These Flowers Never Need Watering.

Tricia
by Tricia
6 Materials
This project was created with all recycled materials excluding the paint. When our neighbor started cutting out the middle of old tires to make planters, he was left with all the centers. I have had them for a year, and had always thought they looked like the sun. The other day it finally hit me, they look just like sun flowers.
Here is a picture of what the inside of the tire looked like before I painted it. I also cut one in half to tuck behind the other two. The tires cut easily using a jig saw. When you get to the the center, you will have to use something else to cut through the steel belts, I used a bolt cuter.
This is the middle of the flower. Using a piece of plywood, I traced around the inside of the tire, about an inch wider than the opening. It doesn't have to be perfect because it will be covered by the flower petals. I cut it out and painted it gray. then laid chicken wire over it and repainted it black. This created a grid pattern that gives it a little depth.
I laid the painted side of the flower center down facing the back side of the flower petals, and put a few screws in the back of the petals and the centers, leaving the heads of the screws exposed enough to allow me to wrap thin gauge wire around them to attached both together. ( Make sure you use short screws and don't go in too far, you don't want them to go through to the other side).
I cut a black syrup bucket in half, then used painters tape and pin striping to masked it off before spraying it brown to create the look of a whiskey barrel.
I cut the leaves out of some old corrugated tin we had laying around, then painted them green.
The stems of the flowers are made by cutting up a discarded garden hose. Everything is attached to a metal frame I salvaged by taking apart our old box springs.
Here they are, all planted and thriving nicely. The best part, they never need watering. So this is my earth friendly green project. Hope you like it.
Suggested materials:
  • Old tires
  • Garden hose
  • Syrup bucket
See all materials
Frequently asked questions
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3 of 11 questions
  • Jeannie Scott Jeannie Scott on May 20, 2016
    Love this!!!! Sooo darn cute and great idea!!! Where did you find the chicken wire with such great shape???? Mine is so hard to straighten out!!
  • Judy LaFontaine Judy LaFontaine on Jun 07, 2016
    I love your flowers! My sister has been pestering me to make her some Texas bluebonnets for her back yard. Do you have any suggestions for materials to make the flower petals with? Thanks!
  • Kathleen Calderon Kathleen Calderon on Jun 13, 2017

    This may be a silly question, but how did you attach the leaves, hose ,& pot to frame? Screws & thin wire also?

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  • Katen Katen on Feb 19, 2022

    Love your whimsy! Love your upcycle too. Doubt I’d ever do this but you have inspired me to look beyond the item to see the potential. Thanks for sharing

  • Sharon Sharon on Apr 02, 2023

    If I never do this, I will always remember it. It reminds me to use my, God given, imagination. As you have so creatively have done. Wonderful!

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