How to make a galvanized garden tipsy pot!
Annie Grossart-Steen has ‘upped the ante’ with her galvanized ‘tipsy pots’ and has added water flowing from the middle tub pouring into a little stream that flows into her pond. Galvanized tubs containers, combined with ‘tipsy pots’ is a genius idea and two of our favorite things at Flea Market Gardening!
Annie’s fabulous creation
What is her secret?
First of all, inspiration from another FMGer, Jeanne Sammons who posted her galvanized tipsy pots last year here on Flea Market Gardening. Annie says, “Here is my friend Jeanne Sammons ‘tipsy bucket planter… Isn’t it beautiful?”
Jeanne Sammons galvanized tipsys with beads for ‘water!’
Annie Steen says, “I put mine at the top of the waterfall of the pond, with clematis growing in the back…I have no idea whats going in them yet, but I have a few weeks to think about it. Thanks for the wonderful Idea!”
Annie’s ‘How-To’
“The rod I used is a 1″ electric conduit steel pipe. I drilled holes in the buckets, ran a pipe through the bottom tub into the ground and stacked the buckets. The buckets are screwed to the center rod, and that rod goes through the bottom tub about 2 feet into the ground.”
Tipsy tubs, ready to be planted
Annie used a galvanized watering can, a coal bucket, two medium sized tubs and a large wash tub, drilling drainage holes in the bottoms. Galvanized is a term used when steel or iron has been coated with zinc to prevent rusting, and it’s just fine to plant in!
For terracotta tipsy pots, a rebar or other thin pipe is pounded into the ground about a foot, then the pots are threaded and tipped this way and that onto the bar. Soil is added and flowers planted. Push the bar down into the top pot so it doesn’t show!
“This sits right at the top of the waterfall of the pond, and I ran a hose up to the coal bucket and the water pours right back into the pond. Can’t wait to see it planted with the water spilling over….am I crazy or what…?” Annie asks.
Galvanized ‘tipsy pots’ Photo by Annie Steen
Ann Elias also saw Jeanne’s idea and acquired the ‘raw materials’ needed. She says, “After seeing the photo of Jeanne Sammons tipsy bucket planter…I had to go check out my stash in the backyard by the fence which I placed there last year.”
Ann Elias’s ‘tipsy pot-to-be’
“I got these from my Mother-in-laws garage when getting her house ready for an estate sale. I have a watering can somewhere in the garage. I can’t wait to make one and plant it…and then bring my mother-in-law over to see what I did with her treasures. THANKS so much to everyone here for all the inspiration!” Ann says.
Thanks especially to Jeanne and Annie. You’ll inspire many to do this project. ~~ Sue
Update:
Current Summer updated look
Annie says, “I decided to switch up my tipsy buckets this year, and use the watering can for the water feature. I planted million bells…I have a hard time killing them! The clematis on the fence is just waiting for a sunny day to show their pretty blooms~
I need to find a sprinkler head to go on the watering can…I think that would look neat!”
I planted My Tipsy buckets for Fall~ what do you think??
More:
Yvonne Bloemendaal’s tipsy galvanized pots will look better and better as they age
More from Annie:
See Annie’s entire garden tour, Meeting Annie Steen
Annie’s shop: Tips from the Workshop
24 Comments
I love this idea with the tubs! They look so beautiful!
OOO now I can see this used as a water garden. How cool – a stack of planters, but the top one is a watering can, the hose runs out the rosette, and the bottom one is a tub with water plants in it. ooooo. Can you see it, too?
Those are just adorable!
I found some of those glass things at a garage sale this weekend for $1.00 to put in my birdbaths. Love them.
This is so fun, Sue! Love, love Annie’s tipsy buckets made into a water feature! She is so talented & has such vision! Good luck, Ann E…& have fun w/your ‘galvanized’ stash! TFS, Sue!
Wonderful ‘how-to’ and great to see the finished project.
See what you started, Jeanne…. 🙂 Sue
I love this idea, both with and without the water feature. Do you think the bottom of the planted buckets need to have drain holes drilled in?
Yes!
I love this gotta have one of these.
They turned out so pretty! I love the idea of the galvanized pots and for the watering can fountain! The flowers are a perfect choice for this project! Good job Annie!!
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Love love love this idea! Have most of the “parts” to try it but curious as to the flowing water! I know you ran the garden hose up into the coal bucket but is it fed by a pump from your pond? I dont have a pond to start with but want to try the water feature with the bottom tub full of water! Guessing I need to invest in the pump guts! LOL 😉
Wonderful, love it. What a beautiful idea.
Love it, I got to show that my hubby.Thank!
I would love to know what pump and fountain parts were used and where you got them. Would love to do this for my mother.
me too!
Love these. Trying to get ideas for my yard. I need new features in it.
Need to know pump size .
Get one the size as if you were circulating water in a medium sized pond, Connie.
“I drilled holes in the buckets, ran a pipe through the bottom tub into the ground and stacked the buckets. The buckets are screwed to the center rod, and that rod goes through the bottom tub about 2 feet into the ground.”
Can you show a picture of how the buckets are screwed into the center rod? Did you drill a second hole for a screw?
Mary, we have no photo of that, but yes, a hole was predrilled to attach the containers to the center rod. Galvanized metal is fortunately relatively soft.
Have all the galvanized pots just lying around. My hubby has added to help create this feature in my garden near our goldfish pond.
All just beautiful – inspiring!