In her southwest Missouri garden, Linda Heman uses vintage finds and cast-offs from friends and family to decorate her landscape beds.

Garden arch

A metal arch covered in trumpet vine beckons visitors into the backyard.

Backyard

Borders are decorated with hanging birdcages, concrete flamingos, a bright pink bench and a planted washtub.

Door and bowling balls

Unique edging materials are among Linda’s gardening trademarks. A line of colorful bowling balls defines this border. A potted container inside an old frame hangs on a vintage door, creating an eye-catching tableau.

Hut and potting shed

Linda’s backyard is under heavy shade (see her front and side gardens here) so the focus is on structures and containers.

Hut exterior

A friend dubbed the red shed “The Hut.” Once a chicken house, it’s now a workspace where Linda has hosted a birthday tea party for her sister.

Hut roof

“A carpenter friend helped me bring it back to life by adding a cupola, an awning over a new door and a stained glass window,” Linda says.

Hut window awning

Linda says she went through a case of caulk and several gallons of paint to get the Hut to its current condition. License plates make a creative window awning.

Mementos in hut

“It really became a matter of saving face for me” she says. “Most people thought it was a lost cause, but they all love it now!” Linda displays collectibles and mementos here, such as the photo of her grandmother in her garden.

Workbench

Inside, the built-in workbench is handy for party serving or crafting.

Through the hut window

Linda recalls a compliment from her niece: “There is something for everyone in your garden and no matter how many times you walk through, you find you haven’t seen all the little details.”

Windowbox

The Hut’s window well box contains angel wing begonias, ivy and asparagus ferns. “The lighting is a bit dappled here, so these plants seem to thrive,” Linda says.

Galvanized windowbox

CRAFT AN UPCYCLED WINDOW BOX

Get the look of Linda’s country chic galvanized metal window well box with a few easy steps.

  1. MAKE IT Linda’s carpenter attached a half-circle wood bottom and vinyl siding on the back of a curved piece of galvanized metal. She then lined the whole piece with plastic, drilled a hole in the bottom (a drill fitted with a one-inch paddle bit works nicely) and inserted a drainage tube. For longer boxes, space several holes six inches apart. Attach the box to the outside wall under the windowsill using screws drilled through the back of the vinyl siding.
  2. LIGHTEN UP Provide more drainage by adding a gravel layer in the bottom of the box.
    Better yet, use biodegradable packing peanuts or small, empty plastic containers from the recycling bin. They don’t add very much weight.
  3. GET DIRTY Window boxes need fresh, well-amended soil each season to support the healthiest plants. Take the time to clean them out and refill before each planting.
  4. MIX IT The lushest window boxes feature plants at varying heights. Mix tall varieties, like spiky grasses or long-stalked flowers or even edibles, like cherry tomatoes, with bushy, leafy, low plants.
    And don’t forget to add trailing vines to spill over the front and sides. Vinca and sweet potato vines are hardy, easy-to-grow favorites.

Planted spreader

Begonias fill more of Linda’s signature unique containers: Here, she presses a seed spreader and child’s wheelbarrow into service.

Potting shed

A blue potting shed began life as an outhouse—clearly indicated by the half-moon insignia on the door.

Potting shed border

Linda surrounded the shed with potted shade-loving annuals, birdhouses and a birdbath. A weathervane tops the structure.

Plate border

Vintage china and earthenware plates (some decorated with flowers and flamingo) form the edging around the potting shed border.

Daylily

PLANTS FOR DRY SHADE

Want a garden that looks great under a forest canopy? These plants thrive in a yard with lots of tree cover, like Linda’s.

  • Bishop’s Hat
  • Bottlebrush buckeye
  • Daylily
  • English daisy
  • Flowering tobacco
  • Hellebore
  • Hop tree
  • Hosta
  • Impatiens
  • Japanese pachysandra
  • Lamb’s ear
  • Large-flowered bellwort
  • Lobelia
  • Pig Squeak
  • Plumbago
  • Spotted dead nettle
  • St. John’s wort
  • Yellow archangel

 

© Caruth Studio

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.