DIY Wheelbarrow Planter
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I am always looking for unique ways to display my plants. I do most of my plantings in containers these days and am always on the lookout for new ideas for container gardening. I created this DIY Wheelbarrow Planter a few years back and it has been one of my favorite planters so far.
A little backstory on how we came to have this wheelbarrow… this wheelbarrow planter is actually at our old house and we did not take it with us when we moved. Sigh. We acquired this wheelbarrow from a contractor who was repairing our front steps at the time. He left at the end of the day one day, promising to come back the next day and finish the job. Do you think he came back? No. Do you think he left his wheelbarrow? Why yes, he did. If you are dumb enough to leave your gear behind and not return to finish your job even after phone calls, then your gear gets upcycled. Yeah…that’s how I roll.
I made this wheelbarrow planter was made before I started blogging about crafts so I don’t have pictures of the process but it is pretty straightforward .
Decide what color you want your planter. I chose blue. Prime it using a spray paint primer made specifically for outdoor use. Paint it using outdoor spray paint. It will probably need a couple coats. Make sure to paint a couple inches from the top on the inside too since this part will not be covered with soil. Drill drainage holes in the bottom.
Now decide where you want the planter to live because I assure you that once you fill it with soil and plants it will be difficult to move. I chose a spot next to our deck.
We decided to plant impatiens in our wheelbarrow planter. We used about 5 plants. My daughter picked out the flowers and we made a little sign that said “Maddie’s Garden”. Here is what the wheelbarrow planter looked like when we planted it in April.
And here is what it looked like after it filled in. I love how the flowers spill over the side. This picture was taken the first week of October.
Ignore the frumpy woman that just gave birth. That’s me with my one week old son. If you want to talk about keeping it real… that’s as real as it gets. No sleep, no makeup and obviously no clue about how to do newborn photography. I would love for me NOT to be in the picture but this is the only picture I have of the planter filled with flowers.
My daughter was so proud of her garden and those flowers survived better than any others we had in our yard.
Have you made any DIY planters? I would love to see them.
For another unique planter idea, check out this post:
Let’s keep in touch!
You and your flowers are gorgeous! I planted some flowers in some chairs last year, you can see them here- http://sherrysbeesnest.blogspot.com/2012/01/pansies-and-place-to-sit.html
I love the wheelbarrow idea. I saw some planted in a tire on Hometalk. Containers are so much easier to keep clean and weed free.
Thanks so much, Sherry! I took a look at your chair planters and they are so cute! I never would have thought to use chairs that way. Thanks for stopping by.
This is a great idea, a beautiful story, and I LOVE the early pics!! Great share, Kelly!!
Congrats on the new baby! And adorable flower garden….sweet idea! 🙂
What a great way to recycle something! Thanks for sharing!