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20 Creative Watering Can Garden Art Ideas

Published on June 8, 2014Last updated October 13, 2021 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

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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 to repurpose beautiful, old watering cans for your outdoor space.

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

Old kettle with faux crystals spilling out.

Watering Can Garden Art Ideas

Old watering can decorated with lamp crystals.

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.

Lamp crystals used to look like water dripping from watering can.

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

Old kettle garden art.

If you love rust, have a look at these rusty metal garden art ideas.

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.

Beads and crystals used to look like faux water coming from watering can.

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

Watering can with beads to present water flowing out.

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

Garden Art Projects & Ideas book cover

25 Garden Art Projects & Ideas

by Melissa J. Will

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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

Old watering can hanging on fence.

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

They’re not to everyone’s taste, but if you love them, you love them.

Watering can on garden bench.

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.

Red watering can in garden.

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.

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

Ladder decorated with watering cans and kettles in garden.

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 with colorful flowers.

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 garden with watering can art on fence.
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 bench with garden supplies.

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 ♛

Empress of Dirt Printable Garden Planner cover.

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An assortment of basic garden checklists, undated calendars, and note pages for planning and tracking your gardening season.

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This is a digital file (PDF format) you save to your device to print as much as you like for your own personal use. It is not a physical product.

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Old watering cans used as garden art and planters.
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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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