As the concept of recycled style in the garden begins to spread, the old adage, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, seems to become truer! Many of us brought up in the “disposable” era are now re-learning the benefits of reusing. Find out how adopting the recycled style in your garden, even in the smallest way, can make all the difference.
For those who have adopted the recycling style many will know the amazing finds you encounter in junk yards, second-hand shops, demolition sites, on the side of the road on council collection days … even in and around your own home.
By reclaiming, reusing or recycling things like old pavers, pots and timber palings, we’re not only adding character to our gardens, but also we’re doing our bit for the environment by reducing waste.
The way we interpret recycling style and reusing can vary. Regardless of our interpretation of the subject, there is plenty of ways to adopt and implement this style. On a simpler scale it might mean saving an old chamber pot or kettle from the scrapheap and using it as a planter.
Recycling and reusing might see you drawing on our do-it-yourself skills. Adopting the recycled style in your garden is also a great opportunity to exercise some creativity. Why not use broken tiles and plates can be used to create mosaic wall art, turn an old bathtub into a plant-filled water garden or turn disused timber door into a tabletop? The possibilities are endless.
If a do-it-yourself routine isn’t really your thing, remember there are still other ways to adopt recycled style. You can buy outdoor furniture, fencing, water features and works of art that have been made from reclaimed or recycled materials.
As another alternative, you might instead decide to reuse the bricks from that front wall you’ve just torn down to create a garden path or rescue some plants a neighbour was planning to toss in the bin. Even giving the old timber sun lounge a new coat of paint — and a new lease on life — is a great way to embrace recycling and reusing.
