Lampshade to Planter Conversion

My favourite shop is called Tri Marrant, roughly translated - 'Recycling is Fun', a charity shop, whose contents is partly supplied by our local dump/tip! People used to throw their unwanted stuff into the appropriate recycling or landfill bin but for the past four years they have had the chance to place it in the Tri Marrant shipping container. From there it is collected, repaired if necessary, cleaned up, tested if it has working parts and then put out for sale. Other items for the shop are also directly donated and all the goods on sale are reasonably priced, some even have a 'give what you want' label. Proceeds from the shop go to helping local people find work or become re-employed. It's a totally local venture and as far as I know, is one of a kind. It's joint mission is to cut down waste, in particular landfill and so encourage recycling and reuse. Over the four years it has been in business, we have bought many items from this shop from cast iron pans to vintage clothes and furniture. The shop also has frequent sales on specific types of goods, so it has a constant throughput and this encourages people to make frequent visits - and they do.

On my last visit I was looking for something to use as a planter for succulents but could find nothing suitable until my eyes alighted on a wicker/rattan and metal lampshade, light-weight but very solidly made. I guessed someone had been repainting their kitchen, forgotten to take down the lampshade, spattered it with paint and then decided to dump it. Turning it upside down I realised what a great hanging basket it would make. Succulents often thrive in holes in rock formations or dry pebbly paths so don't need either a lot of soil nor do they need constant watering, this lampshade is eminently suitable for them.

One lampshade - 2.5 Euros ($2.70)

Cotton fabric (old T-Shirt or similar)

Coconut coir 50 centimes (55 cents)

Hanging basket chain from a broken basket.

Plants needing a home - I have a mix of echeveria, sempervivum, delosperma ice plants, sedums and lots of unidentified cuttings from friends.

Soil, compost and moss from the garden.

Screwdrivers (2)

Metal pan scrubber

Fine grade sandpaper

Cleaning off the paint was easy, as hoped the medium seemed to be a water-based emulsion. I began by just carefully chipping away the thicker paint spatters with a box cutter/craft knife and then finishing off with a metal pan scrubber then a damp cloth. For the smears of paint I just used a damp cloth and a fine grade sandpaper.

To remove the light socket housing from the frame, I used two screwdrivers to prise open two securing 'tongues'. Often however, these housings are held in place by screws. Once released I could then cut the wires going into the light fitting with wire cutters.

I broke up several pieces of moss and wove them in between the metal bars that had held the lamp fixture.

I then measured the basket and cut my piece of fabric to fit. I always use pure cotton for this and organically grown is best. The material will break down over time but by then the roots of the plants will have formed a mat that combined with the coconut coir will allow the soil to retain adequate moisture without getting waterlogged.

I lined the basket making sure the lining was below the level of the metal edging. I was now ready to add my growing medium.

To allow my plants to continue to thrive and also not to put too much weight in the basket, I used:

2 parts damp coir plus home-made compost and garden soil

2 parts sand

1 part dry moss and small stones (riddled from our garden soil)

The coir is purchased in a compressed block and when opened and soaked in water it expands to many times its original volume. The coir provides nutrients as it breaks down plus it improves soil aeration. Adding pre-soaked coir also means the potting medium will not only be ready-watered but also that in future it will be free-draining because of its fibrous nature. Using coir provides sufficient water for succulents but importantly stops the basket from getting too heavy and waterlogged in the rain. Succulents live in arid conditions where flash floods provide them with moisture, which is then stored in the leaves

After making this mix I used it to fill the bottom of the basket.

I have a mix of succulents many of which I had grown from 'pups' and leaf cuttings. These plants are great for hanging baskets because they flourish when left alone. I also like to use trailing plants such as the very colourful tradescantia zebrina aka the Inch plant. It has beautiful purple and silver foliage and very pretty three-petaled flowers. This plant is normally used indoors here in France but actually I believe it looks happier and healthier outside in the sunshine, which brings out its amethyst colouring. Using plants like the tradescantia varieties, where the stems will readily root where they touch the soil, means that any spaces left between the succulents will be automatically filled. This not only gives a pleasing and more luxurious look but it will also help to keep the basket protected from too much water in damp weather. Similarly it will keep the roots of the other plants protected from too much direct sunlight. I added moss around the metal trim to add another touch of colour and as a backdrop for the tradescantia.

I had an old chain from an ex hanging basket but any hardware store should sell chain that can be cut to length, as well as the necessary hooks and clips. The basket can then be hung either on a bracket or in a porch or even on a tree branch, anywhere it will get sunlight for the majority of the day. Alternatively, the basket can be a used as a stand-alone planter or supported on a pedestal or old chimney pot.

The basket was hung on a bracket attached to our home-made trellis arbor and it is nestled among the branches of our sprawling goji plant, which makes it look very much at home!

I will be interested to see how this basket ages over time and what sort of patina the rattan gets on it. Of course the great thing about succulents is as they get established in the basket and if they don't get enough water, then they will flower to make seeds, which is the added bonus of leaving them alone to do their own thing.

Hope you enjoyed this project! All the very best from Normandie,

Sue xx