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    Home » Yard Art And Upcycled Garden Decor

    Birdbath or Planter?

    Published by Pam Kessler | 308 words. · About 2 minutes to read this article. - 23 Comments

    I love my birdbath. It was my Grandma's. Well, at least the bottom was.

    When I was a kid, my brother and I smashed into the birdbath in an epic sledding accident and the top was broken in two.

    I was able to find an almost identical replacement top at a pottery store in Zanesville, Ohio a few years ago though, so we were back in the bird bathing business.

    Repurpose a birdbath into a planter for succulents

    BTW, my birdbath was last seen in a Halloween post HERE when I decided to use it as a fancy jack-o-lantern holder.

    Pumpkin in a birdbath

    See, birdbaths aren't just for birds!

    I was getting a little tired of the endless cycle of filling my birdbath up, watching the birds splash around in it, the water turning fifty shades of grey green, me washing the disgusting gunk out of it (worms, poop, slime) and starting the whole process over again. I just couldn't commit to it this year.

    So I decided to make it a planter.

    Repurpose a birdbath into a planter for succulents

    Nothing permanent. The plants are growing in a tray normally used for the bottom of a huge clay pot and is just placed in the birdbath.

    I thought it was a lazy woman's fix for my birdbath dilemma.

    In the planter I used Angelina Sedum,

    Repurpose a birdbath into a planter for succulents

    Red Carpet Sedum (it's a Sedum parade today)

    Repurpose a birdbath into a planter for succulents

    and the ever popular Hens and Chicks.

    Repurpose a birdbath into a planter for succulents

    Sorry birds, you'll have to fly twenty feet to the left and swim in the pond. This pool is closed for the summer!

    Repurpose a birdbath into a planter for succulents

    Speaking of pools, when we opened the hot tub this year (flash back to the 80's), we found a family of frogs had taken up residence there. Sort of gross. It's going to take a lot of spa chemicals to make me want to get in that water this year.

    Do you have any swimming plans this weekend? Do they include any amphibians?

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Susie Q

      May 25, 2012 at 3:45 pm

      I love what you did with the bird bath Pam! The Jack O Lantern in i is adorable! : ) You always do the most wonderful things! Have a happy Memorial Day Weekend!
      Love,
      Sue

      Reply
    2. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting

      May 25, 2012 at 3:55 pm

      What a great idea Pam, that looks so pretty!!

      Reply
    3. Shelia

      May 25, 2012 at 4:03 pm

      Love your birdbath as a planter and the choice of plants you've used.
      Be a sweetie,
      shelia 😉

      Reply
    4. Tricia

      May 25, 2012 at 4:08 pm

      What a good idea! Hope you have a good weekend 🙂

      Reply
    5. Happier Than a Pig in Mud

      May 25, 2012 at 4:38 pm

      I like your birdbath planter! No swimming plans though I hear we'll be in the "soup" with the humidity! Happy Memorial Day Weekend:@)

      Reply
    6. Ceekay- Thinkin of Home

      May 25, 2012 at 4:45 pm

      Love the birdbath with the plants...you are right that cleaning a birdbath is a yucky job!

      Reply
    7. Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions

      May 25, 2012 at 5:15 pm

      Very pretty, Pam! My birdbath {at our old house} became a planter, too, when I got tired of cleaning it and constantly filling it with water. I actually liked it better because it added height and color to a bed in our front yard that really needed something to make it a focal point.

      Reply
    8. Crack You Whip

      May 25, 2012 at 5:39 pm

      That is a great idea! I have one I need to pull out of storage so this is a nice little project:)

      Reply
    9. Paulette

      May 25, 2012 at 5:55 pm

      Love how the plants look in your birdbath/planter. Clever idea.

      Reply
    10. Shabby chic Sandy

      May 25, 2012 at 6:16 pm

      Your bird bath planter looks great. If we had a pool my husband would probably encourage frogs to live in it. He loves frogs. We have them in our water feature. I hate it when they jump out at me!

      Reply
    11. Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces

      May 25, 2012 at 9:57 pm

      I love how you use the birdbath in other ways, Pam...I have a two tiered fountain that I want to use as a fairy garden...

      Reply
    12. Country Dreaming

      May 25, 2012 at 10:08 pm

      No pools or frogs this weekend.
      Lots of family and friend time.

      Have a great weekend.

      Melinda

      Reply
    13. LizlovesVintage

      May 25, 2012 at 10:46 pm

      I just love the birdbath!! Thank you Grandma 🙂
      Thanks for the inspiration. I have an old chair that needs some plants 🙂
      Have a great Holiday weekend.
      xxx Liz

      Reply
    14. NanaDiana

      May 26, 2012 at 12:05 am

      LOL- I stuck a big ivy in one of my birdbaths today...because I have never yet seen a bird approach it...and I thought WHY NOT!?! Great minds think alike, huh?;>) xo Diana

      Reply
    15. Sweet Posy Dreams

      May 26, 2012 at 7:37 am

      Sedums are so great. The planting looks perfect in the birdbath.

      I am heading to Florida soon. That will no doubt involve a swimsuit. I am not looking forward to that aspect of the trip. I love to be IN the ocean. It's the walking down to the water in a swimsuit (right out in plain sight!) that's bad.

      Reply
    16. Vickie @ Ranger 911

      May 26, 2012 at 7:44 am

      Haha! I have a little metal birdbath that gets rusty and gross when the water is in it more than a day. I think I'm going to do the same and add a potted plant. The birds should be able to find one of our 10,000 lakes. :@

      Now, hot tubbing with frogs I'm not too keen on. Do they like beer?

      Reply
    17. [email protected] Sentimental Life

      May 26, 2012 at 8:20 am

      How sweet you still have your Grandma's bird bath. Love the Jack O Lantern!
      Have a great weekend!

      Reply
    18. Linda @ A La Carte

      May 26, 2012 at 9:57 am

      We have bird baths but I do like how you planted this one! Love those plants! Hugs, Linda

      Reply
    19. Olive Cooper

      May 26, 2012 at 12:10 pm

      It is fabulous Pam. I fill birdbaths here all the time as I am a slave to the winged ones. Our hot tub is gross. I would give it to the first taker.

      Reply
    20. Sam I Am......

      May 26, 2012 at 5:20 pm

      I love it! And do we not love ourselves some hen and chicks and sedum! I can't seem to find much down here. Did you see what I did with my broken birdbath? Mine's a plant pedestal now. You are SO right about the mess with the water! My birds can fly across the street to a huge lake so I'm not really concerned. I do leave a bowl of water out for my dogs though when they're outside and they have water inside too. I think I have everyone covered now! LOL!
      I'm not a water person really. People here go out on their boats all day and drink themselves silly....I have better things to do like garden and when it gets too hot I come in to the ac and there's plenty waiting for me inside to do! LOL!

      Reply
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