Simple Stone Plant Labels

Last week I posted about my new container gardens, which are growing great by the way! Yayy! But in my herb garden I still had the herb labels that come with the plants, which although informative are not super aesthetically pleasing! So, the obvious answer of course was to d.i.y. some! I have seen a number of these done before on other blogs and pinterest, using everything from popsicle sticks to spoons, but I wanted to keep mine more natural so I decided to use...

Rocks!!!

It doesn't get much simpler than this! And in terms of $$, well rocks are free!!!

All you need besides your rocks is a paint pen of any color. I like the look of dark rocks with white lettering but you could do any color you want!

If you are worried about the paint washing off from watering, just give them a quick spray with clear sealant or brush a little outdoor Mod Podge over the writing once dry.

Rosemary :)

I used a larger rock I found right outside my door to make a cute label for my succulent garden as well :)

Even collecting the rocks was fun! Would be a great activity for children as well, take them on a nature walk/scavenger hunt and have them help you find some pretty, smooth rocks! :) Or just take a leisurely walk yourself and don't forget to smell those roses!!

Thanks for stopping by

-Liz :)

More Upcycled Planters!

Hi again!

I am back in Florida after a month long vacation at home in Wisconsin! Sadly, when my boyfriend picked me up at the airport he hesitantly told me about the tragedy that had occurred in my absence... all my plants had died :( lol. Yes, worse things have happened, and yes I kind of expected this (even with my regular reminders to water them!), but nonetheless I couldn't help feel a small sense of loss! But with any loss comes opportunity to rebuild, so thats what I did!! This time instead of using many small containers for my garden I have decided to consolidate (so much easier to water!!).

My plan this time was to have three main containers, 1) a herb garden, 2) a succulent garden and 3) a flower box.

For the flower box I will be using a vintage planter that needs a little work, so stay tuned for the before and after on that one!

For my herb garden I decided to use a gorgeous vintage 7up divided crate that I found at an estate sale for $10 back in Wisconsin! Check it out:

Love the graphic! Even though its a little faded, just adds to the vintage charm :)

Four herbs so far: boxwood basil, rosemary, parsley, and peppermint! This container can hold up to 10 (the two middle ones on the sides have handles cut into them so would not be able to hold enough dirt, but 10 is plenty for me!)

And for my succulent garden I used an old wooden box (I believe an old tool box?) that I have had for awhile:

I used mostly succulents I already had that were still in their original plastic containers, and bought a few more to round out the garden :)

Close-up!

I also had to replace the plant in my hanging planter that I made from an old egg basket:

This beautiful bunch of yellow flowers looks much sturdier than the original white flowers I had planted (crossing my fingers I can keep them alive!!)

Close-up of hanging crystals! 

A little more inspiration for your container gardens at home :)

-Liz :)

Thrifty Container Garden

I'm sure all of you have seen pictures on diy sites or pinterest of everyday objects being used as planters to create whimsical container gardens. Here's a couple good links:

http://www.diynetwork.com/outdoors/12-unusual-and-upcycled-container-gardens/pictures/index.html

http://www.hgtv.com/gardening/stunning-low-budget-container-gardens/pictures/page-6.html

I personally love this look! Way more interesting than flower pots from big box stores. And talk about conversation pieces, nothing gets the conversation flowing like peonies cascading out of a tuba! lol

So, for my small container garden I used only containers I picked up at local thrift stores (btw so much cheaper than buying brand new pots, I didn't pay anymore than $4 for any of my containers!) Here's some of my finds:

adorable purple flowers in a vintage blue and white sugar dish

small succulent in a vintage teacup with colorful bird design

vintage planters, large white elephant and small brown puppy (vintage planters are a great way to add a little whimsy to your garden, you can find them in all shapes and sizes at thrift stores and on etsy)

Lavender plant in a smal vintage basin

Large upcycled planter - I found this plastic urn shaped planted at a thrift store and after a quick spray of bright blue spray paint it looks great. The brown ceramic duck was also a thrift store find!

I also fashioned a hanging planter out of an old egg basket I found at Salvation Army. I lined the basket with a woven liner from home depot, and strung beads and crystals on invisible thread off of the triangular basket closures to add some sparkle!! The same look could easily be achieved using an old metal strainer!

I planted a white trailing flower in the basket. 

To add some elegance, I finished off my strings of beads
with some vintage chandelier crystals I bought off etsy :)

So, when your planning out your garden don't head straight for the home improvement store, try your luck at your local thrift store or even look around your own home for unlikely flower pots!

Please share pics of your own container gardens, I would love to see some more ideas!

-Liz :)