By Sharon Cohoon,Sunset senior garden writer

Using industrial materials such as rebar in unexpected ways in residential gardens is one of Margaret Joplin's  trademarks.  So it's not surprising to see the same theme at work at Pure Beauty, the garden decor shop the landscape architect recently opened in Tucson, Arizona.

Take this cool glass pot, for instance.  In its former life, it was an industrial light fixture.  But when Joplin passed an office supply store that was remodeling and obviously planning to discard its light fixtures, she envisioned a second life for the vessels and bought them all on the spot.

photo by Tim Fuller          plant used, Agave gemniflora

Joplin filled the light fixtures with black Mexican river rocks, tucked in nursery plants still in their containers (the rocks will hide the black plastic), and created a smart new container idea.

When she used up her original supply of light fixtures, Joplin found more at a contractor's scrapyard.  You could do the same.  These fixtures are 24 inches in diameter and 12 inches.

For more repurposing ideas from Joplin (steel containers with built-in trellises made from industrial scrap, for instance), visit her store.  Pure Beauty is located at 2719 East Broadway in Tucson.  Store hours are 9-5 Mon.-Fri. and 10-3 on Saturday.  Phone (520) 623-8068.