Join the garden ‘Rusty Rust Club’

We ♥ Rust!

So many of ‘our style‘ gardeners have shared their rusty containers and junkola that we want to show you more rustic rust in the garden and how the owner’s found them. If you have rust in your garden, you’ve already joined this fun and mythical ‘club.’

Melody West’s pink and rust

Melody West says, “This is an old mining cart from where my husband works, the shovel is from his dads house and so is the lunch box the amethyst was given to us. If we ever move it goes with us.” Collecting rust from family history makes the garden meaningful.

My rusty bucket’s fine crusty patina

I found this rusty paint bucket at a junk yard in the California Gold Country. It’s just the right size for a planting container, shown here with Purple petunias and amethyst alyssum.

Monica Clauberg found a patina-finished urn in a garden in Berlin

Gardener’s in Berlin value rust, too.

Cindy Barton’s unique planter

Cindy Barton tells us, “This was an aluminum house vent that we didn’t use in our potting shed. I saw the potential of a vertical garden between those slots. Since this was a used house vent it had black netting on the back to prevent critters from getting into the house. I added landscape fabric on top of the netting to make sure the dirt stays in.

Then I bent the individual slats to make a larger pocket to plant in. Stuff it with dirt leaving some space to tuck the succulents in. Then top it off with more dirt. Pack the dirt in tightly and water well. Oh my husband did spray it with muriatic acid to age it before I decided to plant in it.”

Anna Kittle's vintage fertilizer spreader, now planter!

Another oldie Anna Kittle uses for a planter. A vintage seed spreader!

Becky Norris’s wall o’ rust

“It took two days to drill the holes in the rock wall,” Becky Norris says, “in order to hang up my rusty flowers, but they are finally hanging by my pig. May he rust in peace! I also added a few of my rusty plow pieces and some cute little wheels that I have accumulated over time. I need to rearrange a couple of the wheels, but for the time being they are here on the wall.”

Cathy Scott’s rusty orb

Cathy Scott says, “I’m working on my Orb garden … I have to figure out what to do with my Sundial.” You can see how one fantastic rusted piece can anchor a garden and be its centerpiece,…its masterpiece.

Cherrie Carine grows Sedum in her old log grate…

Cindy Barton’s rusty filigreed headboard

Cindy Barton says, “I’ve had this wonderful old iron head board for 6 years and it’s just been leaning on a tree in the back yard. Now that the potting shed has been built I knew exactly where I wanted it to go. I can’t wait to plant that side of the shed around the head board.”

Flower colors that compliment rust

Pink
Orange
Blue

Kirk Willis rusty railing was an incredible ‘find!’

Kirk Willis says, “I found eight panels of this rustic, metal fencing at my favorite thrift store. The length of the fencing was an exact

fit for our front border gardens! Meant to be. In the picture are just two of the panels…about 6 feet long. Don’t they look old-fashioned? I love them! I had to beg my wife to let me buy eight!”

Kaycee Sterling‎’s barrel rings

Kaycee Sterling ‎says, “I’m so blessed to have inspiring friends, like Marie Niemann, and a husband that says “Whatever you want, my Dear” when I ask for crazy things like a garden sphere made out of barrel rings!

The globe on the inside was a hummingbird feeder but the rubber stop rotted so I gave it a new use. I need a different pot,…a rusty one, but this will have to do until I can get to my next Flea Market.”

More on Barrel Rings in the garden: Rusty barrel hoops and spheres in the garden

Kathleen Switzer’s lovely lawn ornament

Cindy Schroeder’s rusty find

Cindy Schroeder says, “Here’s what I found on a walk to our local high school’s cross country track. There was a pile of stuff waiting to be dumped. It’s about 3 feet tall to the top of the handle and 16 ” in diameter. It is very heavy and my poor husband grumbled as he lugged it about a quarter of a mile back to our house.

It’s all rusted and has these neat metal straps going down the side. Of course there are some dings, dents and holes. I will have to think about this one. I am thinking something trailing over the sides to contrast with the rust and maybe some type of flowering grass by the handle. Should be fun to plant! You just never know where you will find a treasure.”

Jennifer Traylor spotted this at the Philadelphia Flower Show

“Got an old, rusty vehicle on your property?” Jennifer Traylor says, “Recreate this garden if you do.” It has to be the right type of old rusty car to pull this off, but would be so effective for surprising guests in your garden. The bright flower colors contrast nicely with the rusty patina.