How to create a Flea Market garden vignette

Creating cool compositions in the garden

We all have flower containers in our gardens and plenty of Flea Markets finds. Assembling them all into pretty combinations is what we’ll show you how to do here..in 4 steps!

We call these combinations vignettes which means ‘pretty little scenes’ These vignettes are the essence of Flea Market gardening. There are three simple steps, three secrets that you must know to create these pretty scenes I your garden. Here we go!

Galvanized, iron and rust,…all accented with fresh flowers in Catherine Lepage‘s vignette

Step one: Find an ‘anchor’

An anchor is a large item used as a base for your flowers and small accents. The anchor for your new vignette can be a wheelbarrow, a bench, a tabletop or window box. In addition, use a background, like a tree, a tall window set behind or a fence to add height and texture to your scene.

See Create a garden background for your Flea Market finds for more ideas about backgrounds.

More ideas for vignette anchors:

Low, tiered shelf
Garden cart
Arbor
Galvanized tub
Large tipsy pot
Ladder
Baker’s rack

Marie Niemann’s crusty and colorful corner

In Marie’s vignette, the ‘anchor is a step ladder, the background, her brick wall, toolbox containers and small birds and birdhouses the details. Notice she created a great balance of junkola and flowers. Color is also an important element. Marie chose opposite colors, yellow and purple pansies with a touch of sparkling white.

An old wooden bench set against a tree is the ‘stage’ for cuteness!

In another of Catherine’s vignette’s, a wooden bench leaned against a tree is the ‘anchor’ and galvanized containers hold pastel Million Bells, red Geraniums and white Bacopa. A metal flower and a lantern as well as a brick edging supply the charming details.

Jeanne Sammons’s Baker’s rack

A Baker’s rack is invaluable in Flea market gardener’s world and it’s stll on my shopping list. I just need to find the right one. Combination background and the ‘anchor,’ a Baker’s rack like Jeanne’s can be changed out for the seasons, …which she does beautifully! Watering can and crocks add the details and the same shape Flea Market containers unify the grouping. The colorful Pansies are the star!

Step two: Add flowers.

Smart Flea Market gardeners grow a selection of annuals and perennials in inexpensive nursery pots or right in vintage containers. These can be changed out with the seasons. As flowers grow and bloom through Spring and Summer, you can switch pots around within your vignette for peak bloom.

Moveable pots of flowers are the key in Catherine Lepage’s scene

In Catherine’s scene, the bench is the ‘anchor’ and a cat and two birdhouses add the details.

TIP: Changeable pots of Nasturtiums and Million Bells are easily grown in inexpensive plastic nursery pots that can be popped into baskets and window boxes,…any Flea Market container. Easy!

Dandi Gentry’s arbor vignette is surrounded with flowers

In Dandi’s vignette, a large wooden arbor forms an ‘anchor’ with a halo of flowers around it and hanging from it, in a galvanized chicken feeders and buckets. A veil of hanging plants bring the flowers into view. Included in containers and flower beds are Black-eyed Susans, Roses, Daisies, Million Bells and Moss Rose. Hosta, Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ and a grapevine are seen in the background trellis.

Step three: Use Flea Market flower containers

Use our favorite and unusual containers like toolboxes, bait buckets, crates and baskets as containers. It’s our style and the most fun part of it! Use your imagination and remember,…use “anything that holds dirt.”

Daylilies of the Valley’s shady vignette

This vignette’s star is the terracotta tipsy pot stack, not only stacked, but painted with a lacy pattern created by Daylilies of the Valley. The background is the tree and the chippy pale yellow shutter which starts off the pastel Spring color scheme. The small bird in a basket ‘nest’ completes the picture.

Donna Conte’s washtub scene

look carefully at Donna’s scene and you’ll see more and more! The tubs on their stand is the ‘anchor, the airy curly Willow branches a backgreound. A corona of pink Million Bells peek out from the main focal point, the angel and her wings. A blue glass plant stake adds color that compliments the pink Petunias. See the cunning gnome?

Step four: Use Flea Market items as accents

Look through your stash of small Flea Market items to place into your little scene, thinking about color, height and theme. Adding seasonal items is the fun part!

In early spring, use birds, rabbits and bulbs, mixed with early Spring bloomers. In Summer, think picnic items and American flags. Fall can bring pumpkins, rakes and chrysanthemums.

Kirk Willis’s tool time scene shows off his garden tool collection

Kay Bassett’s entryway vignette

One more item in Kay’s vignette would be too much, but in her entryway, she shows off a collection of birdhouses which sets the theme. The ladder and small chair serve as anchors and a color scheme of warm reds and terracottas contrast with a neutral grey background. Visitors have a wide variety of appealing details to look at upon arrival.

Kathleen Vedder’s elegant collection

Blue, peach and red flowers set off the blues in Kathleen’s Asian pottery collection. The container of tiny leafed green wire vine and the lush green of the Elephant Ear create an Oriental and tropical theme. The iron serving cart, so practical outdoors, is the anchor. Notice the collection of glass on the lower shelf that adds dimension an d texture.

Julian Rodriguez’s elegant scene

Simplicity itself, Julian’s ‘anchor’ concrete bench holds a glowing copper watering can against a background of the iron fence piece from the Flea Market. Underneath the bench, tiny white Santa Barbara daises peek out

Other themes to use:

Farm tools
Birds and animals
Collections
Housewares
Spring Bling
Rust and blues

More garden vignettes to love!

Can you spot the anchors, backgrounds in these? Notice the arrangements of the Flea Market containers and the balance between flowers and Flea Market finds. What other themes would you use? Tell us in the comments!