Most of us have an abundance of “stuff” around the house—things we no longer want or use. Before tossing these discarded items in the bed of a truck and hauling them off to be used as landfill, maybe you can take a second look—they might be used as planters for your yard and garden. Here are a few suggestions:

• Your old canary, Petey, is long gone. What to do with his birdcage? Simply remove the top, line it with sheet moss from the garden store, and plant trailing plants, like fuchsias, or plants that sprawl, like petunias, lobelia, or calibrachoa. Replace the top and set it outside in your window planter or on the deck.
• After a major bathroom remodel, what to do with your old clawfoot bathtub? Have the guys haul it to the garden, fill it with dirt, and plant a variety of plants inside and around it.
• What about that old metal colander? Spray paint it, affix lightweight chains from the hardware store to three sides, and add a swivel connecter at the top to hold the chains together. Line it with moss purchased at your garden supply store, add dirt, plant petunias, and voila! You have a lovely hanging planter.
• An old tea kettle with a few holes drilled in the bottom, makes a lovely container for herbs.
• Take that old watering can you found in the garage and fill it with thyme or oregano.

Get creative with your unusable items. You might give them a second chance with lovely appeal, placed throughout your yard.