 Doug doug@yanzum.com |
Hi, my name is Doug and I'm the author of this website. Being an environmentalist at heart, I always prefer recycling whenever possible. I think if more people started thinking this way, we could collectively help alleviate some of our current environmental problems. We all need to start thinking in terms of how we can recycle or re-use things, rather than always buying new ones and throwing the old ones away. New products require a constant flow of raw materials that are gradually depleting our planet's resources, while our landfills are growing out of bounds being filled with things we think no longer have value. This system cannot continue indefinitely, so why not start right now to change this harmful trend. Three of my passions are gardening, recycling and art.
Since you're reading this page, I assume you share
some of these passions, or perhaps you want to learn. Below I'll
show you several ideas that combine all of these things to give you some
great ideas of how you can use them in your own garden to create
beautiful garden design elements using recycled or re-claimed objects.
These are all projects I have done myself. If I can do it, so
can you. Some of the advantages of becoming a creative garden
designer are: These are my own personal stories but you can create your own. The next time you have a project in mind for your home or garden, instead of jumping in the car to drive to your local hardware giant, think outside the big box for a change. Think about what can be recycled, maybe from your own garage or neighborhood. Keep your eyes open when you're out and about. Look for salvageable raw materials that are being discarded in your area. You might even find great discards out behind some of those big box stores or along the curb on your way. |
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Larger photo page links coming soon  |
This
pathway material has great sentimental value for me, which is why I
hauled it to Florida with me when I moved here. It was once part
of the front porch of my long time good friend, next door neighbor and
fellow gardener Mary in Atlanta's Midtown.
Mary died in the prime of her life. She was 89. After being sick
for a time, she was no longer able to get into the garden like she once
did, but one day I came home for lunch and there she was in the middle
of her garden sitting on a turned over bucket pulling weeds with her
nurse standing by in case of trouble. What's that old saying about old
gardeners never die, they just get weeded out? .
After her house sold, it was being renovated and when the porch was torn up, I asked if I could have the pile of broken terra cotta tiles that were imbedded in concrete. Later, I gave most of it away, but brought this small amount with me to Florida as a remembrance of Mary and all those years of enjoying her friendship. I can enjoy the stepping stones every day because they're in my garden and not in the landfill. |
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 I didn't have the heart to pull the stray zinnia in the middle of the path. Like with dogs, you learn to step around them. |
Rocks
are always wonderful additions to gardens, but when you live in flat
sandy Florida, rocks can be very expensive and difficult to come by
because, except for coquina, they must be shipped in from
somewhere else. I've found that a wonderful and usually free
substitute is broken concrete. Soon after I moved here and was
well into creating my garden, I discovered a huge pile of broken
concrete at the local theatre where extensive renovations were being
done.
While I was getting permission to take the concrete, I learned that this
was part of the original theatre floor. It was obviously a high
grade of concrete because of the large amount of small gravel imbedded
in the concrete making it look much like granite when broken. All in
all I made about 30 trips with my little dependable truck, and today my
"rocks" edge and define my pathways that meander through my garden. I have since found other
discarded concrete "rocks" that I have used to keep raised beds away
from my patio. You must keep your eyes wide open and alert
while moving about your local streets, because available raw materials
are everywhere if you learn to recognize them. You must also be quick
before they end up in the landfill. Another great and usually free material for gardens is chipped wood. I was fortunate to have access to a lot of chipped wood from the hurricane downed trees a few years ago. The city offered it free to anyone who wanted to truck it away. I brought home at least 50 trucks loads. That program has ended but occasionally I'll luck onto some tree guys who have a chipper on their truck. They're often looking for a place to dump the chipped limbs, so don't be bashful about asking if you can have it. Your garden will respond by looking 100% better. You can use it on the paths or as mulch around the plants. It'll not only visually improve your garden immediately, but as the wood and leaves break down over time as decay sets in, they release their nutrients into the earth, becoming food for your plants. |
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A more elaborate, yet quite utilitarian idea is this novel method of hiding an ugly, albeit necessary air conditioner using giant 30 foot bamboo stalks that had been chopped down to make way for a fence. In this case the bamboo was found through a local Penny Saver ad because the man cutting the bamboo was smart enough to know it had value. Bargaining began and the resulting cost was a mere $20 for the entire pile, resulting in enough timber to build a bamboo fence and the structure at left, which was created using the leftover pieces that were anything but straight. The framework was made using four pressure treated pine 4 x 4s sunk into the ground and secured with cement. The three side panels were each made with pressure treated 2 x 4s on the top and bottom and the bamboo pieces were then nailed onto them creating stability. Each panel was then attached to the 4 x 4s with screws so they can be easily removed for maintenance of the unit. The Asian influence was naturally achieved by taking advantage of the curved pieces of bamboo. They were stacked and nailed on top of each other two by two until reaching the top. This is a good example of a very simple idea resulting in an impressive structure that fits right in with the small Japanese style garden around the next corner from it. | |
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Using the straightest canes, this bamboo fence first required a framework of pressure treated 8 foot 4 x 4s imbedded vertically into the ground with concrete about 2 feet deep - and 3 levels of horizontal 2 x 4s. The bamboo canes were then cut into somewhat uniform lengths, 8 foot in this case, although to add character the lengths vary within an inch or two and were placed 5 or 6 inches apart. This lends a somewhat more natural look to the fence and the openness allows the breezes to pass through. If you want to blot out your neighbors altogether, simply plant climbing vines at various intervals to encourage a heavy growth to cover the structure. Alternatively, standard dog eared style fence boards can be added to the opposite side to achieve that same goal, while leaving the bamboo on your side for less aggressive vines to climb on. | |
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Friends can be a great source of not only plant material for your garden, but also non-plant material such as these wonderful old columns. They were given to me many years ago by an Atlanta photographer friend who is also an avid gardener. She was unable to budge the extreme dead weight of the solid concrete columns, so they were given to me in hopes I could get them out of her way. They had been given to her by a friend who salvaged them from a house that had burned down, where they once stood proudly on their large bases while holding up the porch roof. Many years later, after standing at the entrance to my Midtown Atlanta rear garden for such a long time, there was no way I could leave them behind, so they moved with me. They now flank the entrance to my front garden in Florida with a coat of rich deep Moroccan blue paint. | |
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There are several recycled elements in this photo. The pedestal was some sort of heavy machine housing that I found at a rental property that I bought years ago. I inserted a stepping stone that fit perfectly on top, painted both blue and voila. I made the large planter sitting on top. I used a large 24" diameter metal bowl that I bought at a yard sale for $1. I turned it over, covered it with plastic and poured thick concrete over the entire thing shaping it by hand. After it dried I pulled it off, removed the plastic and drilled drainage holes using a large masonry bit. The tall pedestal on the far right, partially out of view, is nothing more than a round board I found in the garage. I painted it, then attached it to a metal threaded end pole and threaded adapter. It's shoved into the ground and has been there a few years without leaning. I even used an old tree stump as a short pedestal at the back. The red and blue glass cylinders were given to me by a friend and former supplier of art from India. They were originally long glass vases made to fit into iron wall holders. I asked her to save for me anything that broke and this is part of the many things she gave me. I turned them upside down and pushed them into the potting soil where you can't see the broken ends. They add an interesting element to a pot of succulents. I like using pedestals and other things to give some height to a setting like this against an exterior wall. It allows me to fit a lot of plants and other interesting objects into a narrow space. | |
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Seating is very important in a garden. I like to have several strategically placed seats scattered around my garden where friends can sit and have a completely different view from each one. As with most things introduced into my garden, I don't mind when they are old and used. Often I prefer they be a bit aged. This makes it easy to select seating that is often free. This wonderful old vintage iron garden bench came to me through my dentist who is also a long time good friend. One of his patients told him she was looking for someone to take it, so he thought of me. A new coat of paint made it fresh and vital again. It seems over the years I've become a magnet for useful freebies such as this. | |
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This interesting structure was built using limbs from trees that I removed shortly after purchasing my current home. There were too many trees struggling for the same small amount of space. Instead of sending them to the landfill, I decided to recycle them by creating this simple structure. The finial on top is a blue bowling ball found at a local thrift store. The largest pieces were treated with a water seal suitable for wood and then painted with tar before sinking them into the earth. An occasional coating of sealer will make this structure last for a few years. Paint is also an option to give it a new look in the future . It no longer stands, having been a victim of one of our hurricanes, but it lasted about 3 years. The remnants are now scattered around the garden where they continue to decay adding nutrients to the earth. | |