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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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Use these ideas to turn a favorite old watering can into a flower planter or garden art. Old metal watering cans and kettles are perfect for one-of-a-kind garden decorations.

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

Watering can garden art

Watering Can Garden Art Ideas

Watering can art displayed in the garden

Have a look at these ideas for turning watering cans into garden art. Many gardeners love old galvanized watering cans just as they are. Others can be painted to suit your garden and planted with colorful annuals or decorated with faux water sprays using old lamp crystals or beads.

Display a Collection

Ladder decorated with watering cans and kettles in garden.
Watering cans and other garden art displayed on old ladder

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.

Collection of watering cans
Watering can collection

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

Fence Decorations

This next one is from my old garden.

Watering can art with fence decor
Watering can art with faux window on garden fence

Old window frames make wonderful garden art. Here I’ve added a hayrack with petunias, moon art, and an old watering can with faux water spray.


Garden before and after planting large flower and vegetable garden.

Related: Starting a Garden From Scratch (Yearly Photos)


Decorative watering can with fence window art
Watering can art over window box

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


Old doors and windows used as garden decor.

Related: Gallery of Doors and Windows in the Garden


Old galvanized watering can hanging on garden fence
Old galvanized watering can hanging on garden fence

Whatever you do, don’t throw out an old galvanized watering can. They last for years as art.


Garden art on fence including old window with shutters and funny face.

Related: 25+ Creative Ideas to Dress Up Your Garden Fence


Spilling Crystals

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

Galvanized watering cans with dripping crystal art
Lamp crystals make beautiful faux water drops

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 for flowering annuals that need drainage.

Watering can art with faux water made from beads and crystals
Use lamp crystals and beads for faux water

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

Lobelia planted into small galvanized watering can
Small galvanized watering can planted with lobelia

Watering can garden art.

Related: Turn Old Watering Cans Into Garden Art With Faux Water Sprays


Old copper kettle art with faux water
Old kettle with lamp crystals

Rusty garden art orb.

Related: 29 Rusty Metal Garden Junk Art Ideas


Miniature watering can with spilling beads
Beads on wire spilling out of mini watering can

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

Mosaic Art

Mosaic watering can
Watering can decorated with mosaic tiles

This mosaic watering can is so beautifully done.


Homemade garden art balls with glass gems.

Related: How to Make Decorative Garden Art Balls


Watering Can Planters

Flowering annuals planted in watering can
White watering can planted with flowering annuals

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

White watering can planted with flowering annuals.
White watering can with flowering annuals

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

Small green polka dotted watering can planted with succulents
Small green polka dotted watering can planted with succulents

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


Potted plant arrangement with an assortment of succulents.

Related: 16 Creative Succulent Garden Ideas


Old watering can and vintage lunch box
Old metal funnel planted with pansies in vintage watering can

This is a vintage oil pouring can. I also found this old Amish lunch box and planted it with pansies.

Cobalt blue watering can
This cobalt blue color turns a watering can into art

I love this blue color. Look how it makes the heuchera foliage stand out. If you love color, have a look at these gardens using blue as a theme color.

Light green watering can with flowers.
Green metal watering can with flowers

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

Garden Décor

Wooden table used as a potting bench with watering cans and bags of potting mix.
Potting bench with long neck watering cans

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

I love the combination of function and beauty.


Potting bench with floral garden art.

Related: 14 Creative and Functional Potting Bench Ideas


Love or hate them, the gnomes rule the garden.

Garden gnome holding watering can
Garden gnome holding mini watering can

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

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More Watering Can Planters

Red chair with vintage watering can and greenery.
Watering can planter on chair

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


Yellow garden art chair with flowers hanging on fence.

Related: 17 Creative Ways to Use Old Chairs in Your Garden


Old galvanized can on garden bench
Old galvanized can on garden bench

Cozy lounge chair in the garden.

Related: 24 Relaxing Garden Nooks Far From the Madding Crowd


A shepherd’s hook work nicely for displaying colorful watering cans like this red one. The pictures is not great but you get the idea.

Red watering can in garden.
Red watering can hanging from shepherd’s hook

Watering 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.

Miniature watering can used as fairy garden fountain
Miniature watering can used as fairy garden fountain

Little water fountain in a fairy garden.

Related: Make a Miniature Fairy Garden Fountain that Really Works


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

Empress of Dirt watering can
Empress of Dirt watering can

The name Melissa means honey bee so it seemed fitting.

Galvanized watering can with bee art.

And finally, keep your watering can art year-round. It can look dazzling in the winter sun.

Decorative watering can garden art in winter snow
Garden art brightens the garden all year-round

Resources

Ebook

Garden Art Projects & Ideas book cover

25 Garden Art Projects & Ideas

by Melissa J. Will

Grab the top garden art DIY projects and tips from Empress of Dirt

About This Ebook | Visit Ebook Shop

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

Buy Now
$6 US

PayPal, Credit Card, Apple Pay

Garden Planner

Empress of Dirt Printable Garden Planner cover.

Empress of Dirt
Printable Garden Planner & Notes

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

About The Planner | Visit Ebook Shop

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.

Buy Now
$12 US

PayPal, Credit Card, or Apple Pay

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛

Watering can art displayed in the garden
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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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