What to Do With Old Picture Frames in the Garden

What to do with old picture frames is a question I’ve asked myself more than once. Turns out the garden has been waiting for them all along!

A framed hanging flower basket as a solution for what to do with old picture frames.

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Table of Contents

Key Notes

Repurpose old picture frames for a charming and unexpected garden focal point.
A painted easel gives your frame height, color, and a gallery-worthy look outdoors.
Trailing plants like fuchsias and petunias are perfect for spilling over the frame’s edge.
This project works in a garden bed, on a patio, or near your front door.
No woodworking skills required.

You know that stack of old picture frames in the basement.

The ones you keep meaning to do something with, the ones that have survived three garage sales because you just couldn’t let them go?

Good news, they were waiting for this!

With a little paint, a simple easel, and a hanging basket full of trailing flowers, an old frame becomes one of the most charming things you can put in a garden.

It looks like a painting came to life. A gallery moment. Right there between the maple trees!

Repurposed frames have a way of stopping people in their tracks.

And this particular project costs almost nothing…especially if your frames are thrift store finds or treasures rescued from yard sales and estate sales.

This is a great way to give something old a gorgeous new purpose right in your own backyard!

I’m also sharing fun garden projects from my friends in the Handcrafted Society. Like amazing seeds, I will sprinkle their projects throughout this post!

Why This Works in the Garden

It just makes sense!

We use frames to draw attention to art pieces we love.

To say, “look here!”

To give something a defined, intentional place in the world.

The garden deserves that same treatment.

A repurposed picture frame on a painted easel does exactly what wall decor does inside your home.

It creates a focal point and adds height. It gives the eye somewhere to land, and when you tuck a lush hanging basket right inside the frame, the flowers become the painting.

It’s a fun way to blur the line between indoors and out. Between a gallery and a garden!

what to do with old picture frames? Frame them like this bloom placed in the center of an old picture frame.

What You’ll Need

The good news is that this project comes together with just a handful of supplies, most of which you may already have.

A large old picture frame in good condition.
A wooden easel
A hanging basket with trailing plants
Spray paint in your color of choice
Outdoor Sealant or Weatherproof Top Coat
Small U-nails or sturdy cord
Hammer
A drop cloth

Missy’s Note

Wooden frames in different styles work beautifully for this. An ornate frame with carved details reads like a sculpture. A simpler antique picture frame feels rustic and relaxed. Even a large frame with clean lines makes a bold, modern statement against a backdrop of greenery.

I found my frame tucked in a corner of our basement.

Inside? My senior portrait!

Talk about a time warp. (OK, share your senior picture pose in the comments!)

The ornate frame is perfect for this project so the “high school Missy” photo is going back into hiding!

Woman laughing and pointing to an old portrait of herself.

An old ornate frame to be repurposed as garden art.

This DIY plant tray from The Crowned Goat is simple to create and comes in handy while weeding container gardens, garden beds and more

See CoCo’s project HERE!

Prep Your Frame

Start with a good cleaning. Wipe down your frame to remove any dust or grime. Then remove any remaining artwork, glass, or backing, so you are working with just the framework itself.

I used my frame in its original finish. However, you may want to paint yours. If so, I suggest you give it a light sand if there are any rough spots.

Paint Your Easel (And Optionally Your Frame)

As mentioned, for my version, I painted on the easel a few light coats of dark green, and it looked like it belonged in the garden from the start!

Painting your frame to match is a great option too if you want a more cohesive look. Totally your call.

A wooden easel and a can of green spray paint.

Spray painting a wood easel a dark green color.

Seal Your Easel and Frame

A coat of outdoor weatherproof sealant is what gives your repurposed frames and your easel a real second life outside.

This is the step people skip and then wonder why things look rough by August.

Don’t skip it!

Secure your Basket

This is where you will want to put on your engineering hat. I’ll share what I did. But honestly, every easel is different and you may find a different configuration that works for you.

I used a simple U-nail (sometimes called a fence staple). With a hammer, I tapped it into the wood easel in the center of the easel top.

Important: Tap it in partially leaving enough space for your basket hook.

A U-nail used to repurpose an easel and old picture frame as garden art.

Hammering a nail into a painted wood easel.

Now hang your flower basket from the hook.

Hanging a flower basket onto an easel and frame for what to do with old picture frames.

Set the Frame on the Easel and Step Back

Place your frame on the easel and just enjoy it for a minute. You just turned an old frame into a beautiful garden art piece.

That never gets old!

A hanging basket hanging on an easel an framed with an old picture frame.

Learn an easy way to hang flower pots to create a charming outdoor garden-inspired display. Donna from An Organized House will show you how.

Check it out HERE!

Best Plants for Hanging Basket Art

This is where the whole thing comes to life. The right plants turn a repurposed frame into something that looks like it belongs in a magazine!

I went with begonias, and I’d make that same choice again in a heartbeat. They’re full, lush, and come in colors that really pop against a dark green frame.

A few other trailing varieties that work beautifully for this kind of a display:

Petunias
Fuchsia
Trailing verbena
Bacopa

The goal is to choose something that spills a little over the edges and gives the impression that the flowers are the painting.

Choose colors that complement your frame and easel, and you really can’t go wrong.

Trailing begonias framed in an old picture frame and sitting on a wood easel.

Cutting gardens bring smiles by their very existence — but when that garden is for the whole neighborhood, it also builds community. Diane’s zinnia cutting garden (South House Designs) does exactly that, complete with a handmade sign, painted birdhouses, and scissors ready for any neighbor who wants to snip a fresh bunch.

See how she did it HERE!

Learn how to create an affordable wire cloche for your garden. Anna from Skylark House is so clever and has all the details.

See it HERE!

More Ways to Use Old Picture Frames in the Garden

The painted easel display is my personal favorite, but it’s far from the only creative way to repurpose old picture frames outdoors. Here are a few other ideas worth considering.

Hang it from a tree
Try a shepherd’s hook.
Lean it against a fence.
Layer several frames together.

More Ways to Use Old Picture Frames in the Garden

Hang it from a tree – A large vintage picture frame affixed to the trunk of a tree is pure garden magic. Secure it gently with rope, or, if you prefer, a single small nail. Just go easy if you’re hammering into a tree. A little mindfulness goes a long way. Tuck a small hanging basket inside the frame, and you’ve got a whimsical focal point that looks like it grew there naturally.
Try a shepherd’s hook – A shepherd’s hook is a great way to display a smaller frame without any fuss. Hang the frame from the hook at a small basket of trailing blooms, and you’ve got an instant focal point that’s easy to move around.
Lean it against a fence – Got a wooden fence that needs some personality? Lean a large ornate frame against it and let the garden do the rest.
Layer several frames together – Different styles and sizes grouped together in a garden bed create a gallery wall moment.

Wendy from WM Design House is turning a vintage birdcage into a whimsical garden planter, complete with a mossy nest of trailing plants spilling through the bars. It’s the sweetest way to give an old treasure new life in the garden.

Take a look HERE!

Where to Display Your Garden Flower Art

One of the best things about this project is how flexible it is. The easel means you’re not committing to anything permanent. You can move it around until it feels just right.

A few spots worth considering:

In a garden bed
On a patio or deck
Near the front door
At the edge of a path

Michelle from Thistle Key Lane shares how to build your own solitary bee hotel or update a ready made one that will blend in with your garden.

Get all the details HERE!

Favorite Handcrafted Society Projects

One Last Frame

If you’ve got old picture frames collecting dust somewhere in your house, this is their moment!

A little paint, a sunny spot in the garden, and a basket full of begonias, and suddenly you’ve got something that looks like it took a lot more effort than it did.

That’s the kind of project I live for.

Give it a try and let me know how yours turns out. I’d love to see what you create! Drop a photo in the comments or tag me on social.

Cheers!

A Little About Me

Hi! I’m missy. So happy to meet you!

“Decorate with Joy! Live with Happiness”

I truly believe that your home should be a reflection of your personality, a space where you feel free to express yourself and create a sanctuary that feels uniquely yours.

I love creating mood boards, hunting down unique home décor treasures, tackling easy DIY projects, and gathering with family and friends. Homes are meant to be enjoyed, filled with laughter, and shared with the people you love!