Stacks of flower pots, decorative home and nursery pots, are given away free to gardeners who stop by the Beaver Hill Disposal Site operated by Coos County. - World Photo by Lou Sennick

Recycling for the garden, yard art

COOS BAY - Black ones, brown ones, short ones, tall ones. Leave it to the folks at the Beaver Hill Disposal Site to figure out a way to flowerpots back to gardeners. Rows upon rows of flowerpots of all sizes are available to gardeners who stop by the Beaver Hill Disposal Site, about 15 miles south of Coos Bay off U.S. Highway 101. The flowerpot recycling program began about three years ago. "It just kind of goes in spurts," said Cheryl Westgaard, the business operations manager. There is one constant, though. The facility could use some volunteers to keep the program going.

One person's blight is another one's paradise when it comes to yard art. But don't discount the movement. Art is enjoying a coming out party across America as gardeners add personality to their yards. Discarded farm implements are being restored for use as planters. Statuary mingles with rose bushes. Colorful bottles replace fall foliage on tree branches.

Read the latest about art in the garden, gardeners truly going green and what local garden clubs are up to in Wednesday's World.