Anybody use broken concrete for raised garden bed?

Venice, there's no such thing as too many pictures of rocks :)
Judy, your yard is nice! I'll get pics when I ge back to my desktop computer..

judy,judy ,judy,your yard is perfect,we all have sore spots ,I have more than one,here is one,8x10 deck going in who knows how long it will take,have to reroute gutter tiles,found a tree root growing over and crushing the 4 in plastic tile,always something:) and see the ugly concrete wall,Iam trying to think of how to change and plant that area also,then when all the brick comes up ,i will have to most likley use the brick for maybe a walk path,where the grass is,next to the boulders

This message was edited Aug 13, 2009 8:29 AM

Your rock garden looks really pretty! What do you think about painting your concrete white? Or just putting lattice over the concrete to frame your garden? However, you are on your way to having a very nice area there.

Judy -- Was that link you gave me suppose to be for Farmerdill? Do you know where he is? (I guess my limit is up for sending emails).

venice ,we just installed some vinal lattice on the other side of the house,and we are going to do the same there,I have to move all those rocks,its kind of a holding area for rocks right now,Ineeded a spot to put the rest of my rock pile,till I was ready for it.Iam changing over to cottage from rock garden,well I could call it cottagerock,I think I like that :) Talk about an eyesore look at all that stuff that needs hidden ,aarrggg!!always a work in progress

Thanks for the pics, i am really inspired!
and as for ugly yards I got y'all beat hands down!
1950's end of group rowhome. neighbors on all sides but one and theres a street there
35 yr old falling down rusty chain link fence, half the backyards concrete or mud or sloped, the shed that was put up in a weekend by the previous owner and is now looking like it will fall down any minute. oh yeah and about 12 bright yellow cat litter buckets with toms and peppers in them. the cherry bomb hot peppers are the prettiest thing in the yard. Plus I have 2 kids the dog and multiple neighborhood kids who tear up what little grass I have.
the fence will be replaced when our friends put up their privacy fence they are giving us the fence fabric and top rail. The shed will probably fall down before it gets replaced!
I'll try and post pix so you can have a good laugh.
my groundbreaking begins mid september!

philsgal,Iam glad you dont need to build a very tall border out of the urbanite,you will be able to play around with it a lot more,it will be like fitting a puzzle together.

Huggergirl,
I bow to your slope. LOL. Mine is not that bad but I couldn't take my eyes off your screened porch (envy, envy, envy) and your awesome rock garden. OMG. That is beautiful! The deck is going to be great once you get it done. Building the deck isn't that time-consuming but preparation is very important (drainage, etc.). That's not ugly at all. Just a work site to be proud of! I had seen your post on another forum where you had mentioned changing from "rock" to "cottage." Cottage rock, indeed. Cute :-)

I was especially noticing your rocks and they reminded me of when I lived in Utah. I had never seen such rocky land. They looked like big baked potatoes. I had a dog pen on a concrete pad in the back and dug a one-foot-deep trench around it for drainage. Came across enough of those "baked potatoes" to fill the trench on all sides and it was a big pad ... 20 x 25. Wish I had some of those rocks here to line my flower beds.

Philsgal: Your home sounds like a typical suburban home with kids and dogs and things getting worn to a frazzle. A "making you smile" American portrait. Pure Norman Rockwell stuff. My daughter has six kids, three dogs and I lost count of the cats, and her house is completely worn out. But they're happy and the kids have good hearts. You guys are so fortunate to have your youth working for you in your gardening ventures. Look at me. Old and decrepit and trying to do stuff I should have been doing 30 years ago. LOL Keep the faith, dear. Garden while you can.

Venice: I don't know nothin' 'bout no Farmerdill. LOL That website came from the Garden Web forum from a guy who lives in NC. His site is called "Seventh Street Cottage." (I don't know how much I'm allowed to say here before they knock me off.) I think it's one of those "blogspot" thingys. I clicked on his name, went to his GW page and got the URL off of that. I checked it before I sent it to you and it was the right website. His gardens are so simple and inviting. You want to pull up a chair and sit down so you can take it all in slowly. Nothing big and fancy just a beautiful peaceful place.

If it's allowed, I can post the URL to his blogspot site here. Somebody let me know.

Judy

judy I didnt show the whole picture !!! My wonderful DH is the worlds worst procastinator and perfectionist all rolled into one,and he is left handed,well that means he is left brained too,anyway there is the main entry to the house little porch concrete pad and walk,NOT FINISHED YET 12 YRS NOW !!! soo glad you cant see it from the road.

Judy -- Yes I did get that link to the guy in NC. I really enjoyed looking at it because he shows how he grows seedlings before planting. I don't have the space or patience to do all of that. But I appreciate seeing what others are doing.

Judy, how old are you anyway? You make it sound like you are 90 years old!

Huggergirl, at least you have some very fine plans for you all to work on.

Venice: I turned 70 in April, but health problems have slowed me down considerably. Three heart attacks, bypass surgery, and breast cancer with surgery will take the wind out of your sails right quick, believe me! However, I am determined to have a decent garden before I leave this dear world. I'm a tough ol' broad. LOL

I did want to post one more "before" photo where I intend to use the "rocks" if the back looks okay. This is in the front and I've about decided to go with sasanquas here because it is very shady and they will do okay in shade. Don't know what I'm going to put in front of them but I'll come up with something. The rocks would start just behind the downspout, come across to the right, then curve down and take in the tree, and continue to the side gate. I'm going to put those Asiatic lilies along the side of the house and in front of the fence. That's the south side. Gets lots of sun. Also plan to put lilies in front of the fence on the other side. After trying several colors around here, I have decided I'm definitely a "pink" person and will go with all shades of maroon, rosy red, pink and white. Here's a closeup of the right side of the house:

Wow! Judy! You must be a very strong and determined woman to go through all your physical problems and still be able to garden. I really admire you. You have some great plans for your flowers and yard. Those lillies in varigated shades of pink sound like they will be very beautiful.

Venice,
You know, I sat here year after year, thinking and planning, doing a lot of that "constructive" contemplating we talked about, but it wasn't until I found the garden forums and you guys that I was spurred into really doing something. You don't know what an inspiration it is to have people who can identify with your passion and give you encouragement, even though they live hundreds of miles away. I live right on a busy highway and I know there are people who drive by (and have for the past 20 years) and probably comment to themselves on the changes I've made in the house and yard. But until someone says it to YOU, it doesn't really hit home and give you that warm feeling of accomplishment. That's what all of you have done. Now I want to get out there and get started more than ever. And the best part is that when I do something ... even just a little ... there is someone to share it with. Thank you all so very much for being there.

Judy

Hugger, I think you're married to my husband lol
Judy your yard looks good,the unfinished parts, I mean.... the "finished" parts look great! But even when we finish, we're never finished. I get those big potato rocks in my yard...my husband thinks I'm nuts, I get all excited when they pop up.
hi Venice!

Hugger,
I'm sorry. I didn't pick up on that remark about your procrastinating hubby. I thought that went with the territory. You mean it doesn't? All hubbies don't procrastinate? Gosh! I didn't know that! My dear one, God rest his soul, was probably the world's worst. Lynnie, yours too? See? They all are! But it's hard to get along without them, isn't it? However, I sure get irritated with myself when I have to break down and ask a MAN to do something I just can't manage myself. You guys are lucky to have a live-in handyman. The fact that they're "putoffskeys" is a small price to pay.

Lynnie,
Thanks for the kind comments about my unfinished house and yard projects. I am pleased with what has been done to date. I do hope to get most of the rest done within the next two or three years. The inside is just about as bad. When people enter, I tell them the house is a work in progress. I still need to finish painting a couple of rooms. But, as you said, even when we're finished, we're never really finished. Maybe one day ... :-)

Judy

judy,you did hear me say wonderful ,before I said procrastinating !!!!LOL, you are so right,Iam so lucky to have him 32 yrs now,he is 64 Iam 50,

philsgal,HEY ARE YOU GONNA POST SOME PICTURES ,we what to see what the hheck your up to!! we want to see.Iam reusing some blk plastic edging also,I need it to keep the mulch from washing into the yard in hard rain.I will keep showing my ugly spots,if you show me yours!!! LOL. Ps have you been to the trash to treasures forum,Ideas reusing and recycling,Iam always looking and thinking one mans trash my treasure !!! like picking rocks out the freshly plowed fields.

This message was edited Aug 14, 2009 7:22 AM

lol Philsgal is probably working hard on her rocks and I'm literally sitting here eating chocolates :) (harry & david malted milk balls, who can blame me?) maybe she'll have it all done & will have pics to post when she's back.
Judy I'm right there with you on the inside of the house. I've been trying to get my bedroom refinished for 2 years now. Once I subscribed here, I found there are remodeling forums , have you seen them? My attention now is on the yard, but once the weather changes I'm hoping to get the inside stuff done. I did manage to refinish my stairs this spring, that's something. Everything takes time.

Hugger,
Maybe if we nag her enough she'll show us her projects. :-)

I LOVE that Trash to Treasures forum. Garden "art" is, to me, what puts the icing on the cake for a real "cottage" garden. Old seatless chairs, twiggy arbors, bottomless pails, watering cans, bird baths, oddly constructed trellises, old iron headboards, and, of course, who can do without the charming garden gnomes and fairies? I have the gnome ... still trying to find a fairy that doesn't look cheesy. Definitely don't want Disney's Tinkerbell. Looking for more of an Angel Fairy.

Several years ago, I bought an antique iron bed (headboard, footboard and side rails) I thought was a double. However, when I tried to put a double mattress on it I discovered it was actually a 3/4 bed and one of the "clamps" on the side rails broke (very soft metal). It would be difficult to repair it (re-weld) without being afraid the rail would give way in the middle of the night and send someone tumbling to the floor. Besides, I could only put a twin mattress on it and I don't have a twin bed in the house. The grandkids sleep either on the floor in the living room (why do they prefer that?) or in the double bed in the "grandkids' room."

Sooo ... I thought maybe I could use the headboard and footboard in the garden. Not for a "bed" with headboard and footboard, but use them for "gates" or separate backdrops. They are quite ornate but not so much that they would look gaudy. Still tossing that one around. They would really look pretty with colorful flowers in front of them.

Lynnie: Toss me a couple of those malted milk balls. Once I sit down with those I usually don't stop until they're gone. Lordy! Those things just melt in your mouth.

I have seen the decorating forums but not a remodeling one. Will have to check that out. I am really proud of how my bedroom turned out. Several years ago, I received a "Romantic Homes" magazine with a front porch done in pink and green with white wicker furniture. I went ape. It took me 30 years to realize I didn't share my bedroom with a guy anymore and didn't have to use neutral or drab colors. So I went over the top. Exchanged all my old Danish modern bedroom furniture (actually I gave it to my daughter) for "Shabby Chic" style 1920s furniture I bought at auction and painted white. Painted the walls a pale green and the woodwork a high gloss bright white. Switched the king-size bed for a double to give me more room (white, old-fashioned chenille spread) and hung frosty white, puddled sheers with a white lace valance. Use pink for accents in the throw pillows, chair seats, extra quilts, and a gorgeous bowl and pitcher set with huge roses painted on it. Man! Talk about feminine! I love it!

Went totally the other way with a bold color in the living/dining room which is roughly 25 x 30. It originally was "builder's special" white and you felt like you were floating uncontrollably with all that open space. I painted the walls cobalt blue and it brought everything in where it belonged. I have cobalt blue bottles and glassware sitting on all the windowsills. I replaced all the old furniture, once again, with 1920s "vintage" stuff. My mother laughs and calls it junk because it's the kind of furniture HER mother had. LOL. I am an auction junkie ... or, at least I was. I don't have any room left in my basement to store things! I couldn't believe the prices and bought stuff I really didn't need because bidding was so much fun. My dining room table was only $65 and it's gorgeous. I have mirrors. tables, paintings and prints, all kinds of stuff down there. I redecorate once a year and just swap stuff out. I need to have a garage sale and make more room. But then, what would I redecorate with?

I will check out the remodeling forum. Like you, I do painting and stuff on cold winter days when you can't get out in the yard.

Can't wait to see Philsgal's projects. Sure hope she'll share soon. Hint! Hint! :-)

Judy

Hey ,quit tossin around those mmb,ill gain back all those mmbs I lost !!! we have each taken off 13 lbs .since spring.High cholesterol, smokes are next. Judy sounds like you were describing all of my garden art,have you been here ?

Hugger,
That is absolutely precious! Yes, that's what I'm talking about. I swear I have never set foot in Indiana!

I have collected a few pieces but don't have gardens to put them in yet (the gnome is in the bed in front of the porch) but my sister's garden has been my inspiration. I'm posting a few pics of her garden that were taken the first of May when things weren't in full bloom yet and they were getting ready for the Pike County Garden Show which was coming up the first week of June. I think they have been working on their garden for about 7-8 years. Bought a 1930s house on three acres and have taken it from nothing to gorgeous. Here are a few of their whimsical things ...

guy with grassy crew cut sitting in bird bath

And here's a twiggy arbor my nephew built. It's starting to fall apart and my BIL had secured it with rope until he could fix it properly. Remember, things had not fully filled out yet. There's a white clematis starting to grow up the side ...

And here's an old piece of rusty fence she found at an antique store (actually she is part owner of one herself) ...

Angel in bird bath ...

Bottle tree and bird house ...

And this is not really garden art, but it's so pretty I wanted you to see it. My BIL built this pergola and it is covered with roses and confederate jasmine ... so gorgeous.

I know I can never have anything like that but it's nice to have something to guide you. They work many hours keeping things up. I just don't have that kind of strength. But something scaled down I think I can manage.

Still waiting to see Rachel's stuff (tapping foot, looking at watch).

J.

judy ,great stuff,the bust,twiggy arbor,bottle tree,OMG Iam having visions of future projects. we are leaving for a hog roast,i baked cookies to take,later Tamara

I also had seen your pony and bowling balls. Cute, cute, cute!!

oh those pics are all awesome! I love those head planters, I want one, nowhere to put it right now....I'm itching to get my rocks rolling hahaha....(tired & punchy, bear with me )
maybe i can put one in my rock garden stream bed fountain area...still haven't nailed it down as you can see.

I suppose you're all sick and tired of the subject by now, but I just saw it. My sister has been building up her beds for a long time with broken concrete. She said she wants them waist high by the time she's 80 so she won't have to bend down, lol. She founded EcoHome, a demonstration home for ecological living in an urban environment. Her site is: http://www.ecohome.org/pages/index.html
Good luck with your projects....Harriet

we've been sick. no pix yet. DH uses the camera at work every day so I don't get acess as much as I'd like. DH & I used the sitting area i created under front awning last night and it was very nice. we were both doing some constructive staring and getting some garden decisions made.
we did some more plotting and planning for the backyard too. timetables and such. can't get a whole lot done with the kids, so trying to con my parents into taking them for a weekend here and there this fall & winter. They'll help with the planting in the spring.

after the inspirations we've had, we may need to craigslist for more concrete! We hope to put in a nice winding path thru the front garden, a set of steps to the front door from the side yard and maybe a new tree. The biggest challenge in all this is doing it at virtually no cost. gas to pick things up & some mortar are about the only things we will pay for. the dump has free compost and mulch, I can pinch newspaper and cardboard from the neighbors on recycle day. Gonna look for free topsoil on CL.

If dh gets home before dark, I'll try and snap some pix
Judy you called it - worn to a frazzle. well loved. also "fixed in a very haphazard way by the previous owner" we're talking masking tape instead of electrical tape, extension cords hardwired instead of romex. it's a wonder the joint didn't burn down on us. I still remember 8 yrs ago the ad for the house "shows pride in ownership" Yeah right.
But I love this house and neighborhood. We sacrificed having a bigger single family with a bigger yard for getting a smaller townhouse right across the street from the water. Nothing beats walking the dog on the shore or launching a canoe just across the road. or the water's reflection shimmering on my bedroom wall. or the wild life.
I love this house and want to make it pretty again. i'm getting lots of inspiration here.

What do you do with you newpaper and cardboard? I can't believe you can get compost and mulch from your dump! That is great!

No pix tonight it just started pouring! Lightning hit the house down the street, nobody hurt, but it's been interesting.
Venice, the newspaper and cardboard are for the base of the garden to smother the grass lasagna style. I will not be digging or tilling. then pile organic material I can get my hands on as thick as I can. settle over the winter and it's ready for plants in spring.

Baltimore County is very good about recycling anything since our landfills have been at capacity for years. they keep finding ways to eke by. One in particular has been utilized in such a way that they have gotten about 5 extra years out of it. and they are now using the methane emissions from the dump for power too.

We have more green/open space than most counties this means lots of organic debris. they started composting & mulching years ago. I hear they even compost the roadkill apparently it disappears in weeks.

despite the astronomical taxes we pay in maryland. Baltimore county is a nicely managed place to live. the bayshore is beautiful.

You must have enough space where you can add a few inches on top of it. How deep do you think your soil, mulch, etc. will be?

I am ashamed of Indiana. Indiana takes in garbage from other states! Also, most places you have to do recycling on your own and take it to a recycle site. I just recycle my paper and No.2 plastic bags. I don't have that many other plastics or cans. It is so frustrating. Many people dump everything in those bins and I just bet they end up dumping them anyway. Then phone books go at one location and paint etc. both go to separate locations pretty far away. I sure wish Indiana was more responsible.

thatswho thanks for the link, as you can see we never tire of this subject lol
I have a pic of the area I'm going to put the behemoth boulders in....there's nothing there now except a chair to mark the spot..so I guess this is my before..

and down the side of the house (and please excuse the weeds, haven't been home much this month!)

Wow! Great land.

Rachel,
We weren't trying to rush you. We missed you. :-) Sorry you were sick but so glad you're back.

I'm with you 100 percent on the smaller house on the water versus larger house and land inland. I would give my eyeteeth if I had moved to Florida when I had the chance nearly 40 years ago. I love the beach ... and, if not the beach, then the shore anywhere on a body of water. Your house, though "well loved" and worn out, sounds like it has loving owners who will bring it back to its proper beauty. And we want to be with you every step of the way.

Lynnie, I'm still envious of your gorgeous flat land. Can't wait to see where you put those boulders.

Still doing constructive staring and contemplating. Must have moved at least 100 "rocks" today ... mentally, of course.

Judy