Finding a balance between junkola and flowers

A question,.. for as long as I’ve been collecting Flea Market and junky junkola to set in the garden, …has been how much junk to how many flowers.  How large a flower bed will do for a wheelbarrow? Where to display a collection of dish flowers?

Small display items can become lost in the shrubbery and too many collected pieces can look barren without flowers or even some foliage nearby.  You don’t, by any means, want your collected treasures to look as if they dropped in heaps from the sky onto bare ground.  Here are some examples that show good balance between flowers and your Flea Market finds and garden art.

~~ Flea market flower garden design tips ~~

Match plants to the sun

Both sun and shade are conducive to Flea Market goodies. The cool foliage colors under Norma Vanoy’s tree give way to hot, sunny flowers in front of her shed.

Norma Ray Vanoy’s design goes from shade to sun

Start with a sketch

Sketching can help you ‘think things out’ especially if you are a ‘visual’ person. But,…if you are like me, you garden from the back door out, bit by bit and the garden develops naturally…organically.  Favorite flowers, like Kathy Juacek’s, above, can be sketched into different areas of the garden.  Do you name each part of your garden?  I do.  The Meadow, The Cottage Garden, The Entry Garden,…etc.

Kathy Juracek edges her lawn with a wide border

Foundation plantings

Do we need these?  Maybe!  If you have a favorite shrub,…plant a line of them as a ‘backbone’ like Mary has done above,…  The deep blue bottles stand out just enough from the deep green shrubbery next to the house and the dish edging provides color when flowers fade.

Garden Whimsies by Mary uses junkola as edging and punctuation

Borders and islands

In a large lawn area, an island bed can add loads of garden interest.  Nancy K. Meyer is the Queen of ‘island beds’ which she cuts out of the lawn around each tree in her ‘park.  Each green island creates the background for family treasures like the children’s old bicycles and farm implements from her ancestors.

Nancy K. Meyer adds historical junkola like treasure to be discovered

Below, Vickie Randolph uses rocks of a certain uniform size to edge her garden beds, then accents them with birdbaths and Flea market collections.

Vickie Randolph… A snapshot of my Flea Market garden

Background

Your home, a garden shed, garage or tall hedge can act as a background. Tanya Goldsmith’s raised bed garden looks like a cool jewel in front of her brightly painted shed.  Do you noticed the color combo here?  Red, White and Blue.

Tanya Goldsmith spotted this gorgeous flower bed on a garden tour

Tanya says, “This beautiful red shed was on a Pond Garden tour put on by Ace Hardware in Merritt Island Florida and is the garden of one of their employees.”

Nancy Koposky uses her home as a ‘background’

How wide?

Many flower beds begin 3-4 feet and through the years deepen to 6-8 feet in width. We add stepping stones so each plant area can be reached.  Jani Little’s flower bed is in perfect spot to grow wider and wider as she adds flowers and plants.

Jani Little Can’t wait for Spring! This is Summer in my yard

What shape?

Remember your garden paths will possibly ‘create’ certain shaped and flower beds. Carol Hall divided her space with paths that determined the shape of her flower beds.  Each bed has the same type of log border which unifies the look of her garden.

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Carol Hall divides into paths and parterres

Edgings

Edge with low ground cover or a collection of Flea Market junk like dishes or glass bottles, even logs and branches.  Billie Hayman edged this bed , in fact created a raised bed for her Rudbeckia and Petunias with brick.

Billie Hayman uses hardscape to highlight her flowers and earthen pot

Plant height

This is a no-brainer, put tall plants in the back of a bed so the shorter ones can be easily seen. Jennie Zavala began with pink roses, planting Hollyhocks in between for the tall elements.  Lower growing roses spill into an edging of Daisies and Feverfew.  Jennie dotted this bed with a brilliant blue bowling ball, a birdhouse and angel decorated post.  Each item has its own space.

Jennie Zavala uses tall, medium and low plantings all in pink

Plan for constant color and interest

We usually just consider early Spring bloomers and hot summer color, but don’t forget Fall color.  Each season, Jane Krauter changes out the annuals in this bed next to her patio. Herem  you see her summer flowers, Black-eyed Susans, Salvia, Impatiens and Feverfew.  Violas, snapdragons, Begonias and Daisies are planted in the Fall garden, below.

Jane Krauter blurs the line between patio and flower bed

Two flats of Snapdragons, Daisies & Violas in Jane’s little flowerbed

Nancy K. Meyer plans for plenty of color from season to season.

From top left, Bee Balm, Lilies, iris, Veronica, Begonias, orange Daylilies, golden Blackeyed Susans, Hosta and pink Peonys.

Foliage and form (junk)

Plan for a 60% flowers and foliage and 40% Flea Market finds.  Use your treasures like garden accessories ‘jewelry.’ Tuck tables and container plants into larger foliage like Jeanne Sammons does here.

Jeanne Sammons‎ creates a good balance betwen plants and Flea Market ‘objets d’art’

Arrangement

Creating a flow through the garden can be done with paths, or with a series of arbors that guide you from one area to another.  Above, Dandi Gentry’s arbors lead you through the garden and each arbor has some rusty treasure that tells a story,…a chicken feeder hanging plant or a flowering basket on a pole.

Dandi Gentry uses arbors and vertical elements

Theme gardens

• Farm implements
• Old tools
• Fairy gardens
• Butterfly gardens

Kim Kick-Leifheit could have added a variety of mismatched Flea market items here, but she stuck to a farm implement theme, using a tall windmill, and pump.  Di-Ellen planted this entire area with a fairy garden in mind, giving the space its own dreamy feel.

Kim Kick-Leifheit designs around 2 or 3 amazing pieces

Betty Heffner adds farm junkola to her veggie garden

Di-Ellen’s fairy tree entry

What tips do you have for combining your Flea Market finds in your flower beds?