Using old vintage wheelbarrows in the garden….Or why you need a wheelbarrow to plant in!
I have a fondness for old wheelbarrows, leaky, rusty,…only suitable in which to plant flowers. An old rusty contractor wheelbarrow was my very first acquisition and started me off on my ‘career’ as a ‘junk’ or ‘Flea Market’ gardener. Many of us have them, too! So easy to visualize as a planter, wheelbarrows can simply be filled with soil and planted with annual flowers or succulents.
Here, you’ll see many examples of each way and every way to plant up a vintage wheelbarrow for the garden.
My rusty contractor’s wheelbarrow, found and wheeled home unashamedly on trash day already has holes for drainage, which I covered with screening. The ‘Dragon’s Blood’ sedum has been growing in it for four years without much care. I just give it a splash of water now and then. ~~ Sue
Arlene Brenneman says, “Look who’s hiding under the wheelbarrow planted with sedums. Had a hard time getting him to look up for the photo – he was busy watching bugs crawl around.”
Lynne says, “My husband, Tom, made a cart after he got the wheel from a Flea Market near Wellsboro, Pennsylvania.
Jane Krauter brightens up a shady corner of her garden with her bright blue wheelbarrow filled to the rim with impatiens. She says, “Last April, I found the blue wheelbarrow and the old wooden chair on the side of the road! I planted right in it, …it took lots of potting soil!
I love the way Michele Orwig’s wheelbarrow is painted a yellow green to match the yellow flowers and vibrant potato vine
Jean Morrow has planted her wheelbarrow at least twice, changing the look with flowers she chooses each time. Here, it’s shown with a variety of lacy-looking pastels, which contrast with the rusty metal.
Julie Brown says she has at least three wheel barrows in her garden. Look at all that lovely rust! With the nice little stack of clay pots, the old wooden tool handles and that pretty little blue petunia,… it’s subtle, but sheer genius. We like the background of the metal filigree headboard as well–it just doesn’t get any better.
Now with all these ideas, you go out and get that wheelbarrow! You know what to do with it now, and we won’t say a word when we see you wheel it down the street on trash day….we understand you!
How to plant a rusty wheelbarrow for the garden Step by step
Dragon’s Blood and first snow Especially for succulent lovers
Meeting Nell Stelzer See how Nell was inspired by one of these very wheelbarrows and what she did.
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View Comments
My old wheelbarrow has LOTS of rust in it. Will that hurt the plants? Wondering if I should line it with something before I put the dirt in?
Hi Sally, No, rust won't hurt your plants, in fact, rust contains iron oxide which people use as a fertilizer...iron! You're good..
Can I send a picture?
Love these. I plant mine with purple wave petunias and cream colored marigolds. A metal lion with gold eyes stands guard over the flowers.