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20 Creative Watering Can Garden Art Ideas

June 8, 2014 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

This post contains affiliate links.
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Once a watering can is old or leaky, it’s time to use it as garden art. I’ve gathered these ideas from my own garden and gardens I have visited. Have a look and grab ideas for your outdoor space.

You can also find instructions for making a Garden Art Watering Can with Faux Spilling Water here.

Examples of watering can garden art ideas.

Watering Can Garden Art Ideas

1Spilling Crystals

My favorite watering cans are the older ones made from galvanized metal as well as newer ones painted in clear, bright colors.

Watering can garden art with lobelias.

If a watering can is really well designed, I’ll actually use it to water plants (crazy, I know), but any other odd ones are perfect for garden art projects.

And don’t worry if they have holes in the bottom—those ones make great planters.

Watering can garden art

Always good to have an heir and a spare!

Use lamp crystals (prisms, pendants) as well as marbles, copper wire, and beads to create faux water.

Watering can garden art

You can find the complete tutorial here:
Garden Art Watering Can with Faux Spilling Water.



2Watering Can Collection

The easiest way to show them off is to put a collection together.

Matching or mismatched, they will make a statement in the garden.

Gallery of watering can garden art ideas

Is it possible to collect watering cans without ever paying more than $5 per can? So far, so good.

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3Giant Water Drop

Using the crystal idea, just one large faux crystal makes a beautiful water drop.

Gallery of watering can garden art ideas - use lamp crystals to form water droplets

In the next photo I hung a few stray lamp crystals from a rusty old kettle.

Gallery of watering can garden art ideas - old kettles can be used as well

If you love rust, have a look at my
 Rusty Garden Art Gallery.



4Beads and Wire

This was one of the first garden art projects I ever made (many years ago). I love how the color blue—paint and glass—looks in the garden.

Gallery of watering can garden art ideas - the larger the watering can, the bigger the bling

Here I wrapped copper wire around marbles and attached the lamp crystals to the wire ends.

Gallery of watering can garden art ideas - little watering can with beads spilling out

If you vary the length of the wires, it gives a good spilling effect.


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5Watering Can Flower Pot

Red chair with vintage watering can and greenery.

I love the red chair with the simple watering can and greenery. Perfection!

Watering can garden art ideas.

Related: Using Old Kitchen Chairs as Garden Art



6Watering Can Fence Art

Watering can garden art ideas.

Whatever you do, don’t throw out an old galvanized watering can. This one will live out its years on the garden bench.

Related: 24 Garden Art Ideas for Fences



7Retired Watering Can Bench Art

Watering can garden art ideas.

Related: Cozy Place to Rest in the Garden



8Shepherd’s Hook Holder

Shepherd’s hooks work nicely for displaying colorful watering cans like this red one.

Watering can garden art ideas.

Instead of planting the watering can, just slip a flower pot inside.



9Watering Can Fountain

This next one is a watering can fountain I rigged up for a fairy garden. The water pours out onto the stones which hide a little reservoir and pump.

Watering can used as fairy garden fountain.

The tutorial is here:
How to Make a Working Fairy Garden Fountain.



10Mosaic Watering Can

If you like a more detailed project, add mosaic tiles to your favorite watering can. Because art makes everything better.

Gallery of watering can garden art ideas -mosaic watering can

Related: How to Make Decorative Garden Art Balls



11Make Your Own Brand

I made a custom watering can by adding a made-up Empress of Dirt brand label.

Galvanized watering can with custom label.

The name Melissa means honey bee so it seemed fitting.

Galvanized watering can with bee art.


Watering Can Display Ideas

Watering can garden art gallery

Old wooden ladders have lots of uses in the garden from trellis to displaying favorite garden art. And the more paint splatters, the better!

You can find an entire gallery of garden art ladder ideas here.

White watering can with flowers in garden.

Add a pot of flowers to a watering can and add it to the garden. Easy!

Watering can garden art gallery - use leaky ones as planters

The way some watering cans are designed, it can be difficult to thread wire in the spouts for hanging faux water droplets.

This white one could be painted, mosaic-ed, decoupaged, or simply used as a planter like you see here.

Polka dot watering can succulent planter.

Succulents! Again, no need to put potting mix directly in a watering can. Instead, insert a same-size flower pot with drainage holes.

This next one is from my old garden.

View Of Side Garden From Back Deck
The sloped side garden as seen from the sundeck.

You can see a tour of the garden here.

Old watering can over a window box on a garden fence.

This one combines my love of old galvanized watering cans with window art.

There is an entire of gallery of door and window garden art ideas here.

Watering can over window box on fence

The great thing about garden art is you can change it up whenever you want and move things around.

Potting tables are one of my favorite garden art display areas.

You can see an entire gallery of  potting table ideas here.

Old oil can used as garden art.

I love this blue color. Look how it makes the heuchera foliage stand out.

Blue watering can in garden.

This green watering can is in my garden. The paint started peeling so I retired it to a life of art.

Light green watering can with flowers.

Love or hate them, the gnomes rule the garden.

Garden gnome holding watering can

Don’t let those gnomes lounge around all day! Put them to work.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛

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20 Creative Watering Can Garden Art Ideas
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Melissa J. Will - Empress of DirtWelcome!
I’m Melissa J. Will
a.k.a. the Empress of Dirt
(Ontario, Canada).
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