These easy garden art flowers (daisies) are made from parts found at thrift shops and dollar stores. It is a good inexpensive modern-style beginner project for those who love recycled or upcycled DIY crafts.
For more, also see How to Make Flowers from Dishes.
Upcycled Garden Junk Flowers
Ages ago I had an email from a reader asking if I had ideas for using stove-top heating elements or coils (also known as ‘hobs’ in the UK) in a garden art project. I don’t have the name of the reader anymore (let me know if it’s you!), but several ideas came to mind and I finally made the easiest one.
I like this project because there is serendipity involved: all of the pieces fit together without any fuss. It’s like they were made to be together. You’ll see what I mean in the instructions below.
How to Make Garden Art Flowers
Watch the video to see how they’re made:
Supplies and Materials
For Each Flower You Will Need:
- a stove-top heating element / coil / hob (the link goes to Amazon to show an example but please use an old one instead)
- a wire hanging plant basket
- a curtain rod (find one that fits the terminal on the stove element)
- 2 cable ties (pick a color that matches your paint colors)
- spray paint-exterior, all-purpose (I used yellow, white, and green like a daisy)
Check Before You Buy
When getting your materials, be sure that they work together:
- The terminals of the stove element must fit snugly into an open end of the curtain rod (may need a bit of convincing with pliers).
- The stove element must fit nicely inside the wire basket.
If both work, you’re good to go.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1 Spray Paint
Spray-paint the stove element (yellow), wire hanging basket (white), and curtain rod (green).
I picked colors to represent a daisy but you could pick any flower you like and use those colors, of course.
Follow the instructions on the spray paint can. You will get best results if you shake thoroughly first, spray with the can in an upright position, and keep the recommended distance while spraying.
I like to do thin layers and allow them to dry thoroughly between coats.
Spray into a cardboard box outdoors to protect your yard (and the life in it) and shield from the wind.
2 Assemble Flower
Use cable ties to secure the stove-top heating element to the wire basket. The elements I used had openings on the underside that lined up nicely with the basket wires.
Slide the terminal ends of the stove element into the curtain rod.
If your curtain rod has a curved end, put on safety gloves, and bend it back and forth repeatedly to weaken the metal until it breaks off.
Done!
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Love coneflowers? Make your own giant coneflowers here!
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
