Upcycled Garden Decor

“A Beautiful Garden is a Work of Heart”

I have no idea who penned that quote, but it is very accurate. What they should have added is that it also takes time, patience, and a little whimsy to make it your own.

This includes taking care of our local wildlife. Over time, my interest in feeding and observing the many squirrels and identifying the local birds has developed.  

If you had told me twenty years ago that I would be interested in creating an outdoor space filled with natural elements that support wild birds and other native animals, I would have thought you were a bit crazy. But here I am, not only dreaming about it but also writing a blog post about making a DIY bird bath.

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I love natural garden trails, flower beds filled with luscious and colorful flowers year-round, and whimsical accents scattered throughout. This interest has grown since I moved to the Smoky Mountains over twenty years ago.  

What I don’t like is the actual gardening part. 

This is especially true in my yard because it is filled with trees, which is a blessing for the shade but a challenge to keep clear of branches and leaves. 

This reality has yet to stop me from dreaming of a beautiful landscape with color and interesting details. If I am candid about it, I find The little whimsical details more entertaining and fun to make over the actual backbreaking work of creating my dream garden.

My dream garden must also be a bird-friendly landscape for our feathered friends – and the squirrels.  

This upcycled bird bath is an example of a charming little accent I love to find tucked away in random spaces in a garden.  

A DIY birdbath can make every outdoor space even better. It is also a good idea for a whimsical focal point in the garden.

I have wanted a birdbath for my garden for years but just couldn’t find one I liked well enough to purchase. The “maker” in me wanted a unique one I could DIY myself. I also wanted it to be whimsical and fun.

When my husband and I updated our living room, I had to move out a trio of large plants and plant stands.  One was this adorable little plant stand shaped like a small chair.

It’s a charming little plant stand all on its own, and I have no idea where I bought it years ago. It was probably at a thrift store or yard sale.   

Since the plants I had to move are thriving so much better in their new location, this charming plant stand needed a new purpose.  That purpose was for it to become a modern bird bath. 

By adding a ten-inch terra cotta saucer that fits perfectly in the seat of the plant stand, it became a unique DIY bird bath idea. 

By now, you know that my motto is often to upcycle and repurpose, but never throw it out!

Never one to work on a single project at a time, you will see in these photos that I also created a terra cotta pot bird feeder made with a 9-inch terra cotta saucer and a small terra cotta pot. Wish I could say that the clay pot feeder worked out well in my flower garden, but the truth is that the squirrels destroyed it within a few weeks. 

I started the project by spraying the clay pots and saucers with a multi-surface waterproofer from Thompson’s Waterseal.

In my dreamy, whimsical garden plans, it would have lots of bright colors.

Yellow is such a friendly color and a good option for this metal bird bath. As always, it was easy to spray paint the two clay saucers and the clay pot in a bright yellow color from Rust-Oleum called Sun Yellow.

Next came the creative details that upped the whimsical factor. 

Sunflowers and daisies are my favorite flowers to paint, but you can decide on this part of your DIY bird bath independently. 

It is always a good idea to give outdoor items a waterproof barrier against the weather, so the last step was to seal each piece by applying two coats of Rust-Oleum Triple Thick Glaze in high gloss.

So it is the end of summer, but the many small birds – and squirrels in my garden – will enjoy the fresh water in the new bird bath and treats in the bird feeder until it turns cold this fall.

Looking for more bird bath ideas? Below are some links to some amazing products that will add a water source and focal point to your garden area that backyard birds can enjoy. 

I have to admit that I like my DIY bird bath the best even now. My entire landscaping is changing now that we built two new decks earlier this summer, but this little metal bird bath will be moved to a new location for our colorful feathered visitors to enjoy. 

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!”

Isaiah 43:18

Update: Over the last few years, I have continued to work on small projects for my garden beds, and these clay pot solar light holders complement the style of the bird bath wonderfully. Unfortunately, the squirrels liked the small pink-painted feeder a bit too much, and it has been broken. 

What are our future plans?

Other outdoor projects in the dream phase or the works are a new fairy garden for my grandkids and a magical little play area underneath the large new two-story deck in the front yard.  Thankfully, our grandkids are still very young, so we have time to complete the last project.  

More Posts to enjoy:

Whimsical Birdhouses At Our Back Door

Upcycled Bird Feeder

Simple DIY Outdoor Table with Open Storage