Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Potting Benches

This potting bench is an old workhorse here at Acorn Lane.
I made it about 10 years ago with reclaimed and recycled pieces of weathered windows, doors and anything else that looked "shabby".

The two little window boxes perched on top are also vintage, usually filled with maidenhair ferns.
An old zinc tub,was imprinted with roses and serves as the sink for conditioning our flowers.

A lovely light green colour is starting to appear naturally over the wood which means that the moss is going to give it a an even better patina.


Peonies, Sarah Bernhardt from the garden, being conditioned in a plastic, looks-like zinc sap bucket!!

They are so beautiful, they could be sitting in a tin can and no one would notice.




These large tubs are great for holding dozens of roses and other flowers whose stems  need to be recut under water, and then conditioned, so they will be in perfect condition for bouquets and arrangements.



I found these chipped and slightly imperfect, garden ornaments at a lovely shop in Saratoga Springs called Hidden Gardens.
Still haven't placed them in the garden. I have a plan which will take some muscle, so I am waiting for my muscle men to free up some time for me!!!

Old garden tools are an obsession of mine.I wonder about the person who owned them before me, and how
they were used to create their own little piece of paradise.


My favourite clematis Duchess of Edenborough.  The lovely, ruffled and multi petaled blooms look spectacular with the lime green foliage.

This lovely beauty has the same characteristics, soft colour, and all ruffles.

Sorry, don't know her name, I forgot to save the tag!!

Several potting benches, made much the same way, are inside the carriage house, and serve as work tables for arranging flowers, wrapping gifts and potting plants. I will share them with you at another time.

If you find some interesting weathered items that have been discarded, look at the possibilities for creating something beautiful and useful.











































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2 comments:

  1. I am absolutely taken aback by the amazing photos of your garden and the creative use of forgotten treasures-love the potting bench-and oh my god those Japanese peony-breath taking!Your garden should be in a gardening magazine! LOVE IT ALL!

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  2. Just perfect Nella... a place to work with beautiful plants that speak from the heart.
    Hope you are keeping cool!
    Susan x

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