Broken can be beautiful.

Life is messy and sometimes things get broken. And since we live in a disposable society it seems easier to just discard what has been damaged. But I would encourage you to reconsider. Whatever might be broken, whether a plate or a promise, can often be restored. 

I am especially taken with the idea of kintsugi. Kintsugi is a Japanese art form that takes broken ceramics and “glues” them back together with gold. The resulting piece, in the end, is actually MORE beautiful than its original. (see the picture above).

What about us, as gardeners? Can we take broken things and give them a second life? I was thinking that over and a few examples came to mind. 

Broken branches don’t need to go in the compost pile they can become plant stakes. Use broken china mixed with cement, to create beautiful steppingstones into your garden. Broken mirrors can be placed under plants like hellebore to reveal their beautiful drooping flowers. Use a Sharpie on pieces of broken terra cotta pots to create plant markers. Broken (aka runned) nylons make wonderful and soft plant ties. These are especially great for tomato plants. They can also be used like a sling to hold heavier fruits and veggies like watermelon and squash. Broken keys or silverware can be made into mobiles for the garden. A rake head with no handle can be nailed to the shed wall and used as a tool hanger. Finally, a broken umbrella can be used to shade new transplants or remove the nylon covering and allow climbers to scramble up the individual ribs.

I hope I have encouraged you to see a new use in broken things. It is not only the green way to go it can make your garden a more beautiful place.