Turn An Old Fruit Basket Into The Sweetest Tiered Flower Tower

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Sometimes the easiest way to declutter your closets is to breathe new life into tired pieces of decor; whether you're trying to upcycle an old wire rack for a cookbook display or transforming old lumber into new storage shelves. If one of these unused items is a tiered fruit basket, there are a number of ways to repurpose it around your space. With a bit of imagination and a few tools, you can transform stacked metal or wicker fruit baskets into a blooming flower garden that sits perfectly on your window sills or front porch. The tiered design provides plenty of room for your flowers to grow, ranging from perennials, seasonal herbs, or your favorite succulents. Let a few plants hang over the side for a bit of added dimension and height. It's a practical and eye-catching way to create a mini garden without breaking ground.

The best part of this trick? You can customize it to fit into your individual design style. Keep the original finish for a rustic, farmhouse look. Or, spray paint the baskets in matte black, brushed gold, or even pastel tones to match your other decor. Line the inside of each basket with a few Sheets of Coconut Coir Plant Liners or landscaping fabric before adding soil to keep everything in place. It also helps the soil retain moisture, which can be beneficial for various plants. Place your small garden in a brightly lit window on your home's interior or on a back patio where it will accent your other landscaping. It's a simple upgrade that gives your plants the boutique look minus the boutique budget.

Choosing the right flowers for your tiered garden can make a world of difference for your plants, especially when it comes to growing space, sunlight, and watering needs. You'll want to choose plants that will complement each other in height, texture, and color. Trailing plant varieties like petunias, sweet alyssum, or nasturtiums are perfect for the lower tiers of your fruit basket, injecting a bit of movement into your garden as they grow over the side. On the middle tier, go for smaller blooms like lobelias or fairly foxglove for a pop of color — mixing in a bit of greenery. Reserve the top basket for showstopping flowers like geraniums, lavender, or salvias, which still stand tall and soak up the sun. You don't need a sprawling outdoor garden to make a major impact on your space with flowers. But knowing which pair well together can help determine the overall visual appeal of your tiered fruit basket garden.

If you aren't a fan of flowers or just want to turn your small garden into something more practical, you can always try planting a few herbs in the fruit baskets on each layer. Compact herbs like thyme, chives, parsley, and rosemary flourish in smaller spaces, whether they're planted indoors or outdoors, making them ideal for lower tiers of your garden. Basil and cilantro can thrive on the top tier, where they can absorb plenty of sunlight and have room to spread out. Not only do the herbs look excellent when they are paired with assorted flowers, but they can add a bit of flavor to your daily cooking routine.

The placement of your refurbished fruit basket can greatly increase its aesthetic and practical value around your home. For starters, you should consider the sunlight needs of each flowering plant, as this may be the determining factor in where your garden ends up. Certain flowering varieties may prefer indirect sunlight, while others may need at least six to eight hours per day. You should also consider the watering needs of your plants, as those in direct sunlight may dry out faster than others. Sun-loving plants like succulents or marigolds may thrive in large bay windows, whereas shade-tolerant varieties like ferns and begonias would prefer an east-facing window with a bit of indirect sunlight. It can be fairly simple to style greenery in every room of your home, but keep each plant's needs in mind before you start decorating your home.

You should also consider the function of your small garden when determining where it will be placed. Do you want a stylish, blooming garden that greets guests on their way into your home? Then it might be a good idea to stick your fruit basket garden on a screened front porch or in a front hallway. If you decide to stick with a practical herb garden, you should place it where the plants will be handy while you cook. An expansive bay window in the kitchen or on a kitchen island that gets plenty of sunlight can be an effective way to keep your herbs close — and it provides a wonderful smell in the process. The key is to treat it like decor with a purpose that either shifts with the seasons or becomes a decor staple around your home.