Spruce Up Your Garden Accessories

    Now you are planted, so then what? What is the most affordable, fun way to spruce up your garden? I say it's all in the 'garden accessories'. Whether it is benches, chairs, tables, birdfeeders, birdhouses, birdbaths, chimes, lanterns or chatchkis, the wear & tear on them being outside most of the year takes its toll. These items add charm to your garden & are worth the effort for you to do your own upcycling!

    I like to start by washing off items & seeing if they are worth saving. Sometimes a good cleaning is enough. There is nothing like nature's patina on certain accessories to add a certain charm to your space. Rust plays a big part in evaluating the damage factor & also fading from UV light. The wood & metal bench pictured to the left is structurally sound but was in desperate need of some TLC this year (and last, and years before that!). Sometimes it means finding the time but this truly did not take long at all. I like to use the Rustoleum Painter’s Touch Multi-Purpose Spray Paint (Krylon is nice too) to freshen up some of my garden stakes, planters, bird feeders & decorations. It’s easy, fun & for little money has a big impact. That worked beautifully on the bench because the paint is for wood & metal. I had the pillows from past years (bought to hide blah parts). I chose two colors. I sprayed the metal inset first one color. (wear disposable gloves) I let it cure for a few days before I painters taped it off with newspaper too. I then sprayed the rest of the bench, metal & wood parts all one color. Very easy, just choose a barely breezing day, & for an item this large, remove anything important nearby (cars, house, etc.) that might catch the overspray. A few fast-drying coats & I was done. It is soooo rewarding & for less than $15 in paint it is now a custom-colored bench, just right for my space.

   So look around & see what fun you can have upcycling your own garden accessories. Be adventurous without leaving your own backyard!