Balcony & Garden Decoration Ideas, 10 Awesome Green Hacks

For some it is bulky waste, for others, it is creative one-offs. Discarded furniture and everyday objects can make unique pieces of art for the garden and balcony. You don’t need to be a genius to repurpose those otherwise to-be-wasted objects. Some simple and creative garden decoration ideas will do all the magic.

Take a look around the cellar, shed, or attic. The old household helpers and disused pieces of furniture that you will find there are just waiting for a splendid comeback as unique decorative eye-catchers.

The idea behind this is called upcycling. Because natural raw materials such as wood are limited and many things that we throw away are simply too good for the rubbish. Upcycling in the garden not only saves money but is also sustainable.

1. The Rusty Flowery Bike is an Eye-catcher

The absolute highlight among the nostalgic decoration ideas is the rusty bicycle. A worn-out bicycle or tricycle with various flowering plants is a guaranteed eye-catcher on every terrace and garden.

Beautifully planted with blooming and climbing flowers, it gives every garden a special touch and becomes an instant eye-catcher. Such a bicycle or tricycle is particularly beautiful when it has already started rusting.

2. An Old Chair in a New Look

You already wanted to give your old, discarded chairs to the bulky waste right? Oh no! Flower lovers who like it unusual can simply repurpose them creatively. If the filigree seat weave of an old rustic chair is broken, simply plant the seat with various crawling Sedum species.

Follow these quick tips to repurpose the chair as a gorgeous flowering pot:

1. Cut a wire mesh to fit the seat size.
2. Attach it to the four wooden seats.
3. Stuff the “wire nest” that has now been created with some filling material such as hay or straw.
4. Place the flowerpot fleece on top and fill the nest with potting soil.
5. You are good to go and plant your herbs.

3. That Rustic Ladder Can do Wonders

Garden lovers who like it unusual can, for example, convert a disused stepladder into a herb or flower ladder.

To do this, simply place a pot of herbs on each still functioning rung – and yeah..that’s it. A fragrant eye-catcher is guaranteed in any case.

Once your rustic ladder is placed across a wall, you can plant any herbs of your choice. These include all types of small flowering plants. Climbing plants such as clematis, chocolate vine, and star jasmine will particularly love the ladder.

4. Garden Decoration Ideas: This Green Gazebo Wall

So-called moss walls already exist for cladding interiors. However, this variant fits well on the outer walls of gazebos. To do this, you need a few empty wine bottles or plastic water bottles. For glass bottles, you additionally need some wooden strips, potting soil.

Follow these simple steps for the wine bottle plantation:

1. Separate the bottoms from the glass bottles, for example with a glass cutter.
2. Round off the sharp edges with sandpaper.
3. Attach the wooden strips to the arbor wall.
4. Attach bottle holders that you use to attach the wine bottles to the wooden strips.
5. Fill the wine bottles with a thin layer of drainage, for example, made of expanded clay or larger pebbles.
6. Put in potting soil and plant the bottles.

Related: Our Best Kept Gardening Tips For This Spring

5. Garden Decoration Ideas: Lanterns, Candleholders

Lanterns don’t have to come as lanterns. A number of items from the kitchen and around the house can offer an unusual display of the hanging candle holders. An old sardine can half-open looks wonderful on the balcony railing. Suspended funnels or cups filled with sand can also become charming light sources with a little imagination.

6. The Laundry Basket Adds a Classic Beauty

Now, this is one of the classic garden decoration ideas out there. In addition to old casserole dishes, old cans, and pots, woven wicker baskets can make a great alternative planter. You can both place small flower pots inside or plant the basket directly with a slightly perforated foil as an insert.

7. Garden Hacks: No Better Alternative to Old Tires

They are far too good to throw away. Discarded car tires that you may have in your garage are waiting to bring a unique beauty to your garden. Tires colored in different shades can both be hanged across a wall or placed across the garden.

If you want to prepare the tires for geraniums and the like, you should first drill small drainage holes in the tires for both the hanging and the lying version to avoid waterlogging.

Note: Acrylic paints or special varnishes are ideal here. If you are going for lighter colors, you may need to apply more than one layer.

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8. Garden Hacks: That Blooming Watering Can

If you have a disused or damaged watering can, you can convert it into a decorative flower pot. Here are the simple steps to go around just that:

1. For a larger opening, cut off the entire top section with a hacksaw.
2. Smoothen the resulting sharp edges with a metal file or sandpaper.
3. Drill several small holes in the bottom so that excess water can drain off better.
4. Fill the jug with a one to two-centimeter thick drainage layer made of expanded clay or pebbles.
5. Put in potting soil and plant your greens.

10. Discarded Kitchen Sieves Are Practical

With a discarded vegetable colander, strings are attached to the handles. Not only does it look stylish, but it is also practical: Excess irrigation water flows off through the holes in the sieve.