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29 Rusty Garden Junk Art Ideas

Published on May 23, 2019Last updated October 6, 2021 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

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Love rusty garden art? These ideas come from home gardens where the gardeners are clearly on Team Rust.

Also see these wonderful garden art critters made from rusty tools.

Rusty garden art orb in a backyard.

Rust in the Garden

Rusty garden art

Definition of Rust

rust
noun

  1. a reddish- or yellowish-brown flaky coating of iron oxide that is formed on iron or steel by oxidation, especially in the presence of moisture.
  2. synonyms: corrosion, oxidation

What is it about oxidized iron that makes it look so perfect in the garden?

I’m sure garden art started many years ago by circumstance. Long before there were landfills and we could send unwanted or too-far-gone items “away”, they were stashed in the yard, left to deteriorate over time.

But, of course, there have always been creative people with artistic impulses, and it would be rather irresistible not to turn that old metal bed frame and a bunch of rusted tools into some fabulous creature or ornamental statue for vines to grab onto. If it’s going to be there anyways, might as well make it spectacular.

Today, most metal garden junk is welded (something I wish I could do), but no matter how you make it or get it, it’s clear the love of rust lives on.

I’ve gathered some favorites from my garden and garden tours.

Want to buy some? I get lots of emails asking where to buy these items. If I know a source, I always list it by the image. Otherwise, it’s just something I saw on a garden tour and do not know the source.

Related: 28 Charming Recycled Garden Junk Ideas

Rusty Garden Art Ideas

1Classic Garden Orb

Rusty garden art orb.

2Woodpecker

Woodpecker garden art.

Here’s a different rusty woodpecker on Amazon.

3Metal Bee Skep

This one is in my garden. The bee is from a golf ball craft project.

Rusty ornamental bee skep

You can find the instructions here:
DIY Golf Ball Garden Buggies.

4Rusty Flower

Rusty garden art flower.

Related: Make Your Own Garden Art Flowers

5Bike Parking

Rusty tricycle in garden.

Related: Garden Art With Wheels

6Rusty Welcome Sign

Not a great pic, but it’s a sweet piece.

Rusty welcome sign hanging from garden shed.

Related: Funny, Sweet, and Sarcastic Garden Signs

7Rusty Mermaid

Rusty mermaid as garden art.
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8Rusty Fish

I love this fish. He’s perfect over the dry pond. the garden art cattails are sweet too.

Rusty garden art fish.

9 Rusty Wheel

Rusty old wheel as garden art.

10Rusty Stoves, Heaters, Fireplaces

Rusty antique stove in the garden
Rusty fireplace on patio

11Bed Time

Yes, brass does not rust, but it does get a good patina over time.

Metal bed frames in vegetable garden.
Real bed frames in the garden.

Related: How to Turn a Bed Frame into a Garden Bed

12Shovel Bird

Rusty tool art roadrunner.

Related: Tool Garden Art Gallery

13Rusty Shelf, Birdhouse, and Hardware

This display of rustic items was on a garden tour I attended several years ago. Love the hardware and tool box!

Rusty garden art and birdhouse.

Related: Gallery of Birdhouse Ideas

14Rusty Garden Bells

Rusty garden art bells.

I remember a version of these being popular for front doors years ago. This one is on a garden stake.

15Bike Gear Trellis

Garden trellis made from welded bike gears.

16Rusty Garden Birds

A new garden art piece that has rusty very nicely indeed.

Rusty garden art birds.

See Rusty Garden Art on Amazon

17Licence Plates and Old Tools

This is a scene from the same garden where I saw a fun ‘Hairy Potter’ potting bench, where Harry was apparently a mad scientist. It’s one of my favorite junk gardens ever. The artist is off-the-charts creative.

Old License plate garden art.

Question Time!

Are you on Team Rust or Team Paint?

I love a rusty patina, but I do paint when the lifespan of the item is in jeopardy. I painted this coal burner and use it as a waterfall by my little garden pond.

Rusty old coal burner

18Rusty Garden Bird

Another contemporary garden art bird. I’d love to display one in a barbwire nest.

Rusty garden bird

19Rusty Old Copper Kettle

This kettle has been in my family for years. If you love old watering cans, also see Watering Can Garden Art.

Rusty kettle with crystals hanging down.

Spilling Watering Can Garden Art Tutorial

20Rusty Garden Orb

This one was also on a garden tour. I love the simplicity of it.

Rusty garden orb
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About This Ebook

This ebook is a digital file (PDF format) you save to your device. It is not a physical product.

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21Rusty Old Tools

Trust me when I say you will probably never see a larger display of old tools!

Large old tool collection on shed wall.

There must be 2000 tools on this shed wall.

Rusty tools on shed wall

22Metal Garden Art Dog

Metal guard dog

This crazy looking guy is outside a junk/antique shop called McRatterson’s Collectables and Antiques at Kinmore, Ontario. The whole garden has some very clever junk ideas.

23Garden Junk Pipe Men

These are made from old tin / metal pipes. They’re super simple but so cute.

Rusty pipe men

24Welded Tool Art

These are so fun. I love the creative minds that see old tools and metal junk and see what they can be transformed into.

Rusty metal tools made into cute creatures

You can see more details here:
 Garden Art Made From Old Tools

25Vintage Wheel Garden Bench

Bench made from wagon wheels.

26Rusty Knight

Rusty tool art knight.

27Rusty Urn

Rusty garden urn with plants.

Plant Ideas: This one is packed with plants including some bulbs (the green leaves), flowers (supertunias or similar), and ivy to spill over the sides. I also see some purple leaves (Tradescantia pallida, perhaps) for contrasting colors.

Related: A Spring to Fall Container Vegetable Garden Plan

28Rusty Sap Buckets

These are in my garden:

Rusty sap buckets

29Rusty Pinecone

I really love this one. It fits my obsession with spirals in nature.

Rusty pinecone art.

30Snail Garden Art

Snail garden art sculpture made from stone and metal.

And finally, a favorite snail sculpture from my own garden—a gift from one of my kids.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the world of rust in the garden.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛

Rusty garden art orb in a backyard.
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