This wall garden was in Parkdale, the west side of downtown Toronto.
Pizza restaurants go through dozens of these cans every week, just ask. The restaurant cans are much larger than anything you would buy yourself and recycle - these cans are 1 gallon, the size of a can of paint.
Painted with rust paint these looked pretty good for two years, the third year I did touch ups on the rust that was showing.
Kinda toxic process - not recommended for edibles, but oh so gorgeous for flowers. Rust paint comes in a dozen colours these days!
The cans are attached to the wall with wire. (Check out a close-up photo and also the overall look of the sidewalk container garden)
HOW TO:
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First, punch two small holes near the top of the can with a nail or screw. Use a piece of wood to support the edge of the can, position a nail on the metal, and hit with a hammer. The metal of the can is pretty soft. Punch TWO holes to help the can hang straight vertically.
While you're at it with the nail and hammer, turn the can upside down and punch some holes into the bottom if you have not done so yet.
Next, use a regular drill bit to make holes in the wall. (Brick is pretty soft, the mortar even softer.)
Hammer in a drywal plug and screw in a screw with about a 1/2 inch sticking out. (The holes can be easily filled with colourmatching silicon putty when the cans are removed.)
Cut a piece of wire, bend into a squared off loop shape, and thread from the outside to the inside of the can.
Wrap the wire around the screwhead in the wall just once or twice, and position the wire ends behind the can. Straighten the can to hang vertically and screw the rest of the screw length into the wall to tighten on the wires.
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This project was included in the You Grow Girl book. There is also a You Grow Girl Flickr group.
Garden and photos by Magda Wojtyra
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This photo has been viewed more than 12,000 times! Keep planting those
cans full of flowers. :)
catswhisker, nuwa, thesmartestfish, ignutzz, and 92 other people added this photo to their favorites.
View 19 more comments
valentino * 59 months ago | reply
bella fotografia
Dvorale's 59 months ago | reply
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called home dressing, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Happy Sleepy 58 months ago | reply
Thanks for the invites and nice comments.
If anyone else takes up the idea, please post a photo! I'd love to see it. :)
María Digital 54 months ago | reply
Ohhh!!!
Impresionante!!!
Justo es lo que estoy haciendo con las
latas de leche en polvo de mi ieta!!!
Y las estoy pintando en el mismo color!!!
Qué coincidencia!!!
Felicitaciones!!!
ideaprison 48 months ago | reply
very nice :)
Happy Sleepy 48 months ago | reply
Lots of recent attention on this pic - must be gardening season!
These are really easy and satisfying to set up. Happy summer!
SpooAddicts & the SpooCrew 48 months ago | reply
This is awesome! well Done!
Incredible Himachal Pradesh 47 months ago | reply
its really nice idea and inspiring to the garden lovers...
AGA~mum 41 months ago | reply
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Walled Gardens , and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Way to be sustainable & Simply Charming!
AGA~mum 41 months ago | reply
Thank you for adding your picture & "Welcome" to the group Happy Sleepy ! Looking forward to more of your contributions to our group~
Anguskirk 40 months ago | reply
Nice idea. Very colourful
Jayme28 40 months ago | reply
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Nest In Style, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
These pots would look awesome with herbs or leafy greens. Fab idea!
Happy Sleepy 39 months ago | reply
Thanks all!
tsoyptc 37 months ago | reply
@Swank106 and @Happy Sleepy, the "Lime green trailing plants" are colloquially called "Creeping Jenny" (or "Lysimachia nummularia")
I only know this because my name is Jennifer and my mom (who is a gardenosaurus) started growing them when I was a kid as a result. :) They make great groundcover and great trailers for pots (as you can see!)
more info: www.perennials.com/seeplant.html?item=1.340.100
Urban Woodswalker 34 months ago | reply
I LOVe this photo and the idea too. I have brick walls and I am going to try this for next spring. I can always use more room on my balconies for growing!
northofsevenblog 13 months ago | reply
Really great! I totally will do this outside this summer!
Happy Sleepy 13 months ago | reply
Yes, do it!
angiejoy1958 11 months ago | reply
:) "Cuz it's nice to know there's a little bit of sanity within the jungle that is Parkdale!! I grew up around Dunn Avenue and watched as the area got rundown and seedy. One by one the grand houses were turned into rooming houses, occupied by the mentally ill and drug addicted. I still know of many little splashes of beauty, calm and serenity around the area....you have added to them♥
Happy Sleepy 11 months ago | reply
Thank-you!
This installation was dismantled in 2005. The perennials I planted in the soil under the tree were soon trampled into the ground and the earth is hard packed and bare as adobe again, just like I found it in 2001. It was nice while it lasted and I got loads of positive feedback from passersby.
Happy Sleepy 4 months ago | reply
This photo has been viewed more than 12,000 times! Keep planting those cans full of flowers. :)