When you see so many pictures of productive gardens in big backyards, it's easy to forget that gorgeous gardens also happen in small yards and surprising places. These 15 repurposed planters remind us that you don't need a lot of space and new materials to start growing your own garden; all you need is a little bit of ingenuity and resolve.

TOP ROW

1. Chairs: Old Chairs make amazing raised planters. This one is super cute because they've painted it to contrast with all the garden greenery.
2. Shoes: I've seen shoe gardens before but this repurposed sandal is especially cute because of its size, colour and inbuilt drainage!
3. Buckets: These metal buckets have been raised on concrete parking guides and they look amazing lined up against the wall. Garden herbs ready to go!
4. Furniture: I love this idea! When a piece of furniture has outlived its indoor life it can be moved to the outdoors! Just add dirt, lining and drainage.
5. Guttering: Suzanne lined the sunny side of her house with rain guttering and now has fresh salad produce just outside her window.

MIDDLE ROW

6. Bread pans: Just add holes and dirt and your unused kitchenware lives again as a kitchen planter!
7. Colanders: Another repurposed planter with built in drainage. It's like it's meant to be!
8. Oil tins: These oil tins make fantastic planters when you're done with your oil.
9. Washing buckets: I've seen these old buckets in a lot of op-shops and I've often wondered... but what would I do with it? Plant in it!
10. Pots and pans: More kitchen stuff that makes its way into the yard. Tiny pots full of garden greenery.

BOTTOM ROW

11. Bags: This tiny succulent garden looks so cute in its repurposed home.
12. Yogurt containers: Love yogurt. But I've yet to find a yogurt that doesn't come in a plastic container of some description. So rather then recycle them or store them in the cupboard for 'some day' I'm going to repurpose them into a yogurt planter garden.
13. Tins: Empty tins make fantastic planters. Easy to add drainage, easy to decorate and very durable.
14. Coffee mugs: I love these mugs turned into mini herb gardens... I'm just not sure how to add the drainage... something to try!
15. Boxes/guitars/drawers/tubs: If you have the space and propensity arranging all your repurposed planters together can look amazing! This rooftop garden has me inspired.

(Images: 1. The Seattle Times; 2. Our House; 3. CantyShanty; 4. The Micro Gardener; 5. Juneau Empire; 6. Giant Jeans Parlor; 7. The Micro Gardener; 8. My HomeGrown; 9. Make Things Go; 10. The Bowerbird; 11. The Micro Gardener; 12. Eco-Friendly Freckles; 13. Ewa in the Garden; 14. Sow Your Own; 15. Urban Garden Casual)