How to Make a Birdcage Succulent Garden
Give your patio a bit of vintage charm with a succulent garden grown in an old birdcage.
Transforming an old birdcage into a beautifully contained succulent garden is a great way to add some real personality to your patio. The trouble is finding the right vessel to fit in the shape or size of your birdcage. Here we show you how to manage any size or shape.
Materials Needed:
- birdcage
- pliers
- galvanized metal flashing or thin gauge galvanized metal sheet
- marker
- ruler
- tin shears
- leather work gloves
- spray paint (optional)
- hanging basket liner
- soil
- succulents
Before beginning, remove any perch or other accessories from the birdcage and clean it thoroughly.
Creating The Container
Measure the interior perimeter of the birdcage. Cut galvanized flashing or a sheet of thin-gauge galvanized metal to 5" wide by the measurement of the interior perimeter of the birdcage plus 2". Wear leather work gloves to protect your hands from very sharp metal edges. Place the piece inside the birdcage with the two ends at the back of the birdcage. Make gentle folds on the metal to match up with the inside corners of the birdcage. Remove the metal strip and lay it on a flat surface. Use the straight edge of a piece of wood to lay at the gentle folds and make the folds cleaner and more defined. On each of these folds mark a spot 2" up from one long side of the metal and 1" down from the other side (Image 1). Use tin shears to cut from the long side of the metal to each of the points you made. Be sure to wear leather work gloves (Image 2). Using a piece of wood to create a straight line, fold up each of the flaps on both long sides (Image 3). On each short end of the 2-inch flaps, cut an angled piece away from the outside edge to the fold to allow for bending inward (Image 4). Fold each 2-inch flap (except for one end) over and press them firmly into place with the piece of wood (Image 5). The 1-inch flaps should be folded up at 90˚.
Fold as necessary to make the shape of the birdcage and insert it into the bottom of the birdcage to test it. Place the tightly folded end inside the unfolded end. Press the unfolded end down. Remove the metal liner and paint the birdcage as desired. If you wish, you can also paint the metal liner at this time.
Creating The Garden
Use the metal liner to draw an outline on hanging basket liner made from coconut husks (Image 1). Cut the shape out with scissors. Insert the metal liner in the bottom of the birdcage with the overlap in the back (Image 2). Add the hanging basket liner (Image 3). Add soil, about 1/2" deep (Image 4). Add the succulents. Choose ones that drape to go near the outside edge (Image 5). Gently pull pieces of the succulents through the cage wires and around the opening. Fill in any gaps with additional soil, then water. Lastly, hang the birdcage in place.
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