Turning a bird bath into a planter

13 years ago

I have a really heavy birdbath that I really don't use because it takes 2 people to lift the lift the top off to clean it. I was trying to think of ways that I could convert it into a standing planter to use with my patio furniture. What about planting cactus in there? How deep do they have to be planted? I also thought about using it for evening ambiance when the widow ladies and I get together for an evening of gabbing. My Mother-in-law used to take a nice glass bowl like a big salad bowl or punch bowl and float these candles in water. I remember it looked so pretty on the table when she would have a party, it was the centerpiece. Of course, having floating candles would mean that you would have to remove them during the daylight hours to keep them from melting from the hot sun/temperatures. You could even do that at night, when your guest left. I've seen pictures of using cactus with the colored glass pebbles. Debbie Baldwin has a new book out that I want to check out about planting with succulents. Does anybody have this book or have you looked at it in the book store? I'm open to any other ideas you might have. The base of this bird bath is so beautiful; I've even thought of giving it away because it is so heavy but it is so pretty and I hate to give it away.

Comments (3)

sunnyca_gw
13 years ago
Only problem I see with planting succulents is no drainage but if it is in covered area wouldn't matter as rain couldn't get to it. They sell clay containers with several succulents in that are only about 6 in deep & I've seen displays that were even less. They have a lot around as I'm in So. Ca. & every nursery has them. 1 lady put a glass top on her heavy birdbath & uses it as a table. Someone mentioned putting a beautiful pot 10-12 in. tall in center of birdbath & having lovely flowers cascade down over sides. Concrete does take in moisture if it can get it,walk on just cement floor for few days & your feet will be dried out(same thing happens on wood floors my DD found out) so if you plant in the birdbath you will have to water a little more than books say to keep plants alive as you are watering both the plants & the concrete! You could go over to "Garden Junk forum" & at top where it says "search" type in "birdbath for planter" or "ideas for concrete birdbath" & see what comes up. I hang out there as we like to reuse, recycle & beautify junk to keep it from landfills & beautify our gardens! I sure wouldn't throw it away, they are very expensive & you could sell it if nothing else. They don't make them like they used to that is for sure, probably worth over $100 & maybe worth a lot more. Could put pic on "Antiques forum" & they might tell you about what it is worth. They have people that have stores that just sell old garden furniture, statues, birdbaths, animals etc & they are very expensive! MS took TV audience through 1 once on her show, fabulous stuff! There are lots of forums on here, go up to top of site & it will say "forums" then click on that & 3 items come up "garden forums" home forums" & "nature" browse through each 1 as some forums are under odd headings, antiques is 1st 1 under home but also mosaics & stained glass is there. Under garden forums you find landscaping, Garden Junk, Cottage gardens, maybe even gardening in your area.
Happy Home
8 years ago
You could fill the bottom layer with sand, embed little ceramic containers with succulents. Hide containers by filling the rest with river rock. The moist sand would provide water to potted succulents. Or get a drill and drill a few holes in the bottom so the water can drain.
Related Professionals
Prairie Ridge Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Aberdeen Landscape Contractors · Camp Verde Landscape Contractors · El Segundo Landscape Contractors · Fort Atkinson Landscape Contractors · Gurnee Landscape Contractors · Huntington Landscape Contractors · Lady Lake Landscape Contractors · Lemont Landscape Contractors · Oakland Landscape Contractors · The Woodlands Landscape Contractors · Welby Landscape Contractors · Maplewood Landscape Contractors · New Port Richey East Siding & Exteriors · Riverside Siding & Exteriors
Happy Home
8 years ago
Would need a masonry drill bit