If I’ve learned anything from living across the street from Brenda Montgomery, it’s that you think twice before throwing ANYTHING away.

I mean ANYTHING.  She can pick up an old piece of a chair someone tossed out and create a wonderful object d’art for her garden.

Today, was the coup de grace for something I would never dream of saving.  I walked over to admire her new flower planter and learned that it is an old hot water heater someone tossed.

She cut off the top and voila, a wonderful window box.  I was going to wait until she planted it to take a photo, but she’s too involved remodeling her home.  It may be next spring before it “blooms.”

Above, you see another of her dumpster “finds” – not sure what it once was, but it makes a lovely planter for her begonias.

Even old tree stumps can be repurposed to make interesting plant stands or stools. I’ll never ignore “trash” again.

The above photo of my perennial bed doesn’t incorporate any trash (well, other than some old bricks given to me by Andy Gaston which line the bed)   but it does contain all the wonderful plants passed along by Shirley, Brenda, and the late Linda Clark. The old garden phlox mixes well with yarrow,  monarda and cone flowers they gave me years ago. The weeds are still there, but for the moment they are hidden by the glorious blooms.

I have to think Linda is up there in heaven, amazed that I’ve kept her plants alive.  She knows what a “screw up” I can be, but some force of nature and her heavenly influence must be keeping the plants going.  I’ve given “starts” to at least ten people who have probably given “starts” to another ten people. Isn’t that a wonderful way to leave a footprint on the planet.