Repurposed Wheelbarrows

Planting up an old wheelbarrow

I’ve had my trusty wheelbarrow for over twenty years.

In that time this extremely useful and versatile tool has served me and the family well. When it was new and shiny with its coating of galvanized metal it was used mainly as a pushchair. I’d stack the inside of it with blankets, cushions, toys and water bottles then happily go shopping around the village. Sometimes even the dog would go in there to keep my lad company. We lived in Newport County Mayo at the time and I hear people still talk about the strange sight of “Barrow Man” and his family leaving a trail of toys along the pavement. 

As the barrow and my lad got older they went their separate ways and I was able to us the tool for its real purpose and over the years it has built many a raised bed and moved thousands of bags of grass cuttings and plant trimmings.

Repurposing

Although I have some fond memories of my time with the wheelbarrow, the time has come to repurpose the rusty piece of metal. The holes in the body are now so large that the spade gets stuck in it and you can’t scrape the soil out with your hands for fear of getting tetanus as there are some sharp edges in there. The tyre, it’s 3^rd one, also lacks the ability to keep air in it which makes mounting the kerbs with it a noisy, metallic affair as the wheel rim hits the concrete.

  

I haven’t the heart to throw the barrow into the recycling centre so I thought it could be turned into a decorative planter.  I thought it would be an improvement on the regular decorative wooden ones you see in front gardens adorned with a few lumps of turf. Not that I dislike those of course, it’s just that old rusty stuff appeals to me more.

 

The holes in the base are ideal for drainage.  I have some spare soil in the beds taken from a new set of slabs I have put down which can be used to fill it up ready for planting.  I have seen some examples planted up with succulents such as sedums combined with trailing plants along the edge. The effect is almost watery as the plants flow over the sides, so I might choose that style.

I could go for annuals such as petunias or pansies or even mix in a few structural vegetable plants. I can have a play later in spring. If it’s just filled with soil and no plants, it will look like I’m in the process of moving the soil so even that could be classed as an art installation. For now though, I have put a 6 pack of violas in there to make it look like I’m doing something.

Between the Cracks

My driveway and paths in the back garden are made from very old and very thin concrete. Over the years this has cracked everywhere and I keep thinking I need to get it all up and resurface. The problem I have is that I actually really like it the way it looks all weathered and neglected. Leaves settle in the dips, water forms into small pools when it rains for the dogs to drink from. Frost brings up even more delights as chunks of concrete keep being kicked off. I found granite sets near the washing line the other year hiding under patches of concrete too.

Initially I got a bit obsessed with trying to keep weeds from growing in the cracks as they are seen as being unsightly and can disintegrate the ground even more with their roots. 

 

Adapting

No more though. I’ve decided to embrace the ground and instead of clearing the plants, I’m actually planting more of them into the cracks - and I think it looks great. I’m enjoying the deterioration process until I can get around to resurfacing, which might be a few years yet.  

Of course it’s not the regular weeds going in like the dandelions, grass and cotoneaster dropped by the birds. I’m using less invasive and destructive types, which at the moment is chamomile and creeping thyme. I will be diversifying though and hope to get pennyroyal Mexican fleabane, wall bellflower, campanula, mind your own business and Corsican mint.

One or two steps closer to having a garden that resembles Steptoe’s yard.