Repurpose!
Hanniki says she always finds a gap for things that other people have thrown away and loves giving old items a new lease on life. “It’s fun to repurpose so-called useless items and it makes the garden interesting when you use them in a different way. It creates a wonderful focal point and always draws the eye!”
One such element is an old pram (opposite) on which the signboard for her former tea garden used to hang. “Today, it is used in my garden as a stand for a pink baby bath filled with some of my favourite annuals.
“Think carefully about how you use each décor element. For example, this display would not have worked as well if I’d placed my old wheelbarrow next to the pram – it would have spoilt the effect.”
Other items that have been repurposed in Hanniki’s garden include beautiful metal chairs (despite having no seats) and a bicycle that long ago gave up the ghost.
“In the old days, I’d get upset if a cup or plate broke or cracked, but now I know I can always do something with them. Because all my friends are well aware of the fact that I love drinking tea from beautiful china teacups, I often get them as gifts. If they’re cracked, they are hung in trees, tied to the iron bed in the garden or displayed on my cement table. One of my biggest failings is that I believe ‘more is more’. I will always find a spot for more things! To add even more interest to the teacups, I plant them up with pretty annuals. But remember that they will need very little water as there are no drainage holes in the cups.”