,
I love so many of your recycling ideas. As a rule, I always try to see if I can find a second use for many items and have been absolutely inspired by your post. Mosiac tiles, the windchime and so much more. What a wonderful post!
Hi Noelle, I’m so happy that you found some of my recycling ideas inspiring. I wanted to show that recycling could be used for fun and art.
Hi Helen
Thank you for you comment - I just love your blog - what a great perspective on gardening. I also use practically any container that will hold water for my seedlings. Yogurt pots are a great size, just punch holes in them and plant them up! I’m watching out for larger items for container gardening - hessian sacks are supposed to be good, rubber boots (wellies) and old toilets!
I look forward to inspiration from your site!
Helen, I liked what you said to Noelle and people often don’t think about how things can be reused and repurposed. I recently met a young woman who remade her clothes from old clothes…they were splendid looking! I love found and recycled art and am amazed at what creative folks like you and your husband are able to craft…~~I like to dabble in mosaics myself and have several projects in the works including a glass on glass window.
This is the first year that my compost has actually been cooked! It’s gone into the veggie garden containers. ~~I hope to get my rain barrel up an working~~Mr, my spouse, isn’t as handy as yours is!
Gail
Hi Byddi, I was happy to have discovered your blog on the Earth Day list of posts. It’s fun. Great ideas for recycling that you have too. We did consider toilets but the look of this old basin won out. But really you can let your imagination run wild and have fun.
Hi Gail, I am always amazed myself at the scope of really wonderful found and recycled art that there is out there. I’d love to see what you have done in mosaics. Do you have it on your blog? Be careful with mosaics, it’s addictive!
As for the compost, sometimes ours doesn’t cook enough either. This year we put black plastic over it. It seemed to help a bit. But I tend to use it anyway, when it’s still a bit chunky, I figure it’s adding fiber to the soil.
You have some great recycling ideas. i like how you use the plastic cake cover as a mini greenhouse for your seeds. I’m thinking, I should have done that! Your mosaics are an inspiration. Truly, you set a great example for us all. Happy Earth Day!
Hi Deb, Thank you! Those plastic covers and packages are really worth keeping. I also use all the ones you get salad greens in to keep all my mosaic bits and pieces. They are stronger than they look and see through too. Glad you enjoyed the mosaics. They are fun to do but take time.
wonderful ideas - thanks for this great post. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the stepping stones. Hmmm, project soon I suppose.
Hi Stevie, Glad you enjoyed it. I’m always happy to introduce anyone to mosaics.
Hello, from Greece.
Hello Helen.
Your mosaic are fantastic, very, very good idea for recycle.
I will come back to see what else you do.
Bravo.
Ellada.
Hello Ellada, Thank you and I’m glad you enjoyed the mosaics. Welcome to Blotanical. It’s always so wonderful to hear from gardeners all over the world.
Helen and Bill, you are both brilliant! Great post for Earth Day, thanks!
Hi Mary Lou, I rather enjoyed writing this post, you know how I love to recycle and do the second hand thing.
Helen,
Your artwork made from recycled materials is truly an inspiration. We do recycle, though you have got me thinking about additional ways we can put our efforts to good use. Thank you for sharing some wonderful ideas. The driftwood chair and chime are beautiful, and it is always a treat to see your mosaics. I hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend!
Hi Liisa, I think it’s wonderful that almost everyone does recycle nowadays. But it’s always fun to read about other ideas to add to our own. I’ve been enjoying reading the other posts in the Earth Day Entries and getting some new ideas. Glad you enjoyed the mosaics and artworks.
Yaaaay for earth day! I’m so glad you are posting about this very underrated holiday!!
Hello Helen,
I’m reusing/repurposing more and more and I’m inspired to collect those cookie trays for seed raising now. Can’t wait to try my hand at some mosaic stepping stones too over winter…which isn’t that far away here now!
What a wonderful post from a beautiful garden
Hi Jenn, You’re right Earth Day should be a bigger day. Maybe even a day off work to really celebrate the beauty of it all.
Hello Heidi, Thank you for your kind comments about the post. I do hope you do try the mosaic stepping stones. They do look wonderful set in the garden. Brighten it up over the winter too.