How to source and style garden salvage

Salvage expert Michael Brown of Warehouse 701 on how to bring vintage charm to your outdoor space

Reclaimed outdoor furniture, planters or statuary – with their already-aged patina – are perfect partners for the garden. From rusty bistro sets with peeling paint and mossy stone troughs, to dented zinc watering cans and weathered wooden benches, their faded beauty will only increase with the years. Reclamation yards are your go-to for storied gardenalia, especially for larger pieces such as elegant statuary or timeworn troughs, although markets are ideal if you’re looking for smaller items like terracotta pots or zinc planters.

Based in a World War I munitions factory in Hereford, Warehouse 701 has been trading architectural salvage since 1954 and has an extensive stock of reclaimed garden features. Michael Brown from Warehouse 701 offers his ideas on how to incorporate garden salvage into your outdoor space.

What’s special about reclaimed items?

The reason something has survived through time is normally because it’s either well made, was valuable or it held a special place in someone’s heart. One or more of these is reason enough for it to be part of your story. Through the continued use of reclaimed pieces, we can hope to take some of the pressure off the decline of our environment and nature, while bringing a warm glow to our lives.

What should be considered first?

Decide what part the salvage will play. Is there a theme and is the salvage being used as an accent or feature? Will certain pieces need to appeal from multiple angles and will the changing seasons offer a different perspective? If you are looking for pieces to create one or more focal points, decide on the height and scale required. To install large or heavy items consider access and, if the ground is soft, if you will need boards and rollers to move items into position.

How will reclaimed pieces add style to a garden?

Perennial favourites include metal and stone troughs overflowing with blooms, vintage park benches to enjoy the view and staddle stones for a hint of rural heritage. Be bold and add a sculptured or transformational item or two – either among the flora or as a riotous explosion that dares to be ignored. Part of the fun of reclaim and salvage is in the contradiction between an item’s former function and current purpose. In addition, decide whether pieces are to blend, complement or contrast with their surroundings. A vintage aluminium milk churn, tipped at an angle, could create a novel water feature as water flows from it over river-worn pebbles. While in keeping with a rural-themed courtyard garden, it could conversely be an avant-garde statement in a contemporary minimalist setting. It’s all about context.

What outdoor space will they work in?

You can either follow the rules or break them! Imagine a tiny walled garden in the city. There’s nothing to stop you installing a huge antique gothic chapel door on one wall, overgrown with trailing plants and ivy, to create a ‘secret doorway’. A large country garden doesn’t always need large statement pieces – perhaps a selection of stained-glass panels between the timber uprights of a pergola or rose walk for a fabulous effect in both sunshine and moonlight.

What should buyers check for?

Know what you’re buying. Reputable salvage yards will happily identify whether something is antique, period, vintage or simply used. Check that the items you buy are legally sourced. Talk directly to those with sound knowledge and experience of salvage and reclaim and, lastly, do haggle! You may or may not achieve a saving – but rest assured no seasoned salvage dealer will ever be offended. Dealers who are members of SALVO are strictly governed by a code of practice that protects and helps the customer.

How can garden salvage be maintained?

Avoid placing wood or metal items directly on wet soil; raise them slightly on bricks, tiles or gravel where the air can pass underneath and stop them rotting. Consider oils and waxes rather than varnish or coatings; the latter can break down allowing moisture to become trapped which can accelerate decay. If something has a delicate finish or surface, place it away from direct sunlight and cover it or take it inside during the winter months. Remember that everything reclaimed was once new – the lovely patina you see now may change further over time.

WORDS: AMY BRATLEY