Today is Farmhouse Friday and Farmhouse Garden Planters is the theme of the day!
But before I get into farmhouse garden planters, I'm going to talk a little about chickens. There's a connection. Really there is.
I've ALWAYS wanted to have chickens.
It seems so idyllic and folksy to have a flock of chickens running around the backyard. I'd go out and feed them everyday. With my apron tied around my waist, grabbing handfuls of chicken feed out of my pockets and sprinkling it around the ground for my girls.
They'd come running up to me as soon as they saw me. And we'd be best of buds.
I'd gather their eggs every morning from the handmade chicken coop with cedar shingles and little cupola on top and then wander back inside the house and make fresh omelets for my family.
Screech . . .
Here's where it all goes wrong.
I can not eat an egg if I know WHERE it came from!
Don't get me wrong, I fully understand that all eggs come from chickens, but if they come prepackaged in styrofoam egg containers it's so much easier for my mind to disconnect that the eggs came out of a chicken's butt.
See, I'm not even sure where the eggs come out of, but it's somewhere down below in their nether regions.
Go ahead. Kick me out of the Farmhouse Friday group, but a warm egg that I KNOW came out of a chicken recently . . . just makes me queasy.
I guess I could still have my chickens, but I'd have the problem of what to do with all those darn eggs.
Which brings me back around to Farmhouse Garden Planters. A few years ago I found this chicken waterer at some sort of sale. Estate sale, yard sale, barn sale. Whatever.
I liked it because it had a farmhouse look, but I haven't really used it too much in my house. And since I have the "fresh" egg issue, it wasn't going to be used in my non-existent chicken coop.
It's perfect to plant succulents in though!
In the top I have Sedum 'Himalayan Skies', also known as Corsican stonecrop which has a slight bluish cast to it and has pinkish/white flowers later in the summer.
Oh, and butterflies love it!
Tips For Growing Corsican Stonecrop
- full sun
- hardy in zones 3-9
- grows 2"- 4" high
- likes its soil to dry out between watering
Around the bottom I planted some Sempervivum aka Hens & Chicks (how ironic).
The big ones produce babies (chicks) which I'll then replant beside their mamas, so it will eventually be one big circle of hens and chicks all holding hands and singing Kumbaya.
Tips For Growing Hens & Chicks
- full sun
- hardy in zones 5 and up
- grows 2" - 4" high
- likes well drained soil
And hitching a ride in my new Tonka truck, I have an air plant (Tillandsia).
Tips For Growing Air Plants
- protect from full direct sunlight
- hardy in zones 9 or higher, can be grown inside the house anywhere
- size varies
- does not need soil, but does require water
The fun thing about them is every week you just remove them from wherever you've thrown them and soak them in water for about 20 minutes, dry them off and they're ready to go off and live in a beat up old Tonka truck for another week. The whole no dirt thing makes them a fun plant to grow.
I'm going to do a post on more tips for growing air plants along with fun places to grow them later next week.
Other Farmhouse Garden Planter Ideas
- anything galvanized (buckets, livestock troughs, tubs)
- wooden crates
- wagons
- watering cans
- just about any kind of tin (cookie tins, potato chip tins, etc)
- old wash tubs (the kind with metal legs your Grandma used to wash her clothes in)
- wooden ice cream buckets
You are only limited by your imagination.
(This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. You can read my full disclosure policy here.)
In case you don't have access to that sort of thing, I've compiled a little Online Shopping Guide For Farmhouse Garden Planters (just click on the links below the fancy-dancy photo/graphic):
Poultry Feeder - Wooden Planter Set - Galvanized Tub
Galvanized Watering Can - Wash Tub & Stand
Some other posts you may enjoy:
Summer Porch Decorating Ideas
Sailing Away Into Summer - Summer Home Decor
Growing Black-Eyed Susan Vine
Best Soft And Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
And here's a big long Pinterest photo you can pin if you'd like. And with that, I'm out of here. These yard sales aren't going to shop themselves!
Susan
Love this idea so sweet! and the little truck is adorable!!
Pam
Thanks Susan! I have a thing for rusty old trucks even if they are pint sized!
Kim
So so cute, Pam and that's funny about you and eggs.
Pam
Sort of ruins my "living in the country" rep 🙂 Hope you guys have a beautiful spring weekend up there!
Erica
Nothing is safe from being turned in to a planter at my house! Buckets, watering cans, old push lawn mowers, grain feeders. You name it, I've probably made Brian create it!
Chickens are a cute idea. At first. They are messy little buggers!
Pam
I hear they poop. Well everything poops, but they poop a lot 🙂
chris
they do poop a lot i hear but i also hear the poop makes good fertilizer lol xx
chris
and geeze i forgot i don't drink milk 'cause it comes from cow boobs xx
Barbara
What a beautiful post - you're showing so many gorgeous ways to use "old stuff." I have metal pans, cans, and other pieces in which to plant my tray of new succulents - including a small rusty dump truck. Can't wait to get started. This post will certainly be pinned by me and shared with all my friends! Thanks you. You make the lovliest vignettes!
Pam
I saw someone on Pinterest had planted succulents in a muffin tin in the little muffin holes. Thought was a cute idea!
Barbara
Love your sense of humor - especially when I picture the little chicks singing "Kumbayah" with their mama!
chris aka monkey
Himalayan Skies is gorgeous and as usual you have it planted in the cutest way, and as usual you cracked me up, pinned xx
Pam
Ah, shucks. You're embarrassing me 🙂
Patty
I LOVE all of your ideas and if Connecticut ever warms up for good, I will use some of them. Now I will let you in on one of my secrets. I HATE eggs. My Mom used to make me eat them once a month and I would throw up afterwards. When my first son was born, I couldn't even cook them. By the time the second son came along I could cook them and stay in the same room. I tell people I am deathly allergic to them because I used to hear oh you never had them the way I make them. NEVER!
Pam
That's hilarious! I don't know why people don't just believe you when you tell them you don't eat something. Do you have to throw up on them to prove it 🙂
taryterre
Your succulents look lovely in your Farmhouse planter and truck. Add character to the plants. I personally like that galvanized tub you have pictured too. Right up my alley. We have always joked here when we eat eggs that they are straight from the chicken's arse.
Vickie
Your succulent planter is such a clever idea, Pam! I feel like I'm in another planet when I see all these posts about planting. It's going to be 29 degrees here on Monday. Boo!
Love the air plant in your Tonka!
Kim K.
Another super clever and witty post, Pam! You know I love this! Your succulent planter is perfect! I've got succulents on my buying list today after we get Emma ready for prom.
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces
Love this look, Pam! Maybe you should just have a rooster lol.
DecorNation
Gardening is always a refreshing thing to do and so it is even to watch someone take care of the plants. You have really given them good nourishment, it shows. 🙂 Nice post.
Judy Gaaskjolen
I love your galvanized chicken feeder and have a few myself. My question is, what process do you use to give it a verdigris effect?
Pam
I bought it like that, but it looks to be some sort of paint that has discolored over time and has chipped off in places.
Suzy Handgraaf
Ha! Love your egg story! And love your farmhouse planter ideas too! In addition to chickens, my virtual farm menagerie has lambs, goats, adorable baby piglets, calves and mini ponies - and none of them ever grow up!