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of ways to do this. One of the most popular is to use dried gourds as planters or holders. Large gourds such as bushel gourds are great for this use because of their round shape and large size. If you have a large bushel gourd you can even grow a tomato or pepper plant in the gourd. Dipper gourds and water jug gourds work for small plants such as violets. To use gourds as planters you will need to cut appropriate sized openings in the tops for the plants to grow and small drainage holes in the bottoms.

Birdhouses and birdfeeders are another way to use gourds to decorate your yard. Birdhouse gourds are a variety of gourd specifically for this use but many others can also be used. You can purchase gourds for birdhouses or feeders already cut out and painted, gourds with the wholes cut and not painted, or dried gourds ready for you to do with what you want. These are great options for the crafters who may want to decorate without growing their own gourds.

Another unique idea for using gourds in the backyard is as light covers. This involves making cutouts in the cleaned and dried gourd then placing it over a light or using as a candle holder. These light covers' can be as simple or as detailed as you would like. Depending on your lighting usage you will want to make sure you keep safety in mind first before decorating. Low watt bulbs designed specifically for putting of no heat and outdoor use are great and can be found at most home improvement stores.

Whether using gourds or gourd plants to decorate your backyard keep in mind that you are using nature to enhance your living space and your project should be tailored to your likes and needs. For thousands of years gourds have been used for many uses most likely there is a reason for the long lived usefulness of gourds.

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