Some people look at a pile of unused junk in their garage and see a goldmine. The rest of us let that goldmine rust until we eventually throw it away, only later realizing that we could have put it to good use. "Doh!"

Such was the realization we had when we came across this photograph of a vertical rain-gutter garden -- one woman's inspired "recycling" project gone right. Think about it – there are many good reasons to do this. For one, it’s a great solution for a homeowner whose best light is not in the same spot as their best planting soil. Second, at least some portion of hungry, scavenging critters will be unable to reach the leafy-green goods. And third, it’s a perfect use of vertical space if your flat, horizontal gardening space is spare.

Plus, there's good news for all us junk-tossers: rain gutters are pretty inexpensive to buy new so we can still join in the fun.