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Flea Market Gardener’s shopping list

Just in time for the first Spring yard sales and Flea Markets!  What’s on your mental shopping list?

Your Flea market shopping list

When Jeanne Sammons asked the question, “What is ONE THING  on your ‘junk search list’ for this year’s  junking season?”  you answered!  Many of us have a mental list of desired old things we want for our gardens and for creative projects. When we go out ‘junkin’ it helps to know what style we like, rustic or cute, flowery and feminine or cleaned lined and modern.  The word that pops up again and again is “Old”

From the humble, like these:

  • an old funnel
  • blue and aqua glass

to something BIG, like these two:

  • A vintage camper…..any woman’s playhouse
  • A small log cabin to relocate to my farm to start a new country garden around

You all came up with a list suitable for any Flea Market gardener.

Here’s what you’ve said you want:

Old washtubs and buckets to plant flowers in

Willow chairs

An old ladder

Galvanized anything

A rusty green wheelbarrow

Old fence pieces

Old ash bucket

Salvaged architectural pieces…gingerbread, trim

Child’s wheelbarrow

An old garden gate

A set of Vintage wood frame French doors

Old gates and doors

Something different to plant flowers in

Aqua insulators

A really old wheelbarrow with the old cool iron wheel

I want to find a saddle I can make a swing with

An old bird cage to put my sweet potato vine in!

An old gate so I can plant morning glories and let them twine around it

A bottle tree

One “real” porch post, the 4 in x 4 in turned kind, to make a tall plant stand out of

An old table or dresser to use as a potting bench

An old rocking chair that I can paint and turn into a planter

French writing desk

Bowling ball

A double washtub

An old pump to waterfall into my fishpond

Any antique bell to hang on the wall by my front door

A Wagon Wheel

Legs from tables and posts from porch columns

Old shovels and old watering cans

An old lantern

Concrete chickens

An old dresser to plant in

A rusty old metal something to hang on my wall

An old rustic weather vane

Old Radio Flyer wagon to use as a Fairy Garden

Bed frames, to make garden benches

An old 2 drawer file cabinet I think I will use as a container

 

When I lived in the suburbs relatively close to the ocean, I decorated my home in watercolory tropical fish colors and had a fish figurine collection. Our house was a small cottage, and now I refer to it as our ‘Beach House’ although we were a 1/2 hour drive to the beach.

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When thinking of my new homes decoration, it also helped to have a mental list. Some things were for inside and some out.

My List

Since I had shifted my focus to mountain living, I slowly developed a mental list of items and materials, I’d look for at the annual flea market in our county and at junk shops and yard sales. Here’s the list:

Weathered wood
Denim
Leather
Suede
‘Plaid shirt’ plaid
Summer camp
’40s kitchen
Rusted metal
Barbed wire
Oil cloth
Yosemite slate (Black, brown and gold)
Wildflowers
Graniteware
California-colored pottery

 

Terracotta clay
Wrought iron
Granite rock
Pine trees and cones

Copper
Wool Indian blankets
Rope
Galvanized metal
Bronze
Night sky

These were the materials and things I’d search out so I didn’t get distracted by the possibilities of everything! I can be a bit of a crow, gathering shiny objects in its nest.

I’d find things, each with a feeling of exhilaration, sometimes with a look over my shoulder to check if someone else was reaching for what I had snatched up!  They must be! I couldn’t be the only one to value the things on my list so highly, right?  I carefully put all these things away in boxes and bags and into storage until we were ready to move. When it was finally time to unpack, opening my treasure boxes and bags was like Christmas for me.  You all understand…  ~~ Sue

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, tell what is on YOUR list….

Sue Langley

Sue Langley, a passionate gardener and photographer lives and gardens with her husband and Corgi, Maggie on 7 acres just south of Yosemite, Zone 7 at 3000 feet. She manages the Flea Market Gardening Facebook page and website.

View Comments

  • I want an old bike I have yet to find one That does not cost arm and leg. Always on the lookout for architectural salvage, Unusual items and anything that will hold a plant!

    • Sue Langley says:

      I haven't found a bike yet, either, but it's really high on my "List." Where I used to live in Orange County, CA there was a wonderful place called Tony's Architectural Salvage,....fantastic place!

    • Marla Damman says:

      I have a nice rusty bike I would be glad to sell for $20. It will be at my booth at the spring show at Country Lane Treasures in beautiful Southern Illinois. Come on down for a junkin' road trip!

  • Grace Peterson says:

    This makes me so grateful for the stuff I've collected over the years. I honestly can't think of one new thing I'd like but regardless, I'm on the prowl because you never know what you might find.

    • Sue Langley says:

      You have a point! Once I decorated my home, I suddenly lost the desire to buy anything else for it,..I did't want it to be cluttered and loved the spare 'Summer Camp' feel of it. That doesn't apply to the garden, plenty of room to create Flea Market style garden vignettes, so I still seek out yard sales for outdoor things.

  • Bird cages. I take the bottoms off and use them as deer exclusion cages. My latest find? A 3 ft x 4 ft parrot cage that fits over a rhodo planted last year. The deer chewed off all the buds and the new growth. Sort of like closing the barn door after the horse is out, but it'll be good for next winter.

  • Sue Langley says:

    That's a great idea, Carol. I hope you post a photo of this to our FB Wall. I'd like to see it.

  • ginny sass says:

    I would like, or love, a old bathroom sink to mosaic, plum and put in my garden as a fountain. Also some tires to make planters from, brightly painted and stacked. I saw them on pinterest and they look so fun.

  • I've been looking for an old farm sink. They are becoming harder to find these days. :)

  • A bowling ball? What do you do with a bowling ball?

    • Sue Langley says:

      Hi Cathy, if you do a search for Bowling ball on this page, you'll see what we need them for. VERY fun and unusual for the garden.

  • Melissa v hall Moore says:

    I've been shopping for all kinds of plates/glass to make flowers or totems.., silverware to make wind chimes... and or plant markers... old springs old keys.., helped teach a class this last weekend on Art in the Garden... fleamarket style... from the flea across Florida... and yard sales and thrift stores are all the jewels in the ruff... that became real diamonds...!!!

  • Melissa v hall Moore says:

    I would post pictures but can't seem to figure out how...!!!

  • jessie sam says:

    I would love to find another Motel chair. When i moved some stole mine before i could get it from my former house. I know i will find another one.

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