FOUND ART - what junk do you use for containers?

I've been using this wheelbarrow that came with our house for annuals every summer. This was not a great year.

But that's no reason to dump it out!

xxxxx, Carrie

Yep. I've definitely had a few days like yours.

Who did that!

me, with my electric wheelchair. we put it back in, though. I want to see all those tires, wading pools, etc. that everyone uses for planters!

ah, Carrie, now I'm putting the picture together from what you posted on the other thread...glad your planting (and you) survived the mishap

gram

YOU GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE POSTING YOUR ANNUALS IN CONTAINERS! Okay, here's another one, but it's in an old Chinese pot that, I was told, was originally used to transport pickled eggs. This is how it looked on May 29.

xxxxx,
Carrie

I am sorry for the mishap. I don't have one but a lady down the road had her wheelbarrow laying on its' side with plants spilling from it and running into a flower bed. It was intentional and pretty. pod

Love the idea of the wheelbarrow laying on its side!

I have an old blue (or formerly blue) wheelbarrow for a container. When we first moved here, I had it sitting on top of the rockery with plants in it, but got up one morning to see it down in the driveway, the plants smashed. The only explanation i could come up with was a startled deer must have really made a bad jump! For awhile it housed extra hoses, but I now have it in the back, at the very corner of the house. I just set up that potting table and know I am going to love it!

Yes, wheelbarrows are great! You can move them around, into or out of the sun, depending, of course, on placement. We started ours as a garden for one of my daughters. Now she doesn't care but we still plant it with annuals we think she might like. Next summer, it's getting annuals WE like!

Murmur, great WB and I'm so jealous of your potting table! Verrrrrry nice!

I. too, love the idea of the wheelbarrow permanently on its side! Pod, can you sneak a picture of it?

xxxxx, Carrie

I hope to one day slip off with my camera and get photos of neat stuff all around town. Just never take the time....

Hey Murmer I love your workstation. Did you put it together or is it something that you bought? Mine is truly makeshift! lol

Murmur... nice potting table! Love the color of that wheelbarrow!

Years ago dh brought home the iron legs/frame of the table from a job site that was throwing them out. He made this table and has used it by his barbecue for years and years. Well, this year I stole it from him and said we could make him a fancy one for his cooking (aren't I clever?). It is, of course, absolutely perfect for potting. I get a bit more sun there than I thought I would, but overall, it is in an ideal location.

I love the wheelbarrow, too!!

I guess this could be considered junque. I found this in a 2nd hand store. It was full of plumbing supplies so I guess that was its' intended use. Not any more...

Now, this is the basket full of small pots of different types of Hoya. Sometimes, I fill it with flowers but use plastic pots to set in the basket. Being porous, it would require too much water.

And.... ok you asked for it. DG inspired me to go get this bidet. Robins egg blue. For years, we had it in front of a 2nd hand store. The store closed about 5 years ago. The bidet was moved to the back and has sat outdoors neglected. I climbed thru pigweed and will probably pay the chigger price for this one. When it was parked, there were artificial flowers in it. No shortage of them in a 2nd hand store. Well it is now at my house, hope I don't live to regret this. I may have to dwell on what to plant in it.

Now, I am not into phony phlowers so I uprooted them. Much to my amazement, look what still lived and bloomed after 5 years. It is a type of jew I think. I had planted this in it as it could withstand searing summer heat on the asphalt and concrete. It was even blooming...

How about one more. Everyone has a galvanized bucket that leaks right? Here's mine. Full of what I believe is Sedum (autumn joy) and purple heart (setcreasa). Almost can't see the bucket.

All right guys, show me some better junque...

Podster,
I knew you would come through for us eventually. How much do you think it would cost to send that bidet over to me; I LOVE IT! Will it still work if a plumber works on it? But O Golly, you dumped his tools! I STILL LOVE IT! Unfortunately, we just finished redoing the bathroom to accomodate both the electric wheelchair and closing the door. So, much as I appreciate your generous non-offer, I will have to decline. No more space IN the house, and we'd never get away with that in our uptight neighborhood. Thanks so much for the posts!
xxxxx,
Carrie

Hey, the blue bidet was NIB when the 2nd hand store got it in, never been plumbed or p'd in. Pretty swank huh? I am going to plant it with something. Haven't decided yet and surely don't think it will sit on the front porch either. Even if I live in the woods.
Attagirl for the handicap accessible bath. You just don't appreciate it till needed. My spouse ended up in a wheel chair for a short time. In hospitals for extended times. With age, we are learning the error of our ways. When we built a house years ago, we should have been more perceptive. I.E. Wider doors, taller commodes (the bidet is too short) etc. I have an old platform feed scale and I always wanted a bath big enough to accomodate it. Now, not sure I want to weigh in anyway.... pod

Podster, you are the ultimate!!!!! I am absolutely in awe of your great finds - I, too, would jump on buying either of them!!!!!

Where were you guys when we had the 2nd hand store? Hmmm. Our customers had no imagination or sense of humor!

I was just living in the wrong part of the country - did you have a website? I'd have been one of your best customers . . . I'm such a sucker!!

Lord no, no website. We're still trying to make it into the 20th century. Can't imagine shipping a bidet...

Guess I was safe saying that, eh?

This is not in my garden but photographed on a recent garden tour.... This tour had a lot of eccentric stuff...

Here are some crocks that I am using for Cannas... They don't have any holes. Does this qualify as garden Junk?

Sue

Here is another picture from the Hull Garden tour. Not a container but a great reuse of an old O2 Cylinder for a gong...

Anyone interested in seeing the photos from this tour, please visit my album:

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=11437123&uid=4348107

Garden # 4 and # 5 had a lot of eccentric stuff!

Sue

Everything qualifies. If you "find it" on the shelves at HD or the shelves of the local junque shop or the next door neighbor's trash, it's "found", is it not?

Hi Sedum Sue, You don't worry about the cannas receiving too much liquid refreshment in the crocks? I should talk, my receive only what the Lord sends and this year it isn't much! I really like the gong... that would make a heck of a dinner bell! I plan to take the picture trail shortly, thanks! pod

Sue! Wow! I loved your garden tour pix!! I want to go on the tour next year!
Martha from Saugus!

Hi Podster - I did initially worry about the excess water but people in the Tropicals forum said this is what they do for cannas and elephant ears. In fact several posters had blocked the drainage holes purposely. I had intended to drill holes however it requires getting special drill bits and so I didn't get around to it. I started the cannas inside in regular black nursery pots so they wouldn't rot initially.

Hi Martha - Thanks for looking at my garden tour photos! Hull is so pretty and we had good sunny weather which made the day even better. The views from some of the gardens even out shined the gardens themselves.

Sue

Wonderful garden tour pics - such an incredibly beautiful part of the country. I've never been there, so seeing this photos was quite the treat.

Hey, Murmur, we probably have better weather (most years) than the rumors about the NW. And it's terribly scenic and historic. Is WA state as rainy and grey as they say?

And Sue, Undrainaged Holed Containers? This spring/summer? I had to go out every am and dump the rainwater out of mine. Even the containers with holes inside other, decorative pots w/out holes had to get separated (so I could dump the water out of the outside pot and let the inside pot drain for a few hours), I'm AMAZED that anything made it! Maybe cannas you don't pot up until summer?

xxxxxxxx, Carrie

This message was edited Jul 26, 2006 11:56 AM

Murmur -- thanks for looking! You should come out to Boston. A lot to see here in New England. I have been to Vancouver and loved it but not made it to Seattle or Washington state yet. On the list of places to visit!

Carrie - yes all the rain we've gotten here in Mass has been great! I haven't really had a problem with the pots overflowing. It must be because the pots are pretty big -- much bigger than appear in the photos and I put packing peanuts in the bottom 1/4 to act as a resevoir. I started the cannas in April inside in black nursery pots (with holes) so they wouldn't rot. I guess the cannas are prone to rotting before they sprout if kept in too much water. This is my first year with them so I don't know what to expect. Just waiting to get some flowers soon...

Sue

I should add that I didn't put the cannas into crocks until middle of June. By then we definitely were by some of the heaviest rain.



This message was edited Jul 26, 2006 11:16 AM

I use this unstable cypress rocker that has seen much better days as a staged area for plants until I can decide where to position them permanetely.

This message was edited Jul 26, 2006 11:37 AM

Very lovely collection there, Shirley. Did you raise all those or buy them? Somehow I like them together! What are those hot pink flowers?

xxxxxx, Carrie

This message was edited Jul 26, 2006 12:42 PM

Shirley - wonderful setup there with the chair . . . I think I'd be tempted to keep it that way, but then if you're like me, you constantly have a new plant or two with no home!!!

Carrie, Seattle gets an average of around 32 - 36 inches of rain a year, I believe. Where I live we are in what is called the "Rain Shadow" (of the Olympic Mountains) which shelters us from a lot of it so we average around 22," although higher the last two years by 1.5 inches or so. Seattle is three inches ahead of where they usually are at this time of the year and I would guess we are at least one inch on the high side. So, it really doesn't rain nearly as much as people think, but there are indeed a lot of grey days - and I believe that's what gets to a lot of people. I was born and raised in Seattle, lived there all my life until dh and I moved to Whidbey Island four years ago (it's only about 30 miles from Seattle, but includes a ferry ride so seems far to people). It didn't bother me at all until the last couple years - don't know why that is . . . maybe age does that? Or the fact that I want to be in my gardens more and more and more??? LOL

I do think the weather everywhere in the US is weird this year - so none of us should pay any attention to the news!