What types of flowerbeds are there from tires?
It is difficult to create a sophisticated landscape from rubber tires, but it is quite possible to revive a flower garden, make it more well-groomed and interesting. Which flowerbed to arrange depends on the number of tires, their size and free space.
Types of flower beds made from car tires:
- Elated. Essentially, all types of tire beds are raised beds because the vegetation is at some height from the soil. A classic high flower bed consists of several tires laid close to one another;
- Border. Tires of small diameter are laid flat along the garden path or along the perimeter of the recreation area. The same plants are planted in them as in a regular flower border;
- Monoclumba. In the center of the green lawn there is a large tire in which flowers of one type are planted;
- Hanging. One or more tires are hung on a fence or specially installed supports, soil is poured into the lower part, and climbing annuals or hanging varieties of petunias are planted;
- Multi-tiered. You will need at least 10 tires. They are laid according to the cascade principle so that plants can be planted in each tier.
Tires can be used as an independent flower bed or as a part of a large flower garden, for example, a mixborder. They are placed in a predetermined order, not necessarily symmetrical, and vegetation is planted both inside and between the tires.
Painting options
Unprepossessing tires can be turned into a real work of art if you use your imagination and spend very little time. Several variants:
- A monochromatic bright coating that strongly contrasts with the plants, the general background of the site, the lawn and other parts of the landscape.
- Various compositions (pyramid, flower and other unusual ideas) are assembled from tires painted in different shades. In this case, you can paint the former wheels in such a way that the product really looks like a character or object (for example, the white petals and yellow core of a daisy flower).
- To ensure that a flower bed painted in one tone does not seem boring, you can draw on it various geometric shapes, silhouettes of cartoon characters, flowers - depict anything. The main thing in this case is to use your imagination.
- You can get even patterns on tires using ready-made stencils that are sold in stationery stores, or you can make them yourself. It is better to use colors that contrast with each other so that the flowers on the site are decorated in unusual and attractive flower beds.
- For smooth transitions of tones, it is better to use aerosol formulations. This way you can create an image of the sky, rainbow, or seascape on your tires.
- The finished product is decorated with pebbles and sawdust, which can also be treated with paint and varnish.
- If the tires have a small diameter, it will be easy to create hanging flower beds from them. Such compositions look great on the porch, terrace, veranda.
How to make chamomile
A flower is the most popular type of flower bed made from an old tire. To create a daisy you will need 5-6 tires of the same size and 1 slightly larger (or smaller) diameter. In the area where the flower garden is being set up, identical tires are laid out in such a way as to form a closed circle of the correct shape. After this, a large tire is placed on top of them, in the center. It is outlined with chalk and removed. As a result, a chalk mark is left on the lower parts, along which trimming is carried out. It is advisable to cut off only the upper sidewall and tread area, leaving the lower sidewall.
After this, the trimmed parts of the “daisy” are again laid in a circle (with the uncut side to the ground), and the middle tire is placed in the center. The end result is a flower consisting of a center and petals. All that remains is to pour soil inside the flowerbed and plant flowers. You can plant yellow flowers (nasturtium, tagetes) in the center, and white petunia, alyssum, or other low-growing annuals along the edges.
If you don’t have enough tires, you can halve them!
Where to place an alpine slide made of tires and stones
Choose sunny or shaded areas. It all depends on the plants that the summer resident prefers. On the south side there is a rock garden for drought-resistant and light-loving crops. In the north there are shade-loving and moisture-resistant crops.
An alpine hill made of tires and stones can be placed on a beautiful background: a fence, grapes or an open lawn
Rules for placing a rock garden:
- it should be an open sunny area, visible from anywhere in the yard; Attention! The alpine slide should not be placed close to flowering flower beds, otherwise it will “get lost.”
- experts do not recommend placing the slide near the fence and outbuildings, since debris will accumulate in the gaps and snakes or rodents may appear;
- the alpine slide must be protected from the wind;
- it is desirable that there is a body of water nearby;
- if the site is located in a lowland and the rock garden is constantly in wet soil, then moisture-loving plants are planted on it or a drainage layer of expanded clay or crushed stone is arranged;
- if the site already has a natural hill, then an alpine hill is placed on it;
- the depressions are designed in the form of a gorge.
Flowerpot
To make a flowerpot, you will need to turn the tire inside out. Since this work is not easy, this should be done by a person with sufficient physical strength, or by inviting someone to help. The tire is laid flat on a flat surface, and markings are made on the side. It’s easier to do it by preparing a template from thick paper in advance. A stencil cut in the shape of triangles or semicircles is pressed tightly onto the rubber and outlined with chalk. According to the markings, using a sharp knife with a comfortable handle, the petals are cut out, and the cut part is set aside.
Useful tips before coloring
In order for the flowerbed to turn out to be of high quality and beautiful, and for the site to acquire unique comfort, it is necessary to meet some conditions:
- Before painting, wash the tire well with any cleaning agent, then degrease it with acetone or another composition with a similar effect;
- prime the surface - this will help hide unevenness and reduce paint consumption;
- if you plan to create a light or bright flower bed, it is better to first apply a white tone to the tire;
- The tire must be painted on all sides, including the inside - over time, unpainted parts may protrude along the perimeter of the product.
If you follow the advice of experts, you can calculate in advance the exact quantity of selected materials. However, it is important to remember that tires are subject to deformation at low temperatures and in the sun, so there is no need to skimp on paint and create too thin a layer - the surface may crack.
Swan
Having gained experience in creating simple structures from tires, you can begin to create more complex products, for example, making a swan. The first stage is marking. The reality of the bird depends on how correctly it is performed. Most of the lines are drawn on the working path of the wheel: the tail, body, head and beak of the bird. Fenders are drawn on the sides of the tire.
It is recommended to start cutting out the swan with the longest straight lines. Thanks to this, when small parts remain, most of the rubber will be cut off, and the “jewelry” work will be easier to complete. You should also be careful in particularly critical areas (neck, wing feathers, beak) so as not to make the wrong movement and spoil the workpiece.
It is much easier to turn out a tire with a carved swan than a flowerpot. The main thing is not to use too much force and not tear off any part.
All parts of the bird are in stable condition, except for the long neck. To prevent it from falling, holes are made along its entire length at intervals of 5 cm, metal brackets are inserted into them, after which a thick wire is pulled between the brackets and the rubber (a wire rod can be used).
The wire is bent in the desired position to make the bird's neck look graceful. Finally, the swan is painted in a suitable color: white, black. Naturally, the beak should be red.
Video instruction:
Advantages and disadvantages of products made from car tires
The advantages of creating flower girls from old car tires include:
- low cost. Many owners of dachas and country houses will definitely have unnecessary tires in their garage. Or, you can always ask them from a neighbor, friend, or buy them at a low price at a service station;
- durability. Rubber products can serve their owners for many years without losing their original qualities;
- strength and reliability. Such fakes are not afraid of either mechanical influences or negative environmental factors. They are not afraid of sudden changes in temperature, heavy precipitation, or exposure to direct sunlight;
- the ability to create bright and original crafts using paints and varnishes (any paint can be applied to tires easily and evenly, which does not wear off for a long time and does not fade).
Thanks to the pliability and elasticity of rubber, fakes can be given absolutely any shape. And thanks to the dense texture of the material, this shape lasts a long time and does not deform.
But flower beds made from wheels have no disadvantages. The only thing is that you will have to spend a little effort and your free time to create an exclusive flower girl in the form of a snail, turtle or bird.
Cups
2-3 tires placed one on top of the other will turn into a cup if you make a handle on one of the sides.
A strip 5-8 cm wide is cut out of the tread, one end is bolted to the bottom tire, and the other to the top. The cup is installed on a pre-cut side of the tire, like on a saucer. A teapot is made using this principle, but you also need to attach a spout to it.
To make the teaware more realistic, you can use tires of different diameters and cut off the side part on the upper parts. Cups with a teapot are painted accordingly: with large polka dots, Gzhel, with floral patterns.
Whether or not to plant flowers inside depends on the situation. If there are enough other flower beds in the garden, it is better to leave the dishes as is, and when there is little space for a flower bed, they can be made in cups.
Car tires: ideas for garden design
Old car tires are a popular replacement for traditional flower beds. They are convenient to place in small yards without lawns, along roads, in places with high groundwater. A flowerpot made from a tire can be easily moved to any place on the site; if desired, it can be installed on legs. Another popular garden shape is wheels arranged in a pyramid.
To create flower beds, it is better to use winter rubber products; they are much easier to cut. Old tires are thoroughly cleaned of crushed stone and other foreign matter, washed and dried. Then they can be painted in the desired shade or painted with an original pattern. Another popular option is flowerpots in the form of volumetric bowls. To make them, zigzag slits are made on the top of the tire with a sharp knife or jigsaw. It is difficult to turn the product inside out; this will require significant physical strength.
For plants to develop well, you need fertile soil with plenty of compost. During the season, plantings in tires are periodically fed with complex fertilizer for flowers. It is important to ensure that the soil does not dry out; you need to water the plantings in a limited capacity daily.
Practical advice
Any tires are suitable for making garden figures: summer, winter, domestic, foreign, but not new. If the tire turns out during the production of a garden figure, you should choose the most worn out treads. The lack of relief and abrasion of the rubber makes cutting the material much easier. In addition, such a tire is easier to turn out.
Tips for beginners:
- It is somewhat easier to work with imported tires, since they are softer than domestic ones;
- Rubber is cut with a sharp knife dipped in soapy water or machine oil;
- The knife can be replaced with a jigsaw, but working with it requires a certain skill;
- Sections of workpieces are processed with a grinder in order to smooth out irregularities and nicks;
- Before painting, tires should be washed and degreased, otherwise the paint will peel off quickly;
- For painting, paint compositions for exterior use (enamels, aerosol automotive paints) are used.
The rubber of car tires is reinforced with nylon or steel cord. Nylon is cut with a knife, but for cutting metal you should prepare metal scissors or a grinder.
The marking will help you recognize what type of cord is in the wheel: if it is marked “steel”, then there is metal inside.