How To Make a Garden Screen For Your Shed From Reused Materials

Behind my home is a backyard space about 100 feet long by 30 feet wide which has the ugliest most gawd-awful plastic shed on it. When I look at the falling-apart-barely-standing-cracked-in-places-monstrosity, I literally cringe. It is my most vivid hope that a giant lightening strike will blow the thing out of existence. I dream of a screen of some kind; over the years painting it, relocating it, and covering it with grass are just some of the suggestions I have received on how I might transform this ugly duckling shed. This season, however, the garden screen solution came from Mr. Nelson.

Now Mr. Nelson is one of my favorite neighbors and garden cheerleaders. He has one of those astounding lawns which resides at a precise measurement of height from the ground. His grass is so thick it feels like a plush carpet beneath your feet. His flowers are always perfection. Gardener choirs from heaven sing when you pass by his garden – it’s amazing actually. At any rate, I digress. Mr. Nelson sent me a Facebook message and let me know he had four wrought iron corners to a patio cover that he was tossing out. Did I want them?

Does the sun shine? OF COURSE I want them. Mr. Nelson’s trash is Ms. Coronado’s treasure.

My garden helper and I trudged down to Mr. Nelson’s amazing choir singing celebration of a garden and nabbed the metal pieces. After a dig in my closet I found four plum colored rectangular plastic disposable tablecloths which I attached on to the back side of the wrought iron to give it a splash of color.

These I placed in front of the shed. VIOLA! Recycling magnificence in action. Next season might be the year I replace the shed, but for now my brightly colored garden screens will be the perfect temporary green and recycled solution.

HOW TO MAKE A GARDEN SCREEN IN 3 EASY STEPS:

What you need –

• Get an old wrought iron something-something – the rustier the better
• Find some plastic disposable tablecloths which will fit on the back side of the iron
• Twisty ties, wire, or zip ties
• Scissors or wire cutters

What to do –

1. Stretch out the plastic tablecloths and using the ties or wire, tie the corners to the corners of the wrought iron. Cut off excess wire or tie.
2. To firm up the tablecloth look, be sure to place additional ties where needed.
3. Using the scissors, trim off any excess plastic and place the screen where desired in your garden.