For Matthew Levesque, repurposing discarded materials means more than just dumping plastics, paper, and glass into the recycle bin. He has fashioned a career out of designing gardens with reclaimed materials. In his book, The Revolutionary Yardscape, Levesque shares his ideas for hardscaping, garden construction, and outdoor decor using salvaged materials such as wood, glass, scrap metal, and piping.
Where does he recommend you find hidden treasures for the garden? Salvage yards, commercial businesses (they may give away scraps that would otherwise go to landfills), and surplus sales held at hospitals, universities, and restaurant supply stores can be gold mines. Of course, don’t forget to glean your own attic, garage, and storage closets for inspirational materials.
Transforming trash into creative gardenscapes is economical and better for the environment. Interested? Learn more at Levesque’s website, www.matthewlevesque.com. You can also listen to his presentation, “Putting Repurposing into the Garden Plan,” at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle in late February of 2012.