Recycling something that you already have is always more satisfying than buying the new one. With that in mind, we bring you these 8 creative and innovative gardening ideas using old windows below. One of the coolest aspects of it is the often startling contrast and surprise they bring to the nominally green space of yours. When glass, mirrors, or simply angular frames are juxtaposed with natural surroundings, the resulting imagery can be striking.

Just as every garden is unique, every gardener will have her own ideas about what to add to them.If you’re interested in working a little window magic, then take the inspiration gleaned here and run with it!

1. Mirrored Window

This project is incredibly fun to make and to enjoy. Using mirrors outdoors is simple pleasures and the effect is both familiar and novel, and never ceases to impress.

2. Transplanted Window Container Garden

The glass set against an exterior wall makes for a romantic sight, while the hanging containers do the job they were always meant for.

3. Free Standing Window Hanging Garden

Convert each cell of the frame into a small pocket for container gardening, then hang the entire thing against a wall, fence, or create a standing frame as pictured above.

4. Small Window Greenhouse

Windows make a perfect little greenhouse for your garden. This idea might take a bit of elbow grease but it’s relatively simple to accomplish, so long as you have a few spare windows sitting around.

5. Tree Hung Picture Window

There’s nothing more interesting than removing the context entirely from the window, letting it float in space beneath the branches of a tree and adding a few microscopic container gardens to the frame.

6. Window Coffee Table

Larger windows are ready made to become the perfect vintage coffee table for your outdoor relaxing furniture set.

7. Ornate Fence Framing

Leaving two of the glass panes in to be frost painted, the other panes leave a gap where you can see through and enjoy a bit of bespoke craftiness with whatever materials you see fit. Adorable.

8. Low Garden Wall

Here’s a great project for anyone with a lot of uniform windows to use.