As I was working out in the garden this morning, I was reminded of when I first moved into my home in 2009. Just about all of the garden has been touched in someway since then – except for one corner.
The house came with an old-style, albeit lidless, rubbish bin (as well as three wheelie bins), standing under the kitchen window. In pre-blog days, I had stored milk cartons, including ones I had cut up for use as cloches, there. And there was a bag of seemingly unused pots, which must have been left by the previous owner of the property.
forgotten plant pots
How did I manage to forget these pots? Five years is a long time, granted, but how come it has taken me so long to sort out this so-far barren corner, more to the point?
In permaculture, it is recommended that you observe and then make slow changes. Well, you could say that that is what I have been doing. Waiting for inspiration. Or rather need.
repurposing the brown bin
As you may recall if you read a post I wrote on the number of bins I have on the property, I had deemed the brown bin for garden waste surplus to requirements. It does not therefore need to be pulled out and put back in again, so it can live under the kitchen window. It is also a great place for storing pots, which don’t really need to be kept in stagnant water.
On the other hand, the now empty old bin will be ideal for storing collected rain water. For the last three years, I’ve kept this in empty milk cartons, which have stood all round the Wendy house. Not the most sightly arrangement. So, now they are going little by little to recycling heaven as I empty their contents on my parched garden. Aren’t we supposed to have some proper rain in April?
under the kitchen window – tidy now
Growing out of chaos 
April showers bring May flowers! Well that’s how it’s supposed to go! 😉 Koko❀
And finally we had some rain last night!
Yay! California is in a drought right now and I’m supposed to be moving back there. Not looking forward to that! Glad you got rain!
Thank you!
As for California, I follow another blogger who is there and I have therefore seen her struggles. Good luck!
You sound very organised. I wouldn’t worry about those pots … I have stuff that turns up all the time. And yes permaculture is all about standing back and taking your time. It’s funny what you see when you do. 😀
Thanks for the compliment, Julie! Not as organised as I would like to be but making progress 😉
Anyway, I am thrilled about the pots – it means I can go on to sow more and more things. Or rather I would if I had the space…..
That’s a great idea using the brown bin for water storage.
The brown one is for storing gardening materials such as pots – should have made that clearer in my post. The water butt will be the old black bin. It does need a lid to help prevent insects dying in it and water evaporating but it will be easier to access 🙂
Ah….got it. I love it when you can repurpose things, especially plastic. I’m more and more aware of these things in the past few years.
Me too!
🙂