Creating Metal Garden Decorations

Copper

Copper is one of the best materials to use when creating handmade garden decorations. Soft copper tubing is flexible, can be easily cut and ages beautifully in an outdoor setting. Make a fountain using copper planters accented with copper tubing, created spouts. Shape your tubing into a large spiral, hang glass beads or crystals around the frame and place it among your azaleas. Create copper flowers using copper sheeting you can find at your local hobby supply store and copper tubing shaped like stems. Cut the petals from the sheeting and attach them to the tubing with solder or waterproof adhesive. You can add solar lighting to the center of the flowers, or add them to your copper fountain, letting water flow from the tubing. Copper sheeting may be shaped into hummingbirds, butterflies, ladybugs or anything else you would naturally find in your flower beds.

Wrought Iron

Creating metal garden decorations from pre-made shepherd hooks, old wrought iron gates or a simple wrought iron frame requires wire, glass elements, plants along with a bit of imagination. Make small signs for your herb garden with small shepherd's hooks and painted clay. Larger shepherd's hooks placed on either side of an entryway or garden path is perfect for hanging plants, ceramic features and lighting. Place an old wrought iron gate as the backdrop for your vegetable garden or at the entrance to your wooded pathway. Create works of art with a square or rectangular metal frame, hanging a combination of crystals, glass beads, and vintage toys or garden tools. Your garden art can include anything that has the right scale for the frame and that works well inside of a collage.

Chandeliers

Finding chandeliers for five dollars at a yard sale is the beginning of some lovely and unique metal garden decorations. Spray paint your chandelier with black rust preventive paint and add crystals to create an elegant, timeless statement for your garden. Paint the chandelier any color at all and dangle pieces of stained glass or stainless steel forks and spoons from its arms. Creating metal garden art is subjective; your piece should reflect your style and sense of whimsy. Hang your chandeliers from a lighted tree or wrought iron trellis for effect. Replacing the light bulbs with candles for dinner parties or adding solar lights will also brighten your garden in the evening.

Resources

• Craft copper sheeting