DIY FLower Tower From an Antique Washing Bin

One of my big things to do is to take something old and make it into something new. These flower towers were my latest creation last spring in 2015. They were so awesome that the neighbors had to come have a look to see how I made them. Making them was relatively simple moving them into place was a hassle and almost impossible. I'd suggest that before you start you move them to the location you'll want to display them at. By the time you add the potting soil and the flowers they are hard to move. You can view other projects that are repurposed on my website.

Step 1: Materials Needed

1-12 flat full of flowers like petunia's or other form of flower that spreads out as it grows

4-cubic feet potting soil

1-old washing tub like the one above in the picture or similar container

gravel for the bottom of the container about 3 good shovels full

Step 2: Hardware Needed

tin snips

4 feet of chicken wire

50 gallon lawn/leaf bag black or green

zip ties

4-1/2" wood dowels about 3 feet long

scissors

shovel

garden trow

Step 3: Assembly

1. With a shovel spread about 1-2" of gravel in the bottom of your container
2. grab your 4'x4' strip of chicken wire and bring the two ends together to form a 2' diameter circle
3. using zip ties, tie each end of the chicken wire together spaced about every two inches until you reach the other end
4. set aside
5. using your 50 gallon leaf/lawn plastic bag and some scissors cut the bottom of the bag so it is one long piece
6. line the inside of the chicken wire with the lawn/leaf bag using zip ties to secure it to the chicken wire
7. Place 4" of potting soil in your container, wet slightly
8. Take the Chicken Wire tube and bury it in the container in the center make sure it has good contact with the gravel underneath the potting soil. this ensures good drainage for your flowers.
9. continue filling the potting soil in the container and in the chicken wire tube until you have reached the top of the container. wet slightly
10. then take your 4-1/2" would dowels and force them down the sides of your chicken wire tube so they stand straight. secure to the chicken wire using zip ties.
11. Begin planting the outside of the container around the chicken wire with flowers until you get your desired effect.
12. to plant the chicken wire tube cut a circle using tin snips removing the wire. Use scissors to remove the plastic bad the same diameter as your cut. Do one at a time until you have an even layer all the way around your tube. fill with potting soil so that it is just below the bottom of the circle you cut. Place flowers one at a time inside the circle making sure to break up the roots a little for good soil contact. After you have planted one complete row of flowers cover with potting soil to get ready for the next row. After you are done with one row water slightly.
13. offset the next row off the side of the first and repeat step 12
14. keep repeating step 12 and 13 until your container is planted
15. plant the top of your container with flowers and water well.