Oh, no! Someone has knocked down a pot of flowers and broken it!  Ah, well, it happens… And sometimes you see a broken pot at a sale and think why in the world are they selling that?  But wait, these can be bargains!

Here is what I do. First I  started putting  a ‘carpet’ of broken terra cotta pots under the hose bib.  

Broken terracotta clay pots can still be used near the hose.

A place was found  to use this set of broken blue pots found at the flea market.  I knocked them over and before I ever got to plant them!

What really hurt was  this broken Bauer pot, a treasure found at a University Flea Market in my favorite color!  Broken from being left out in freezing weather most likely. I found a spot for the pieces which pleases me, next to the Germander sage, Salvia chamaedryoides, a color match. Eases the pain a bit!

Broken Bauer pot, ouch, that hurts...

This idea below, seen on a  garden tour, comes obviously from the heartbreak of a large broken pot. Planted with sedum and echeveria with small mushrooms placed inside it makes a now charming accent to a flower bed.

So if you see broken or flawed pots at a thrift store or tag sale, you know they can be used in the garden with a little creative imagination!