29 Rusty Garden Junk Art Ideas

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.

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Rust in the Garden

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

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2Woodpecker

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.

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

4Rusty Flower

Related: Make Your Own Garden Art Flowers

5Bike Parking

Related: Garden Art With Wheels

6Rusty Welcome Sign

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

Related: Funny, Sweet, and Sarcastic Garden Signs

7Rusty Mermaid

8Rusty Fish

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

9 Rusty Wheel

10Rusty Stoves, Heaters, Fireplaces

11Bed Time

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

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

12Shovel Bird

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!

Related: Gallery of Birdhouse Ideas

14Rusty Garden Bells

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

15Bike Gear Trellis

16Rusty Garden Birds

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

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.

18Rusty Garden Bird

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

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.

Spilling Watering Can Garden Art Tutorial

20Rusty Garden Orb

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

21Rusty Old Tools

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

There must be 2000 tools on this shed wall.

22Metal Garden Art 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.

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.

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

25Vintage Wheel Garden Bench

26Rusty Knight

27Rusty Urn

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:

29Rusty Pinecone

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

30Snail Garden Art

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 ♛