Free Vintage Illustrations of Gardens and Gardening

I love Springtime crafts and artwork!  It was this past Easter that finally inspired me to create this free vintage images blog for all creative types to enjoy.  There’s something so nostalgic about the pastel color palettes, cute bunny images, and bright retro illustrations of carrots and veggies.  And speaking of which, I’m not done with my adoration of whimsical spring themed clipart.  I gathered the following public domain clip art from my favorite online databases to help inspire that next project!

vintage garden herbs ad 01 vintage garden lawnmower ad 01  vintage garden veggie advertisement 01

These late 1800’s print ads for herbs, gardening supplies, and seeds can be used in a variety of creative ways.  Here’s a quick tip for turning that old, plain wooden night table with surface damage into a brand new, unique piece of furniture.

  • Using simple sandpaper, smooth down the surface of your night stand table, removing any damaged varnish and other surface damage.
  • Take measurements of your night stand’s surface so you can accurately adjust the sizes your chosen image(s).
  • Decor Tip: Covering nearly the entire surface with a compelling vintage gardening ad would make a stylish and interesting piece of bedroom furniture! 
  • After gluing or decoupaging or your images to the surface, allow to dry and evenly cover the night table with furniture grade seal and varnish.

vintage garden swamp kids book

A Bit of History

These retro garden images above were popular during the post WWII effort to encourage more gardening and food production nationwide.  Similar messages were also prevalent during Hoover’s administration and throughout FDR’s terms as President.  It was all part of a nationwide effort to invest more in activities that ‘grow’ the country and its economy.  So gardening as a symbol fit perfectly with those campaigns.  COMING SOON: Vintage Wartime Posters and Illustrations!

The fact that free vintage illustrations are more than 70 to over 150 years old adds a bit of mystery and intrigue to them.  That’s why you can make the most chilling and mysterious Halloween cards with anonymous vintage photos of home interiors, foggy landscapes, and family photos.

These above illustrations on the other hand can be used as unique teaching aids for United States history courses, along with the thousands of historical photos and illustrations available online.

Make The Perfect Spring-Themed Thank You Note

Easter 2015 came and went, but that doesn’t mean your springtime crafting ends there!  The above images of kids gardening make adorable Thank-You notes for grandparents and neighbors.  Simply print them out on postcard quality paper and add a thin layer of glossy varnish on the surface to add a bit of natural shimmer.  These also work great as mini to/from note cards for birthdays and gift tags for new neighbors too.

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