Take it from someone who has dabbled in the art of gardening for over a decade and experimented with several random types of containers lying around my house!

If you want to redesign your garden, fill awkward spaces or update its vibe, consider the old containers you have around your home. You could use things you own or creative finds at local flea markets to transform your garden into an otherworldly getaway.

1. Colanders Can Sit Inside Plant Stands

When you’d like to swap your old colander with a bigger model, don’t throw it away. Save it for your garden if you have metal plant stands. These containers can easily fit in the pot-sized opening. The handles will even keep them more firmly in place.

Fill the colander with soil and plant something that loves a shallow pot, like leafy greens. The water will naturally drain away so the roots don’t deteriorate from mold while you wait to make salads and wraps with all of your fresh lettuce.

2. Storage Tote Boxes Look Great on Garden Walls

Those big plastic storage containers used for belongings in your attic and crawl space can last a long time. They also don’t usually fit in the garbage can if you need to replace them. If you throw yours in a landfill, the internal plastics — like polystyrene — could seep into the local environment.

Polystyrene accounts for 10%-40% of the plastics in waterways, threatening wildlife, and it’s littered more than any other waste product. Luckily, you can prevent it from doing excess damage. Fill your cracked tote boxes with soil and grow whatever veggies you like. The heavy container could add some height to your garden walls and stay in place even during windy days.

3. Birdbaths Fill Empty Yard Space

Some gardens develop awkward bare patches. You might have a spot that’s only big enough for one plant, but it gets swamped by the other vegetables and fruits growing around it. I know I’ve encountered this issue on more than one occasion.

Play with the area’s height by adding a vintage birdbath. You can fill the basin with soil and plant carrots if it’s more than a few inches deep. Every time you eat them in recipes like beef stew, the orange veggies will help your cholesterol management and remind you of your creative garden solution. Plus, who doesn’t love a hearty bowl of stew? It’s my personal all-time favorite.

4. Slow Cooker Liners Easily Hang from Porches

Sometimes, it feels impossible to scrub a slow cooker liner clean. Instead of throwing yours out, put it on your porch. A hardware kit could attach underneath the liner edges with a chain and hang them from your porch ceiling. The solution is perfect if your porch has potted veggies and railing box flowers. You’ll fix the lopsided space by filling the area with vertical plants, too.

5. Metal Buckets Attach to Wire Fencing

Wire fencing can stretch around a garden or your entire yard. Either way, it may look a little bare. Decorate the space with metal buckets hanging from hooks on the wire. You can fill the buckets with strawberry seedlings that will eventually turn into homegrown ingredients for pies and simple syrups — yum! The berries may even improve your cognitive functioning due to their natural antioxidants.

6. Hollow Tree Stumps Double as Planters

When lightning strikes and trees fall over in your yard, the remaining stumps can be an eyesore next to your garden. Reclaim the trunk by leveling the top and hollowing out the middle. You’ll create an organic planter with the depth of your choosing. Grow whatever you like in it after drilling a few drainage holes to keep the wood from getting too moist during waterings.

Upgrade Your Garden with Upcycled Containers

Old belongings can transform into gorgeous garden additions, even if they’re ancient tree trunks in your yard or storage containers collecting dust in your attic. Consider which parts of your garden need to be spruced up. You can match the problem spots with containers like colanders, tote boxes and buckets. Your final selection depends on what you have around your home or discover at a flea market.

Most importantly, have fun experimenting with all the different options you find. Happy gardening!