Galvanized Gardens
By Robin Holstein (Originally Published in Two-Lane Livin’ Magazine, August 2017)
At least once a year Mr. Holstein and I try to visit one of the three Lucasville Trade Days weekends, in Lucasville, Ohio. On my list for our visit this year was anything galvanized. Galvanized metal, usually steel or iron, means it was coated with zinc to help prevent rusting. It isn't permanent. Eventually, the zinc erodes, either because of age or exposure to acidic conditions. However, the process can extend the useful life of the metal by decades.
Upcycling galvanized items is very popular for interior décor and garden focal points. The current shabby-chic and farmhouse trends in decorating have created a new market for the original and a growing line of reproduction items at craft and box stores. It can be tough to find old galvanized items but they are out there. Feed buckets and wash tubs are frequently found in the flower beds. Placing the items on their sides, filling them with vining plants and ground cover in a manner that gives the viewer the impression the plants are spilling out is common.
Do not limit yourself to galvanized buckets. Any item that can hold a traditional flower pot, or a non-traditional container, such as a plastic lunchmeat box with a few drainage holes and some soil, can become a decorative cover for your plants. A scoop or ladle can hold a small succulent, reducing the use of soil and the need for water.
In the photo above I lined a galvanized rabbit feeder with some landscaping fabric, added soil, and some marigolds. The landscape fabric keeps the soil from washing out when I water, or during a soaking rain. On my back porch, I have a galvanized milk box filled with red geraniums. I also have the obligatory galvanized feed bucket full of flowers, on the back porch steps.
But, don't stop with galvanized. With a little imagination, you can transform just about anything into a planter. Many garden centers are carrying pre-arranged pots designed specifically to refill containers. I placed an unused flowerpot upside down in an antique five-gallon stoneware crock to use as a stand. I then placed a prearranged planter on it, giving the appearance of the entire crock being filled. To make it easy to move I placed the crock on a rolling plant caddy. As autumn approaches I can swap out the planter for dried sunflowers.