Someone had a great under the sea garden but you could also go for a deserted island look. Make a scarecrow pirate add a colorful parrot and a treasure map!
But..... I see you are in zone 6 so another idea could be a My Favorite things theme. Straight out of granny's attic! add some fun antiquey stuff Old dolls a hobby horse,ride on car a plastic airplane.
Or all rusty kitchen items. you know the red handled and red enameled kind.Maybe a birdcage.
It would also be interesting planted with ornamental cabbage or sweet allysum (gold),Sorry im better with Florida plants so the ornamental cabbage I can't remember the proper name.
Have fun

Goldenpond that's a good idea also.I love attic junk.
We call it ornamental cabbage also.I was thinking maybe sedums,different kinds.One that would maybe trail down the front of the chest. Thanks for the input.Joan

If you want to do the pirate theme, planting it full of a gold flower like marigolds would make it appear to be full of gold. I have seen people put pretty glass knobs on pipes/rods and stick them in the garden. They often look like jewels like diamonds, rubies and emeralds. Or if that is too expensive, get some cheap costume jewelry or "jewels" at a craft store and glue them onto a ball then glue that onto a rod. Stick them in the soil amongst the gold flowers. Maybe have some cheap strings of pearls hanging over the edge.

If you could find a plastic parrot to sit on the open lid that would be a plus!

Wow that is a great chest. I love the pirate theme. The ideas so far have been great...Can't wait to see what you come up with...I am sure it will be wonderful.

Could get some small flat rocks & spray paint a "real" gold color & have in front of chest like it is just overflowing with coins. I think a TS or maybe even party shop might have a parrot. I think a bleach jug could be cut so it would look like a pirate's hat & spray it black & add gold decorations by spraying carefully into the lid of the gold & applying that paint to the black hat with a cheap artist brush.(that's what I do. when I need a dab of paint, just spray into the cap until it is enough to wet my brush a few times) Sounds like fun project!! Post pic!!! Jan

If you have www.freecycle.org in your area post for Halloween pirate stuff. You're sure to get lots. I saw so many pirates on Halloween this year. I love the pearls coming out of the chest idea. You could take old boards crackle paint them and put sayings on them. Like you'll walk the plank. I know I've seen tons of toy parrots at garage sales. Please post more pictures please.

Everyone has great Ideas.I go to the crystal coast every year.When I go this May,I'm going to bring home some shells.Hopefully a good piece of drift wood.The parrot idea is good.I also have some prickly pear catus that I can move there.And build up with rock around and make it look like a tiny island.Thanks

Wow, everyone has come up with fantastic ideas, I don't have anything to add. Just that's how I picture it, with driftwood around it and things just spilling out of it. I know you're gonna have fun with this. Isn't it great to have something to work on? Keep us updated.

Wow, I love ALL of these ideas. Let us see what you come up with!

I love it's location ... with the split rail fence. I think it would look cool opened up and just planted with whatever perennials you love... looks like you have some shade there...could have a variety, some cascading over the edges...I can picture seeing an old antiquey wheel/or rim... or a couple rusty pieces, maybe old chain, something with character. Maybe plant 3 large poles in the ground with some old rope wrapped around them...see pic below. Ahh, you've got some great ideas yourself ... and from others...so have fun with it...enjoy your trip to the sea! Jeanne S.

{{gwi:200978}}

Seal it good with a waterproof something or other. You can buy gold coins at the party section at Walmart, for birthday party favors. If you can find Mardi Gras beads, those would be great. Maybe stick a solar light on a rod,one that looks like a lantern.

I want wait to see what you do with this chest Joan. Please post pics for us all to see! So many possibilities, lots of good ideas! ~tenderlee

Also check Oriental Trading Company for coins,beads etc.
VERY inexpensive

I just have to throw my two cents in here because I am a restorer of antique trunks. What you should really do with this is strip off the canvas and paper inside, then wash off al the glue with Oxy Clean, then sand and stain it. You can't even believe what a treasure is under all that dirt. This could be more of a find than you originally thought...a family heirloom waiting to be uncovered. If you need any info on how to restore it, let me know, I'd be glad to help.

Doreen

Cool chest!! If you decide to use it on your Pirate Island, add a bottle or two of Rum. What kinda of Pirate would one be without a bottle of Rum?
Vickie

That chest looks just like one I found and fixed up, my aunt found it for me at a yard sale for 15 bucks, probably 12 years or so ago, it was painted pink,, let me see if I can post it here.
I look forward to seeing what you end up doing with it

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:200976}}

BYM,
WEll now now....I had an ODT (old decrepid trunk) that I inherited. It was really bad--so I put it in my terrace area. I used pot feet to keep it off the bricks and drilled some holes into the bottom. I planted it up but my plants never did realy well in it. I would advise that you lift it off the ground so the bottom does not rot off and definitely line it with some biskween or plastic before you add your dirt. because I did not line mine it started growing some sort of funky mushrooms. Some gravel painted gold would do the trick as well as some fake coins and beads.

BUT also as Doreen said it would be great for a project restoration! Even though I got that one I did find one at a garage sale that just needed a little TLC. I shipped it back to North Carolina to a place called Treasured Chests and had them restore it. They were able to find a tray for the inside and also refurbish the tin on the outside. This is what it now looks like: Jules Old Trunk

Let us know which way you go on this.
Love, Jules

Here is a link that might be useful: Treasured Chests

Hey desertrat1.
nice refurbish job on that old trunk, they did a great job! I had, at one time, thought it would be great to set it upright, add feet, and shelves and use it as a TV stand or stereo stand, but didn't do that either. So it sits in my basement, storing stuff.

BiddleBeach,

Yeah, I thought of things to do with mine---since the ODT was just that it ended up in the garden. After the bottom rotted out and it didn't grow things really well I did the unthinkable and filed it in the trash. Yeah yeah, go ahead and beat me...it really was Old and Decrepid, for sure! When I found the humpback trunk at a garage sale for $50 I didn't blink an eye. The person I bought it from even had her husband deliver it to my house for me! Not soon after I had convinced my husband to have it send back east for restoration I inherited yet another trunk from my aunt. This one was my GG's (Great Grandmothers) and it was a wardroble trunk. I have not done a thing to it but set it up on end and open it up. I store things in it and it has my jewelry box, a phone and some decorative silk plants draped over the front top of it. It's in my bedroom and a painting of my GG when she was 3 hangs on the wall behind it. Antiques are just so wonderful. There are always stories behind them. The website I gave in my previous post is the place I sent the one to get restored. I think they are the best ones in the business. They have ones for sale---soemtimes they are used for coffee tables or hopes chest....

Love, Jules