Vermont gardeners have a gift for turning cast-offs into charm. Old furniture doesn’t get tossed—it gets repurposed into planters, trellises, and quirky garden art. It’s creativity with a conscience, and it’s everywhere you look.
Across the Green Mountain State, you’ll spot weathered chairs blooming with flowers or dressers doubling as herb beds. These transformations are as practical as they are poetic. Each piece tells a story, adding warmth and whimsy to the landscape.
Beyond the beauty, it’s about sustainability. Upcycling keeps furniture out of landfills and gives gardens a personal touch. It’s a win for the planet and a nod to Vermont’s resourceful spirit.
1. Dresser Drawers As Stepped Planters
Those old wooden dresser drawers gathering dust in your barn can transform your garden’s vertical space. I’ve seen a neighbor in Stowe arrange them in a stair-step pattern against a fence, creating a beautiful cascade of flowers.
Each drawer holds different plants – petunias in one, marigolds in another. For drainage, simply drill a few holes in the bottom and line with landscape fabric.
The weathered wood develops a beautiful patina over Vermont’s changing seasons, looking more charming with each passing year.
2. Chair Frames Supporting Climbing Roses
Would you believe an old wooden chair could become the perfect trellis? The back of a chair, once stripped of its seat, creates an ideal framework for climbing plants to weave through.
During my visits to gardens in Burlington, several creative Vermonters have positioned these chair frames along pathways. The wooden structures provide excellent support while adding whimsical charm.
For me, climbing roses look particularly stunning when they wind through the spindles, creating a living sculpture that changes with the seasons.
3. Headboard Herb Garden Wall
An old wooden headboard mounted to a sunny fence creates the perfect backdrop for an herb garden. After seeing this clever idea at a farmhouse near Montpelier, I immediately wanted to try it myself.
Decorative elements of the headboard provide natural divisions for different herb varieties. Small pots can be attached directly to the wood with brackets, or shelves can be added for larger containers.
The vertical design saves precious garden space while keeping cooking herbs within easy reach – perfect for Vermont’s shorter growing season.
4. Bathtub Turned Water Garden
Cast-iron clawfoot tubs make spectacular water features in Vermont gardens. A friend in Brattleboro transformed her grandmother’s old tub into a stunning miniature pond that reflects the sky beautifully.
Water lilies float gracefully on the surface while small aquatic plants thrive around the edges. The depth provides perfect protection for water plants during our cold spring nights.
Just remember to create a small drainage overflow hole near the top to manage excess rainwater – something particularly important during Vermont’s wet seasons.
5. Bookcase Turned Vertical Garden Display
Last summer, my neighbor in Middlebury placed an old pine bookcase against her garden shed, creating a stunning plant display that stopped passersby in their tracks.
Each shelf showcases different container plants, arranged by color or variety. The vertical structure provides excellent organization for smaller potted plants that might otherwise get lost in the landscape.
Weather-resistant paint or a good outdoor sealer helps protect wooden bookcases from Vermont’s harsh elements while adding a pop of color to the garden.
6. Coffee Table Miniature Garden
Have you seen what happens when you fill an old coffee table with soil? Pure magic! A gardener in Woodstock removed the top of her vintage table and created a miniature landscape inside the frame.
Low-growing alpines and succulents work beautifully in this contained environment. The coffee table’s legs keep the garden raised to a comfortable viewing height, making it perfect for older gardeners.
Adding small pathways using river stones collected from Vermont streams creates the illusion of a tiny world within your larger garden space.
7. Ladder Plant Stand For Tight Spaces
Wooden ladders found in many Vermont barns make perfect plant stands for small spaces. The graduated steps naturally create a tiered display that maximizes vertical growing area.
A fellow gardener in Rutland leans an old wooden ladder against her house, positioning pots of varying sizes on each rung. The rustic wood pairs beautifully with terracotta pots and trailing plants.
For stability on uneven ground, simply sink the ladder feet slightly into the soil or secure them with hidden stakes – an important consideration during our windy fall days.
8. Window Frame Trellis Network
Old window frames create stunning architectural elements in Vermont gardens. Connected together in a pattern, they form a network of squares perfect for climbing plants to weave through.
The glass removed, these frames provide both structure and visual interest. During a garden tour in Manchester, I was impressed by how the white-painted frames stood out against the green foliage.
Morning glories particularly love climbing through these window grids, creating living stained glass as the sun shines through their purple and blue blooms.
9. Repurposed Bed Frame Raised Garden
Metal bed frames offer the perfect structure for raised garden beds. The side rails provide sturdy support for wooden sides, while headboards and footboards mark the ends with decorative flair.
A community garden in Bennington features several of these creative beds, each growing different vegetables. The raised height makes gardening accessible for everyone, including those with mobility challenges.
One clever gardener painted her bed frame bright red, creating a focal point that stands out beautifully against Vermont’s lush green landscape during our brief but glorious summer.
10. Kitchen Chair Hanging Basket Display
The seat of an old wooden chair, once removed, creates a perfect frame for hanging baskets. Several Vermont gardeners along Lake Champlain have mounted these chair frames to fences or posts at varying heights.
Colorful baskets hang through the seat opening, creating the whimsical illusion of flowers sitting on invisible chairs. The chair backs provide visual framing that makes the plants stand out even more.
This project works especially well with those mismatched kitchen chairs you might find at our famous Vermont country auctions and flea markets.