Recycled fixtures appear in outdoor spaces

by Lorene Edwards Forkner

The patio at Molly Ward Gardens restaurant on Bainbridge Island, Wash., contains many recycled materials - including the bathroom sink. Owner Lynn Ward says that a playful spirit and the desire not to waste anything was behind this area of the restaurant. "The sink was here when we renovated, and I didn't want to throw it away," she says.

"I said 'Let's use it - it'll be fun!'" The floor of the patio is made of chunks of concrete and the sink's "backsplash" from sections of a demolished brick building. Potted plants, including a large spiky-leafed Phormium, decorate the terrace in all seasons.

Clients of Seattle's Parsons Public Relations enjoy the soothing sounds of a water feature fashioned from repurposed vintage bathroom fixtures in the firm's outdoor conference room. The organic garden/gathering space officially designated a Backyard Wildlife Habitat by the World Wildlife Federation, is a living expression of the marketing firm's commitment to sustainable practices.

"The garden with its creative use of recycled materials and wildlife friendly plantings exemplifies everything we stand for," says company founder Joanie Parsons, who also is an ardent gardener. "Visitors experience our vision in a very real way."

Lorene Edwards Forkner, freelance writer, garden designer and food enthusiast, revels in the seasonal pleasures and broad scope of gardening in the Pacific Northwest. She's a contributing writer to Northwest Garden News and author of Hortus Miscellaneous (Sasquatch Books, 2007).