Grow a whole garden for under $10 if you rent or just want to make a big splash with a whole forest of sunflowers. These affordable, sustainable natives of the American Midwest grow fast from seed and give you maximum bang for your buck. The secret is that these plants bear small black seeds sold as wild bird food in that section of the garden center or store. Buy there and you save tons of money because each big bag contains  thousands of seeds to plant all around the house. The result will astound you. These natives bear smaller flowers borne on large branching plants and the birds just LOVE them! Great for fresh cut flowers too. From these originals were bred the huge Mammoth sunflowers and the colorful florist types, their seed selling at top dollar.

Yes, the old idea of cutting car tires into planting pots isn’t new, and it’s an acquired taste for many.  Even tacky sometimes.  Wen I found this really well conceived tire fountain it was strangely appealing, made interesting by the way the minerals built up at each spill point around the top creating stripes.  Found it a few years ago at the San Francisco Garden Show demonstration area that emphasized recycling before the big “green” revolution.  Haven’t seen another one since.  It’s a great idea for the do-it-your-selfer guy who loves to play with little pumps and car stuff, offering a fun joint venture between the automotive aficionado and the garden maker in the family.

Creating a shrine in the home garden is a beautiful way to express your spirituality. No matter your faith, the shrine makes a focal point that’s unique to your own sense of the sacred. This age old practice dates back to the recognition of earthen deities believed to exist within the spirits of the vegetation. In Catholic countries the Christian imagery was adopted and in these cultures they are a staple of even the most modest home. Shrines are an ancient idea for recycling found materials in a whole new way.