Welcome back for part two of how we’re using the cool ‘junk’ we picked up on our recent vacation. Here’s where things ended up outside along with a little garden update while we’re at it.

The big rusty metal star the hubs picked out at the junk show for $18 had to be hand carried on the plane. We were sure it would be considered a weapon thanks to the top point sticking out of the only bag we could find that kind of fit it, but TSA said as long as it went through the scanner it was ok. I’m very glad it made it through because it looks fantastic on the front porch!

Nearby, the cool metal excavator I found for $20 found a home in the front flower bed where it appears to be digging up spots for more plants. It’s definitely something you won’t see in everyone’s garden and that’s just what I like about it!

Several items ended up in the gifted garden including the cool trellis the hubs surprised me with. It works perfectly for the troilus that started blooming soon after we got home. I still can’t believe this piece was only $23!

The trio of rusty pulleys we got for $10, $20 and $30 are the perfect “dog proof” garden art. They have since been knocked over by those energetic fur balls, but ‘eh – it makes it look more authentic so oh well.

We also picked up this massive pulley at an estate sale last weekend for just $25.  I love the little number tag on the side!  It’s found a home down in the rain garden.

Back in the gifted garden, I adore how these metal quail figures we found at the junk show look in the garden too. I’ve wanted some ever since I saw some just like them in a family friend’s amazing garden so I made sure to snag a few when I spotted them at the show. They remind me of living in the desert and watching the little quail families dart between the tumbleweeds. 🙂

My last find of the day at the junk show, a cast iron campfire cook pot now holds Johnny Jump Ups the neighbor brought over.  I admit this picture is a week or two old because those plants behind the pot are now massive!  They were also gifted to us by the neighbor but I have no idea what they are.  They sure seem to like this spot though, because they are 5 times this size now!

This little stained glass lady bug – an appropriation from my sister’s garden – now adorns my marigolds in the front yard.  He’s so cute I might have to make a few more, and possibly do some dragon flies and butter flies while I’m at it!

Beyond the junk things are still blooming.  We got home just in time to see the iris, which I was so happy about.  I have a few varieties including water iris, wild iris and arctic iris.  They each have slightly different colors and leaves but they’re all beautiful to me.

We also have a few poppies blooming.  These were another gift from the neighbor – have I mentioned how much I love having a gardening neighbor?! 🙂  The fact that I’ve done nothing to them and yet they seem to be doing quite well makes me even happier.

The hydrangea I planted this season is also blooming!  I’m so excited to have this one establish itself and grow bigger and bigger each year.  The blooms started out pretty small but now they are  almost full.  I’m torn between cutting some to bring inside and letting them continue to grow.  Thus far I’ve just let them grow, but as the season wraps up I might go ahead and snip a few.

I do need to add a little support for it though since the back side seems a bit heavy for the thin stalks.  I’m thinking one of those large rings might work well since it’s not very tall yet.

My lilies are also making an appearance after teasing with tightly sealed buds for weeks.  I have several varieties of these as well including pink, orange and yellow.  I made sure to get a few shots of them to enjoy right away since I know they won’t last long. 

I love how the orange lily compliments the little excavator in the background. 🙂

The lambs ear I brought back from my mother-in-law’s yard is doing well in the rain garden.  It’s certainly not going gang-busters, but it’s green and healthy after an overnight trip in a ziplock baggie on a plane, so I’m not going to be too critical.

I added some bushes I got for $20 on the buy/sell page to the side of the deck to get that landscape started.  I don’t remember the names of these right now so I’ll have to dig the tags out of the gardening cabinet, but I believe they are both varieties of spirea.  The one on the left gets pretty purple flowers and the one on the right has small white flowers.

My Columbines are doing well, both in the rain garden and the gifted garden.

And after some pretty lush leaf growth all season the campanula is finally blooming.

My freebie raspberries are slowly getting established, so I’m just letting them be for now.

But there is a potential harvest this year if these little guys come in a bit more and ripen!

That is of course if I can keep this big boy out of them!  He stopped by the other night during a huge downpour and thankfully seemed more interested in the weed patch just in front of the raspberries.  Good thing I haven’t been able to keep a super tidy landscape yet!  Luckily, the raspberries are close enough to the back yard fence that the dogs typically keep the moose at bay.

So that’s how we junked up the yard.  Do you have ‘junk’ in your gardens?  I’d love to see it, so share a photo or a link below!